Music Trade Review
Issue: 1924 Vol. 78 N. 8 - Page 7
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FEBRUARY 23, 1924
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
Celebrates Half Century as Kranich &
Bach Representative in Philadelphia
Gustav Herzberg, of G. Herzberg & Son, That City, Completes Eighty-eighth Birthday Coin-
cident With Fiftieth Anniversary of Representation—Founded Firm in 1856
PHILADELPHIA, PA., February 19.—Most
diversified conditions continued in the piano
and general music trade during the week and
though the market, generally speaking, is un-
settled, it is not generally unsatisfactory. It
is true that a majority of the dealers frankly
say that conditions during the week, and for
that matter since February began, were far from
active and in a number of instances results
do not compare favorably with those of the
corresponding period of a year ago. But there
is a minority of the dealers who declare with
emphasis that the business they enjoyed during
the past seven days and the past fortnight was
most encouraging and that in their experience
this year was demonstrably better than a year
ago.
The Wurlitzer Co.'s general music store is
being removed from Ninth and Chestnut streets
to its new home in its own building, the Wur-
litzer, Chestnut below Eleventh street, and in
the very heart of Philadelphia's piano trade.
Manager Toth is hopeful of being in complete
occupancy of the very much enlarged quarters
in the Wurlitzer Building by March 15.
The open season has made possible very
active prosecution of work on the sixteen-story
building which P. J. Cunningham is erecting on
Chestnut street above Thirteenth, and it is prob-
able that this new home will be available for
occupancy about mid-May. Mr. Cunningham
is now making an apportionment of the stock
among the sixteen large floors which will be
available and all of which will be occupied by
the Cunningham business.
In line with these forward movements is that
of the Estey Co. in making a very extensive
rearrangement of the appointments of its build-
ing at the northwest corner of Seventeenth and
Walnut streets and at a considerable outlay.
It is proposed to remove from the first floor all
the offices save those of Manager Louis F.
Quimby and of Mrs. Therese M. Quimby, man-
ager of the talking machine department and
whose ideals, entertained for a long time,
are now being carried out. The first floor will
be given over to pianos and the more expensive
models of talking machines and radio sets, so
that pedestrians readily can secure a bird's-eye
view of all the first floor stock. A special dis-
play of Estey organs is to be made on the fifth
floor. All the business offices hitherto located
on the first floor will be concentrated on the
third floor. One of the features of the down-
stairs display is that of the construction of the
floor, which is to be of inlaid white marble.
The record department will remain in the rear
of the first floor as heretofore, but is to be
decorated in keeping with the attractive front
in a soft gray, to be combined with a harmoni-
ous furniture outfit in yellow and black.
Everyone knows of the great man who was
born on February 22 very many years ago, but
only a few in the piano trade know of its great
Philadelphia member, now the Nestor of the
business, whose birthday is coincident with that
of the Father of his country, although, of
course, many years later. Gustav Herzberg,
head of G. Herzberg & Son, 2042 Chestnut
street, on February 22 will celebrate his eighty-
eighth birthday and recurrence of another year
of undiminished vigor. Almost coincidentally is
the celebration of three score years of con-
tinuous activity in Philadelphia music circles,
and finally the present year marks the golden
anniversary of his representation of Kranich &
Bach, for whom he has been Philadelphia rep-
resentative. In commemoration of the half cen-
tury of representation of the Kranich & Bach
products, being associated with two generations
of that firm's membership, there will be given
by that organization an elaborate celebration in
New York and Mr. Herzberg will be the guest
of honor. It was in 1856 that Mr. Herzberg
came to Philadelphia, opening at Tenth and
Walnut streets. The firm has been handling, in
addition to the Kranich & Bach line, the Mehlin
pianos, which it introduced to the public thirty
years ago.
The proprietor and founder of the Herzberg
firm is widely known in the musical world as
the only living pupil of the great master, Felix
Bartholdi Mendelssohn, and as uncle of the
famous Polish pianist and composer, Joseph
Wieniaski. Although four score years and eight
have been the round of life's term to date for
Mr. Herzberg, he still is an active participant
in his business, coming daily to his office and
transacting the details connected with its con-
duct. Associated with him in the business is
his son, Harry Herzberg, prominent in Phila-
delphia musical circles as the conductor of an
eighty-five-piece orchestra, catering to the ex-
clusive social circles. In celebration of Mr.
Herzberg's eighty-eighth birth anniversary, a
family celebration and circle of friends will
gather at one of the large hotels here in a
banquet in his honor on that day.
To Exploit Gulbransen in
Its Six Cleveland Stores
novel method to the buying public. Likewise,
though the Gulbransen instrument will be fea-
tured in this program, it may not stop there,
but be extended to include other nationally
known pianos.
It is the belief of Home Piano Co. officials
that pianos, like automobiles, cannot be con-
sidered as being bought, but rather as being
sold. This big selling project therefore follows
the work done in the automotive field, which
has consistently from the first held up the auto-
mobile as a desirable thing for the people to
have. The same will work with pianos sold
along this line, promoters of this plan believe.
In Addition Will Establish Fifteen Agencies
in That City to Handle That Instrument-
Large Advertising Campaign Under Way
First step in a project that will really stimu-
late more interest in the piano, the player and
music generally, is under way by the Home
Piano Co., Cleveland, The. Home, established
some eight years ago, in a modest way, now bids
fair to put over a piano business that is unique
as it is broad in its scope. Starting with five
stores, a new one of which is located on the
West Side of Cleveland, the Home proposes
to develop the Gulbransen player. These loca-
tions will be Home Piano Co. stores. The plan
calls for a still broader achievement, however,
in the establishment of fifteen agencies in choice
business locations and in establishments noted
for their high business standing. As the plan
develops it is not likely to stop, but keep ex-
tending to include many other branches.
Public announcement will be made in page
or nearly page advertising to introduce this
Smith & Mitten in Barberton
O., February 19.—The Smith &
Mitten Piano Co., which several months ago
established its store in the Masonic Temple
Building, Akron, "has opened a store in Park
avenue here, carrying a complete line of pianos,
in addition to talking machines and records.
The local store is under the management of
F. W. Van Scoyoc, formerly of the F. W. Van
Scoyoc Piano Co., and for many years identified
with the A. B. Smith Piano Co., of Akron.
BARBERTON,
Victrola No. 80
$100
Mahogany, oak or walnut
Victor supremacy
is the supremacy
of performance
The c o m m e r c i a l tri-
umphs of the Victor natu-
rally follow its musical su-
periority. This inevitable
result is a consideration of
vital importance to every
dealer in Victor products.
Victrola No. 240
$125
Mahogany, oak or walnut
Other styles $25 to $1500
HIS MASTER}? VOICE"
Victrola
REG US PAT OFF
Look under the lid and on the labels
for these Victor trade -marks .,
Victor Talking
Machine Co.
Camden, N.J.
FEBRUARY 23, 1924
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
Celebrates Half Century as Kranich &
Bach Representative in Philadelphia
Gustav Herzberg, of G. Herzberg & Son, That City, Completes Eighty-eighth Birthday Coin-
cident With Fiftieth Anniversary of Representation—Founded Firm in 1856
PHILADELPHIA, PA., February 19.—Most
diversified conditions continued in the piano
and general music trade during the week and
though the market, generally speaking, is un-
settled, it is not generally unsatisfactory. It
is true that a majority of the dealers frankly
say that conditions during the week, and for
that matter since February began, were far from
active and in a number of instances results
do not compare favorably with those of the
corresponding period of a year ago. But there
is a minority of the dealers who declare with
emphasis that the business they enjoyed during
the past seven days and the past fortnight was
most encouraging and that in their experience
this year was demonstrably better than a year
ago.
The Wurlitzer Co.'s general music store is
being removed from Ninth and Chestnut streets
to its new home in its own building, the Wur-
litzer, Chestnut below Eleventh street, and in
the very heart of Philadelphia's piano trade.
Manager Toth is hopeful of being in complete
occupancy of the very much enlarged quarters
in the Wurlitzer Building by March 15.
The open season has made possible very
active prosecution of work on the sixteen-story
building which P. J. Cunningham is erecting on
Chestnut street above Thirteenth, and it is prob-
able that this new home will be available for
occupancy about mid-May. Mr. Cunningham
is now making an apportionment of the stock
among the sixteen large floors which will be
available and all of which will be occupied by
the Cunningham business.
In line with these forward movements is that
of the Estey Co. in making a very extensive
rearrangement of the appointments of its build-
ing at the northwest corner of Seventeenth and
Walnut streets and at a considerable outlay.
It is proposed to remove from the first floor all
the offices save those of Manager Louis F.
Quimby and of Mrs. Therese M. Quimby, man-
ager of the talking machine department and
whose ideals, entertained for a long time,
are now being carried out. The first floor will
be given over to pianos and the more expensive
models of talking machines and radio sets, so
that pedestrians readily can secure a bird's-eye
view of all the first floor stock. A special dis-
play of Estey organs is to be made on the fifth
floor. All the business offices hitherto located
on the first floor will be concentrated on the
third floor. One of the features of the down-
stairs display is that of the construction of the
floor, which is to be of inlaid white marble.
The record department will remain in the rear
of the first floor as heretofore, but is to be
decorated in keeping with the attractive front
in a soft gray, to be combined with a harmoni-
ous furniture outfit in yellow and black.
Everyone knows of the great man who was
born on February 22 very many years ago, but
only a few in the piano trade know of its great
Philadelphia member, now the Nestor of the
business, whose birthday is coincident with that
of the Father of his country, although, of
course, many years later. Gustav Herzberg,
head of G. Herzberg & Son, 2042 Chestnut
street, on February 22 will celebrate his eighty-
eighth birthday and recurrence of another year
of undiminished vigor. Almost coincidentally is
the celebration of three score years of con-
tinuous activity in Philadelphia music circles,
and finally the present year marks the golden
anniversary of his representation of Kranich &
Bach, for whom he has been Philadelphia rep-
resentative. In commemoration of the half cen-
tury of representation of the Kranich & Bach
products, being associated with two generations
of that firm's membership, there will be given
by that organization an elaborate celebration in
New York and Mr. Herzberg will be the guest
of honor. It was in 1856 that Mr. Herzberg
came to Philadelphia, opening at Tenth and
Walnut streets. The firm has been handling, in
addition to the Kranich & Bach line, the Mehlin
pianos, which it introduced to the public thirty
years ago.
The proprietor and founder of the Herzberg
firm is widely known in the musical world as
the only living pupil of the great master, Felix
Bartholdi Mendelssohn, and as uncle of the
famous Polish pianist and composer, Joseph
Wieniaski. Although four score years and eight
have been the round of life's term to date for
Mr. Herzberg, he still is an active participant
in his business, coming daily to his office and
transacting the details connected with its con-
duct. Associated with him in the business is
his son, Harry Herzberg, prominent in Phila-
delphia musical circles as the conductor of an
eighty-five-piece orchestra, catering to the ex-
clusive social circles. In celebration of Mr.
Herzberg's eighty-eighth birth anniversary, a
family celebration and circle of friends will
gather at one of the large hotels here in a
banquet in his honor on that day.
To Exploit Gulbransen in
Its Six Cleveland Stores
novel method to the buying public. Likewise,
though the Gulbransen instrument will be fea-
tured in this program, it may not stop there,
but be extended to include other nationally
known pianos.
It is the belief of Home Piano Co. officials
that pianos, like automobiles, cannot be con-
sidered as being bought, but rather as being
sold. This big selling project therefore follows
the work done in the automotive field, which
has consistently from the first held up the auto-
mobile as a desirable thing for the people to
have. The same will work with pianos sold
along this line, promoters of this plan believe.
In Addition Will Establish Fifteen Agencies
in That City to Handle That Instrument-
Large Advertising Campaign Under Way
First step in a project that will really stimu-
late more interest in the piano, the player and
music generally, is under way by the Home
Piano Co., Cleveland, The. Home, established
some eight years ago, in a modest way, now bids
fair to put over a piano business that is unique
as it is broad in its scope. Starting with five
stores, a new one of which is located on the
West Side of Cleveland, the Home proposes
to develop the Gulbransen player. These loca-
tions will be Home Piano Co. stores. The plan
calls for a still broader achievement, however,
in the establishment of fifteen agencies in choice
business locations and in establishments noted
for their high business standing. As the plan
develops it is not likely to stop, but keep ex-
tending to include many other branches.
Public announcement will be made in page
or nearly page advertising to introduce this
Smith & Mitten in Barberton
O., February 19.—The Smith &
Mitten Piano Co., which several months ago
established its store in the Masonic Temple
Building, Akron, "has opened a store in Park
avenue here, carrying a complete line of pianos,
in addition to talking machines and records.
The local store is under the management of
F. W. Van Scoyoc, formerly of the F. W. Van
Scoyoc Piano Co., and for many years identified
with the A. B. Smith Piano Co., of Akron.
BARBERTON,
Victrola No. 80
$100
Mahogany, oak or walnut
Victor supremacy
is the supremacy
of performance
The c o m m e r c i a l tri-
umphs of the Victor natu-
rally follow its musical su-
periority. This inevitable
result is a consideration of
vital importance to every
dealer in Victor products.
Victrola No. 240
$125
Mahogany, oak or walnut
Other styles $25 to $1500
HIS MASTER}? VOICE"
Victrola
REG US PAT OFF
Look under the lid and on the labels
for these Victor trade -marks .,
Victor Talking
Machine Co.
Camden, N.J.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).