Music Trade Review

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CHICAGO AND THE MIDDLE WEST
Frank W. Kirk, Manager, 1302 Republic Building, South State St., Chicago
Gulbransen Co. Declares
Common Stock Dividend
President Reports That Earnings Are on Stable
Basis and Dealer Organization in Best Shape
in History
At a meeting of the directors of the Gulbran-
sen Co., Chicago, held March 30, a dividend of
two per cent on common stock was declared.
The payment will apply to stockholders of
record March 31, and will be payable April 20.
It is reported that earnings of the company are
on a stable basis, which have enabled regular
payments to be made on the preferred and com-
mon stock issues for a number of years past.
President A. G. Gulbransen made a statement
following the meeting to the effect that the
dealer organization of the company is in better
shape than it has ever been in its history. At
many points the Gulbransen Co.'s dealers have
increased the man-power of their stores, and
in others selling has been established on a more
efficient, more modern basis. In other ways,
also, the company's intensive campaign in the
interests of improvement in the retail piano
business is bearing fruit.
Mr. Gulbransen further emphasized that the
company is wholly dependent on the rise and
fall of its retail dealer organization, having no
retail outlets of its own, either in Chicago or
elsewhere in the country. The company is en-
joying unusually close contact with its dealers
as a result of the important regional meetings
taking place this year which will spread a
blanket of constructive selling-advertising-credit
practice over the country.
the same time reach a great number of families.
The film is not long, and takes only about
four minutes to show. It had its preliminary
showing before the members of the Chicago
Piano Club on Monday, March 26, when G. A.
Rehm, president of the Atlas Educational Film
Co., told the members about the importance of
motion pictures in business as an aid in pre-
senting the sales message.
Finds Conditions Better
Among Eastern Dealers
Chas. E. Jackson, of the Cable Company, Re-
ports on Trip From Baltimore North to the
Canadian Line
Chas. E. Jackson, manager of the wholesale
department of the Cable Company, got back
to his office in the Cable Building Monday,
after three weeks' journey to the Eastern At-
lantic coast.
Kimball Player Popular
in Latin-America
Style 46 in Kimball Line Wins Wide Popular-
ity Throughout South American Countries
The style 46 Kimball player-piano, in spite of
the fact that it is a high-priced instrument, has
won great favor among the Latin-American
countries to which the W. W. Kimball Co. has
been exporting for a number of years.
Just as the people in foreign countries are
slow to accept a product that is new to them
in name and style, when once their preference
has been established they are just as slow to
give up the product, according to C. O. Baptista,
who has been exporting Kimball pianos and
player-pianos to all parts of the world and par-
ticularly to Latin America for the last fifteen
years.
"It is for this reason that the style 46 Kim-
hall piano has continued to grow in popularity
Kimball
Style 46
Player-Piano
Kimball Issue Movie
on Piano Selling
Film Entitled "Music Hath Charms" Tells Fine
Selling Story for Kimball Retail Dealers
in Handling Line
"Music Hath Charms" is the title of an in-
teresting little movie that has been produced
by the Atlas Educational Film Co. for the W.
W. Kimball Co. for the benefit of Kimball
dealers.
The picture very effectively tells a sales story
to the consumer in picturizing a little romance
in which a mother looks ahead a few years
and knows that her little son and daughter al-
most in babyhood want and need music. She
visualizes the beginning of school and the de-
veloping life before her. Music is not only
beauty to her, but a necessity for the growing
mind, and father lends a willing ear to her
suggestions, and together they buy a piano.
Sales points are very effectively brought
home throughout the picture, and at the con-
clusion showing the- former budding talent
attaining success in playing the piano when
reaching young womanhood. There are several
characters in the picture that are well known to
the trade, including George Liebling, eminent
concert pianist, and none other than Eugene
Whelan, manager of the Chicago retail store.
The picture has been especially made for
Kimball dealers, who realize that selling pianos
is not merely selling merchandise costing a cer-
tain number of dollars, but selling music itself.
It is claimed that things seen are longest re-
membered, and the showing of the picture
should make a good impression in the public's
consciousness, in stimulating their interest in
music. Kimball dealers are urged to secure
the showing in their local motion picture
houses, where the cost will be nominal, and at
"I went to New England and covered the
territory from Baltimore north to the Canadian
line," said Mr. Jackson, "and am glad to say
that almost without exception the dealers are
feeling better than they felt for two years, and
there is not only widespread belief that 1928 is
going to be good, but they are actually making
sales. My orders were not in carload lots, but
there are so many of them and so widespread
that . it indicates a very general diffusion of
good business.
"Nobody was bothering about it being a
presidential year nor boasting about a few sales
of expensive pianos to socially important people,
but the number of sales of medium-priced pianos
in that part of the East, which after all are the
basis of large quantity sales, was remarkable.
The dealers are going out and getting the busi-
ness, and are not having any trouble about it
nor with the collections, according to all
their reports."
and favor," states Mr. Baptista. "The reason
for this preference, 1 believe, is due to the
handsome simplicity of the design, and the fine
manner in which it has performed under the
most adverse climatic conditions. It is a tried
instrument which has given complete satisfac-
tion, and as it serves its purpose the people are
slow to change their taste for another type of
instrument.
"It requires years of constant and patient
effort on the part of the piano manufacturer
before he is able to enter this market. But
once this is done the promotional work is not
lost, for the people desire to adhere to the
same general style of instruments for a much
longer period than is found in this country.
"In fact, where a particular style does become
popular it is extremely difficult to convince the
foreign trade about the advisability of produc-
ing a new model to take its place."
J. R. Reed a Visitor
Straube Piano Co. Uses
Ladies' Home Journal
J. R. Reed, head of the J. R. Reed Music Co.,
Austin, Tex., spent part of the week in Chicago,
but announced that his visit this time had no
connection with business as he had come on to
see two of his daughters who are students at
the University of Chicago.
The Straube Piano Co. announces that the
Ladies' Home Journal magazine is to be used
to feature Straube national advertising in April.
As a dealer tie-up, the company has issued a
series of ads offering mats or electros for the
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