Music Trade Review
Issue: 1928 Vol. 87 N. 13 - Page 11
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
SEPTEMBER 29, 1928
The Music Trade
11
Review
Hermann Irion Returns
From European Tour
Director of Steinway & Sons and President of
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce
Spent Three Months Abroad
Hermann Irion, director of Steinway & Sons,
New York, and president of the Music Indus-
tries Chamber of Commerce, returned from a
three months' European trip on Thursday, Sep-
tember 20. He sailed from New York on June
13 on the S. S. "Mauretania" and returned on
the same ship, when she made her record voy-
age from EngTand to America last week. Mr.
Irion was accompanied by his wife, Yolanda
Mero, concert pianist, and their daughter,
Elizabeth, and divided his time between busi-
ness and pleasure.
He spent three weeks in Hamburg, visiting
the Steinway factory there, and found condi-
tions very satisfactory. While in Germany he
also spent several weeks in the vicinity of such
cities as Munich, Dresden and Baden-Baden,
and heard many symphonic concerts as well
as operatic performances. In regard to busi-
ness conditions in Germany Mr. Irion stated
that the nation was now laboring to meet heav-
ier reparation payments required under the
Dawes plan than in previous years, but said
that the requirements are being met. The in-
stalment plan of selling is growing in Germany,
and will spread much more rapidly as soon
as proper legislation covering conditional sales
is provided. Mr. Irion and his family also
spent considerable time in Hungary, Switzer-
land and England, and visited many places in
those countries.
Pratt Read
Service
We maintain special
Repair Departments
for the convenience
of d e a l e r s a n d
tuners.
Send your work to
us for prompt at-
tention and careful
workmanship.
Piano Trade Facing
Shortage of Grands
By Gordon Laughead
Sales Manager, Wurlitzer Grand Piano Co.
T
H E piano trade is now facing a shortage of moderate-priced grand pianos.
A conservative estimate of the shortage from now to December 15 will
be from five to seven thousand instruments.
Articles with the subject "What is wrong with the piano business" recently
appearing in several trade journals show a lack of knowledge as to the true
condition of the piano trade.
Many merchants are so asleep that they couldn't recognize old man pros-
perity even if he came up and gave them a "sock in the nose" using the lan-
guage of the prize ring.
Perhaps these dealers never will awaken.
1928 is going to be a big year for profits with many Wurlitzer dealers. More
real profit can be made by the wide-awake dealer this Fall than ever before, if
he will just be alive to the genuine demand for small grand pianos and small up-
rights.
Never in the history of our trade has there been so much interest in the
art of piano-playing. Never in our history have so many beautiful homes been
completed, awaiting the installation of a grand piano.
Our business is not a sensational business, but it is a steady growing busi-
ness with no place for calamity howlers or people with weak knees.
Before 1929 is half over, instruments using perforated music rolls will be
revived through new inventions. Sales will be increasing. There will always
be large quantities of instruments using perforated music rolls sold despite the
fellow who is now disgusting the real people of our trade by preaching the
funeral oration over the open grave of the player. These same folks three
years ago tried unsuccessfully to bury the phonograph.
The shortage of grand pianos will not make life a paradise for the manu-
facturer as he can only try to hold the good will of his dealers by a fair distribu-
tion of his output. The wise dealer with foresight will anticipate his wants
and order now. A week later may be too late.
The Fall of 1928 is surprising us. 1929 should be a prosperous piano year.
Executive Committee
of Chamber Meets
Discusses Routine Matters at Gathering in New
York on Tuesday—Board of Directors to
Meet in Chicago on October 23
The meeting of the executive committee of
the Music Industries Chamber of Commerce
was held at the headquarters of the Chamber in
New York on Tuesday of this week. In addi-
tion to a number of routine matters the session
was devoted to a general discussion of finances,
and consideration was also given to the matter
of selecting a hotel in Chicago for the 1929
convention. This matter will finally be decided
at the meeting of the Board of Directors of
the Chamber to be held in Chicago on October
23. M. Hohner, Inc., the well-known harmonica
manufacturer, was elected to membership.
Those who attended the meeting included
Richard W. Lawrence, C. J. Roberts, Mark P.
Campbell, Herbert Simpson, Hermann Irion, C.
Alfred Wagner and Alfred L. Smith.
Write for our price lists on
key—action—player
repairs and materials
PRATT, READ & CO.
Established i n 1 8 0 6
The PRATT READ PLAYER ACTION CO.
Deep River, Conn.
Fitzgerald Music Co. Sues
the American Piano Co.
A summons and complaint in a suit for
breach of contract was served by attorneys rep-
resenting the Fitzgerald Music Co., of Los An-
geles, on George Urquhart, president of the
American Piano Co. The attorney for the Fitz-
gerald Co. declared that the American Piano
Co. had broken a contract with the Fitzgerald
Co. when it took its agency away from that
concern this Spring. Mr. Urquhart when asked
regarding the suit stated that the Fitzgerald
Co. had been handling the American Co. prod-
ucts under a franchise containing a thirty-day
cancellation clause which his company ex-
ercised. The action was brought in the Federal
Court in New York, and it is stated that dam-
ages to the amount of half a million dollars
will be asked.
Philip G. Oetting Sails
for Europe This Week
Philip G. Oetting, president of Philip W.
Oetting & Son, Inc., New York, sole American
agents for Weickert hammer-felts, sailed for
Europe on the S. S. "Berlin" on Saturday, Sep-
tember 22. He sailed direct to Bremen en route
to Leipzig, where he will have a general con-
ference with officials of the Weickert felt
works, returning in October. The increased de-
mand for Weickert piano felts in the higher
grades has made Mr. Oetting's visit necessary
at this time. He has made two other trips to
the Weickert plant within the past three years.
Steinway Traveler
on Trip Through West
Roman de Majewski, wholesale traveling
representative of Steinway & Sons, New York,
left this week on an extended trip through the
trade in the West. His first big stop is at Los
Angeles, from which he will go to San Fran-
cisco. He will then spend about six weeks
calling on the principal Steinway dealers in
cities along the West Coast.
William Greener was a recent visitor at the
executive offices of the Aeolian Co., New York.
Another recent visitor was F. A. Jenkins, of.
the F. A. Jenkins Music Co., Honesdale, Pa.
SEPTEMBER 29, 1928
The Music Trade
11
Review
Hermann Irion Returns
From European Tour
Director of Steinway & Sons and President of
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce
Spent Three Months Abroad
Hermann Irion, director of Steinway & Sons,
New York, and president of the Music Indus-
tries Chamber of Commerce, returned from a
three months' European trip on Thursday, Sep-
tember 20. He sailed from New York on June
13 on the S. S. "Mauretania" and returned on
the same ship, when she made her record voy-
age from EngTand to America last week. Mr.
Irion was accompanied by his wife, Yolanda
Mero, concert pianist, and their daughter,
Elizabeth, and divided his time between busi-
ness and pleasure.
He spent three weeks in Hamburg, visiting
the Steinway factory there, and found condi-
tions very satisfactory. While in Germany he
also spent several weeks in the vicinity of such
cities as Munich, Dresden and Baden-Baden,
and heard many symphonic concerts as well
as operatic performances. In regard to busi-
ness conditions in Germany Mr. Irion stated
that the nation was now laboring to meet heav-
ier reparation payments required under the
Dawes plan than in previous years, but said
that the requirements are being met. The in-
stalment plan of selling is growing in Germany,
and will spread much more rapidly as soon
as proper legislation covering conditional sales
is provided. Mr. Irion and his family also
spent considerable time in Hungary, Switzer-
land and England, and visited many places in
those countries.
Pratt Read
Service
We maintain special
Repair Departments
for the convenience
of d e a l e r s a n d
tuners.
Send your work to
us for prompt at-
tention and careful
workmanship.
Piano Trade Facing
Shortage of Grands
By Gordon Laughead
Sales Manager, Wurlitzer Grand Piano Co.
T
H E piano trade is now facing a shortage of moderate-priced grand pianos.
A conservative estimate of the shortage from now to December 15 will
be from five to seven thousand instruments.
Articles with the subject "What is wrong with the piano business" recently
appearing in several trade journals show a lack of knowledge as to the true
condition of the piano trade.
Many merchants are so asleep that they couldn't recognize old man pros-
perity even if he came up and gave them a "sock in the nose" using the lan-
guage of the prize ring.
Perhaps these dealers never will awaken.
1928 is going to be a big year for profits with many Wurlitzer dealers. More
real profit can be made by the wide-awake dealer this Fall than ever before, if
he will just be alive to the genuine demand for small grand pianos and small up-
rights.
Never in the history of our trade has there been so much interest in the
art of piano-playing. Never in our history have so many beautiful homes been
completed, awaiting the installation of a grand piano.
Our business is not a sensational business, but it is a steady growing busi-
ness with no place for calamity howlers or people with weak knees.
Before 1929 is half over, instruments using perforated music rolls will be
revived through new inventions. Sales will be increasing. There will always
be large quantities of instruments using perforated music rolls sold despite the
fellow who is now disgusting the real people of our trade by preaching the
funeral oration over the open grave of the player. These same folks three
years ago tried unsuccessfully to bury the phonograph.
The shortage of grand pianos will not make life a paradise for the manu-
facturer as he can only try to hold the good will of his dealers by a fair distribu-
tion of his output. The wise dealer with foresight will anticipate his wants
and order now. A week later may be too late.
The Fall of 1928 is surprising us. 1929 should be a prosperous piano year.
Executive Committee
of Chamber Meets
Discusses Routine Matters at Gathering in New
York on Tuesday—Board of Directors to
Meet in Chicago on October 23
The meeting of the executive committee of
the Music Industries Chamber of Commerce
was held at the headquarters of the Chamber in
New York on Tuesday of this week. In addi-
tion to a number of routine matters the session
was devoted to a general discussion of finances,
and consideration was also given to the matter
of selecting a hotel in Chicago for the 1929
convention. This matter will finally be decided
at the meeting of the Board of Directors of
the Chamber to be held in Chicago on October
23. M. Hohner, Inc., the well-known harmonica
manufacturer, was elected to membership.
Those who attended the meeting included
Richard W. Lawrence, C. J. Roberts, Mark P.
Campbell, Herbert Simpson, Hermann Irion, C.
Alfred Wagner and Alfred L. Smith.
Write for our price lists on
key—action—player
repairs and materials
PRATT, READ & CO.
Established i n 1 8 0 6
The PRATT READ PLAYER ACTION CO.
Deep River, Conn.
Fitzgerald Music Co. Sues
the American Piano Co.
A summons and complaint in a suit for
breach of contract was served by attorneys rep-
resenting the Fitzgerald Music Co., of Los An-
geles, on George Urquhart, president of the
American Piano Co. The attorney for the Fitz-
gerald Co. declared that the American Piano
Co. had broken a contract with the Fitzgerald
Co. when it took its agency away from that
concern this Spring. Mr. Urquhart when asked
regarding the suit stated that the Fitzgerald
Co. had been handling the American Co. prod-
ucts under a franchise containing a thirty-day
cancellation clause which his company ex-
ercised. The action was brought in the Federal
Court in New York, and it is stated that dam-
ages to the amount of half a million dollars
will be asked.
Philip G. Oetting Sails
for Europe This Week
Philip G. Oetting, president of Philip W.
Oetting & Son, Inc., New York, sole American
agents for Weickert hammer-felts, sailed for
Europe on the S. S. "Berlin" on Saturday, Sep-
tember 22. He sailed direct to Bremen en route
to Leipzig, where he will have a general con-
ference with officials of the Weickert felt
works, returning in October. The increased de-
mand for Weickert piano felts in the higher
grades has made Mr. Oetting's visit necessary
at this time. He has made two other trips to
the Weickert plant within the past three years.
Steinway Traveler
on Trip Through West
Roman de Majewski, wholesale traveling
representative of Steinway & Sons, New York,
left this week on an extended trip through the
trade in the West. His first big stop is at Los
Angeles, from which he will go to San Fran-
cisco. He will then spend about six weeks
calling on the principal Steinway dealers in
cities along the West Coast.
William Greener was a recent visitor at the
executive offices of the Aeolian Co., New York.
Another recent visitor was F. A. Jenkins, of.
the F. A. Jenkins Music Co., Honesdale, Pa.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).