Music Trade Review

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The Music Trade Review
Iowa Gulbransen Dealers
Convene in Des Moines
Hold Two-day Session Under Auspices of
Gulbransen Co. for Purpose of Discussing
Business Conditions and Future Plans
DES MOINES, IA., October 20.—Gulbransen mer-
chants from all sections of the State of Iowa
gathered at the Fort Des Moines Hotel here,
Wednesday and Thursday of this week, for a
two-day discussion of business problems, it be-
ing one of the regional meetings held in various
sections of the country under the auspices of
the Gulbransen Co.
The program in the main followed those of
previous meetings, although special attention
was given to the practice of merchants in buy-
ing used pianos in quantities and disposing of
them to their public in place of new instru-
ments. The fact was emphasized that this
practice is calculated to disgust the public with
the piano, and simply killed new business. It
was further emphasized that such relics are
of no. value to the young piano student, and
in fact place him under an unfair handicap.
John S. Gorman, vice-president and sales
manager of the Gulbransen Co., presided, and
again stressed his belief that all that was
needed in the industry was more man power to
keep closer contact with the public at large. It
had been demonstrated, he said, that, properly
approached, the public will buy pianos, but that
the present effort is too limited. Mr. Gorman
also emphasized the necessity for members of
the trade co-operating in order to meet the
coinpetition of the day from without rather
from within the industry.
Another speaker was Walter Kiehn, adver-
tising manager of the company, who explained
the elaborate selling plan which had been
worked out by the Gulbransen Co. through
actual contact with householders in more than
a score of towns and cities.
OCTOBER 27, 1928
In connection with the meeting there was an
elaborate display of the various Gulbransen
piano models including art grands, the Modern
Musical Miracle Reproducing Upright, etc., the
Gulbransen radio and the Gulbransen radio Gimbel Bros. Piano Department Features New
speaker were also shown in several models.
Instruments During Direct Mail Convention
in That City
Hardman Modernique Line
Shown in Philadelphia
Fred'k P Stieff Working
for Howard St. Extension
As Head of Local Merchants' Association He
Is Active in Plan for Highway Development
in Business Section of Baltimore
BALTIMORE, MD., October 22.—Frederick P.
Stieff, vice-president of Chas. M. Stieff, Inc.,
who has long been active in business affairs
in this city, is having a particularly busy time
now as president of the Howard Street Mer-
chants' Association, which is engaged in a cam-
paign to bring about the adoption of the plan
for the Howard Street Extension. The matter
will come up for public vote very shortly and,
if passed, will mean much in the development
of the principal business section of Baltimore in
connection with a series of cross highways al-
ready proposed. The move for the extension
has been under way for some years and unusual
efforts are being put forth to have it adopted at
this time.
Messick Now Represents
the Stradivara Go.
COSHOCTON, O., October 20.—W. V. E. Messick,
formerly president and sales manager of the
Art Novelty Co., Goshen, Ind., and who re-
cently disposed of his interests in that company,
has joined the sales organization of the Stradi-
vara Co., this city, manufacturer of piano
benches, rolls, cabinets, etc., and will represent
the Stradivara interests in Ohio, Michigan, In-
diana and Illinois.
PHII.ADEU'JHA, PA., October 21.—With the rec-
ord-breaking attendance at the eleventh Inter-
national Direct Mail Advertising Convention on
the twelfth floor of Gimbel Bros, last week and
at the Benjamin Franklin Hotel, the newest
creations of Hardman, Peck & Co., which
were especially featured for the week of the
session by Buyer-Manager Philip Hangen, at-
tracted a larger percentage of the convention-
ites to the piano department's exhibition of
these instruments.
The ensemble of Modernique pianos in-
cluded a Lee Simonson creation, originated by
the director of the Theatre Guild and called
"The Death of a Simile," an Edward J. Stei-
chen model, originated by this artist, whose
paintings hang in the Luxembourg and the
Metropolitan Art Museum, and whose baby
grand is termed the "Lunar Moth," and whose
larger grand is known as "Vers Libre"; and
two by Helen Dryden, who has featured an
upright and a grand known as the "Caprice."
These models are assembled in the Modern Art
Suite on the sixth floor of the store adjoining
the furniture and piano sections.
Shoninger for University
Word was received this week by the Shonin-
ger Piano Co., New York, from L. Gruenwald
Co., Inc., New Orleans, that it has just sold
to the Louisiana State University, at Baton
Rouge, a Shoninger piano for use in that
institution. This adds one more to the long
list of universities and colleges whore Shonin-
ger pianos are in use.
Instruments of Distinction
The POOLE
Style AA Grand
Early American Design
Brown Mahogany—Dull Finish
An exquisite period model — chased. Its
charm lies in beautiful lines rather than over-
ornate and meaningless decoration—a master-
piece worthy of the finest setting—and like all
POOLES priced right.
POOLE PIANO COMPANY
CAMBRIDGE A
BOSTON, MASS.