Music Trade Review
Issue: 1951 Vol. 110 N. 5 - Page 24
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
Ralph Tapp, Retired Sfeinway
Salesman Passes Away at 80
Ralph Tapp, for more than 50 years
connected with Steinway & Sons until
his retirement in 1946, died at his home
in New York City on April 27th.
At the time of his retirement Mr.
Tapp was a floor salesman at Steinway
Hall. At a testimonial dinner tendered
to him on that occasion, Mr. Theodore
E. Steinway, President of Steinway &
Sons, spoke feelingly of his long and
loyal service. Mr. Tapp concluded his
response with the statement, "I think if
I had to live my whole life over again,
it would be a source of pride and satis-
faction to live one more lifetime in the
service of Steinway & Sons."
Born in Bath, England on May 22nd,
1871, Ralph Tapp, at the age of 15,
became an indentured apprentice with
Celebrates 90th Birthday
By Moving Winter & Co. Piano
Daniel B. Coyle worked for the Erie
Railroad for 51 years as a conductor
retiring a few years ago, after that he
has worked part time for the Edward
T. Bates Co.. Meadville, Pa., and in the
accompanying illustration he is shown
celebrating his 90th birthday by lifting
a Winter & Co. Style 50 piano on to a
truck.
Regarding McCoyle's prowess the
RALPH TAPP
the old-established piano house of C.
Wilson and Sons in that city; then with
Paterson and Sons, the Steinway dealers
in Edinburgh, Scotland, for whom he
covered the suburban territory as tuner
and salesman. "Throughout all these
preparatory years" said Mr. Tapp, "1
never wavered in my desire and my
determination to enter the direct employ
of that great epoch-making house which
had achieved a combination of musical
and scientific knowledge previously un-
known, and it finally fell out that in
1897, on one of my visits to Edwin
Eshelby, manager of Steinway & Sons'
London branch, I became an employee
of the house." During his connection
with the London branch he called on all
Steinway customers in Ireland about
twice a year, combining tuning with
sales.
In September of 1900, Mr. Tapp was
transferred to Steinway & Sons head-
quarters in New York City, and for
some years was a concert tuner, travel-
ing with such artists as Fanny Bloom-
field Zeisler, Paderewski, Josef Lhevinne,
and Yolanda Mero. About 1911 he was
sent to the Steinway midd-West branches
in Cincinnati, Dayton, Louisville, Terre
Haute and Indianapolis, becoming at
different times manager of the Dayton
and Louisville branches. For a while,
at the request of the house, he con-
ducted his own business as Steinway
dealer in Wheeling, West Virginia.
In 1925, shortly before the closing of
the middle-West branches, he joined the
retail department of the Steinway head-
quarters in New York City where he
remained active up to the time of his
retirement.
Mr. Tapp is survived by his wife,
daughter, and a grandson.
Wurlitzer Pianos for
South Carolina Church
Grimsley of Payne's for
t Charles
Music, Greenville, S. C , has announced
the sale of a Wurlitzer, Model 2600, to
the Chesney Baptist Church, Chesney.
PLAYERS REBUILT
• Airmotors
• Pneumatics
• Bellows
• Rebuilt
Write:
TOLBERT F. CHEEK
11 Beauport Avenue, Gloucester, Mass.
ELECTRIC
DAMPP-CHASER
DANIEL. B. COYL.E LIFTS WINTER
PIANO AT 90
&
Bates Company states:
"Mr. Coyle celebrated his 90th birth-
day on Easter Sunday, March 25. He is
a very unusual man for his years and is
as active and spry as a man of 60. Mr.
Coyle retired a few years ago, after
completing 51 years as a passenger con-
ductor with the Erie Railroad, with a
perfect record. He was recently elected
President of the local chapter of the
Erie railroad Veterans Association.
Since his retirement from the Erie, he
has worked for this store in various
capacities for several years. During that
time and while he was in his early
eighties, he would often go along on a
delivery truck, to help deliver pianos.
He is still very active."
24
PIANO
CO.
LIFE SAVER
a real
LIFE SAVER for
Piano Dealers * Tuners
STOPS
•
•
•
•
sticking piano keys
sluggish action
dampness
rust
Easy to sell. Reduces free service calls
. . . Adds new profits . . . Recommended
and used b y leading Manufacturers, Dealers
and Tuners. Easy to install. Fits any piano . . . Safe
. . . F i v e year factory guarantee. For 117 volts AC/DC.
(Other voltages available.) . . . Wonderful Clothes Closet
Accessory to prevent . . . MOLD . . . MILDEW . . . and MUSTY
ODORS . . . Standard discounts to Dealers and Tuners . . . Order
direct or through your favorite supply house.
Packed in colorful display box with instructions and a l l necessary
hardware.
LIST plus your installation charges
WRITE TODAY FOR FREE DESCRIPTIVE LITERATURE
DAMPP-CHASER, Inc.
UNDERWRITERS'
APPROVED
BOX
5 2 0 , HENDERSONVILLE, N. C.
•PRICE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE
THE
MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, MAY, 1951
Ralph Tapp, Retired Sfeinway
Salesman Passes Away at 80
Ralph Tapp, for more than 50 years
connected with Steinway & Sons until
his retirement in 1946, died at his home
in New York City on April 27th.
At the time of his retirement Mr.
Tapp was a floor salesman at Steinway
Hall. At a testimonial dinner tendered
to him on that occasion, Mr. Theodore
E. Steinway, President of Steinway &
Sons, spoke feelingly of his long and
loyal service. Mr. Tapp concluded his
response with the statement, "I think if
I had to live my whole life over again,
it would be a source of pride and satis-
faction to live one more lifetime in the
service of Steinway & Sons."
Born in Bath, England on May 22nd,
1871, Ralph Tapp, at the age of 15,
became an indentured apprentice with
Celebrates 90th Birthday
By Moving Winter & Co. Piano
Daniel B. Coyle worked for the Erie
Railroad for 51 years as a conductor
retiring a few years ago, after that he
has worked part time for the Edward
T. Bates Co.. Meadville, Pa., and in the
accompanying illustration he is shown
celebrating his 90th birthday by lifting
a Winter & Co. Style 50 piano on to a
truck.
Regarding McCoyle's prowess the
RALPH TAPP
the old-established piano house of C.
Wilson and Sons in that city; then with
Paterson and Sons, the Steinway dealers
in Edinburgh, Scotland, for whom he
covered the suburban territory as tuner
and salesman. "Throughout all these
preparatory years" said Mr. Tapp, "1
never wavered in my desire and my
determination to enter the direct employ
of that great epoch-making house which
had achieved a combination of musical
and scientific knowledge previously un-
known, and it finally fell out that in
1897, on one of my visits to Edwin
Eshelby, manager of Steinway & Sons'
London branch, I became an employee
of the house." During his connection
with the London branch he called on all
Steinway customers in Ireland about
twice a year, combining tuning with
sales.
In September of 1900, Mr. Tapp was
transferred to Steinway & Sons head-
quarters in New York City, and for
some years was a concert tuner, travel-
ing with such artists as Fanny Bloom-
field Zeisler, Paderewski, Josef Lhevinne,
and Yolanda Mero. About 1911 he was
sent to the Steinway midd-West branches
in Cincinnati, Dayton, Louisville, Terre
Haute and Indianapolis, becoming at
different times manager of the Dayton
and Louisville branches. For a while,
at the request of the house, he con-
ducted his own business as Steinway
dealer in Wheeling, West Virginia.
In 1925, shortly before the closing of
the middle-West branches, he joined the
retail department of the Steinway head-
quarters in New York City where he
remained active up to the time of his
retirement.
Mr. Tapp is survived by his wife,
daughter, and a grandson.
Wurlitzer Pianos for
South Carolina Church
Grimsley of Payne's for
t Charles
Music, Greenville, S. C , has announced
the sale of a Wurlitzer, Model 2600, to
the Chesney Baptist Church, Chesney.
PLAYERS REBUILT
• Airmotors
• Pneumatics
• Bellows
• Rebuilt
Write:
TOLBERT F. CHEEK
11 Beauport Avenue, Gloucester, Mass.
ELECTRIC
DAMPP-CHASER
DANIEL. B. COYL.E LIFTS WINTER
PIANO AT 90
&
Bates Company states:
"Mr. Coyle celebrated his 90th birth-
day on Easter Sunday, March 25. He is
a very unusual man for his years and is
as active and spry as a man of 60. Mr.
Coyle retired a few years ago, after
completing 51 years as a passenger con-
ductor with the Erie Railroad, with a
perfect record. He was recently elected
President of the local chapter of the
Erie railroad Veterans Association.
Since his retirement from the Erie, he
has worked for this store in various
capacities for several years. During that
time and while he was in his early
eighties, he would often go along on a
delivery truck, to help deliver pianos.
He is still very active."
24
PIANO
CO.
LIFE SAVER
a real
LIFE SAVER for
Piano Dealers * Tuners
STOPS
•
•
•
•
sticking piano keys
sluggish action
dampness
rust
Easy to sell. Reduces free service calls
. . . Adds new profits . . . Recommended
and used b y leading Manufacturers, Dealers
and Tuners. Easy to install. Fits any piano . . . Safe
. . . F i v e year factory guarantee. For 117 volts AC/DC.
(Other voltages available.) . . . Wonderful Clothes Closet
Accessory to prevent . . . MOLD . . . MILDEW . . . and MUSTY
ODORS . . . Standard discounts to Dealers and Tuners . . . Order
direct or through your favorite supply house.
Packed in colorful display box with instructions and a l l necessary
hardware.
LIST plus your installation charges
WRITE TODAY FOR FREE DESCRIPTIVE LITERATURE
DAMPP-CHASER, Inc.
UNDERWRITERS'
APPROVED
BOX
5 2 0 , HENDERSONVILLE, N. C.
•PRICE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE
THE
MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, MAY, 1951
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).