Presto
Issue: 1920 1748 - Page 24
24
PRESTO
RECORD DEMAND
FOR PLAYERPIANOS
the nation was centered wholly on its war purpose.
The making of pianos and kindred products seemed
doomed almost to stop. In fact I know that dozens
of manufacturers were making plans to shut down
their plants and stop production entirely until the
war had ended. Those were the conditions during
the entire year 1918. Few manufacturers saw and
hoped for a change of conditions during 1919 and
even the most optimistic, myself among them, did
not dare picture the remarkable development that
has taken place.
January 22, 1920.
CLASSIFIED AD PROVIDES
TEXT FOR EDITORIAL
Providence, R. I., Journal Writer Conjures Up
Memories of Days with Old Pianos.
Their Manufacture for New Year Will Eclipse
The Providence, R. I., Journal prints the follow-
1919 Output According to A. W. Johnston,
ing advertisement from a Peekskill, N. Y., news-
paper which is used as a text for an editorial by
Who Outlines the Standard Ambitions
a writer with feeling:
for the Future.
Nation Music Hungry.
For Sale—Piano. A little old and tinpanny, but
"The signing of the armistice wrought a magic intact and in tune. Delivered for $25 in advance.
A. W. Johnston, vice-president of the Standard
The Journal writer conjured up a word picture of
Pneumatic Action Co., New York, has returned to change in trade conditions. The government re-
leased raw materials such as lumber, metal, etc., a past day when the "little old and tinpanny piano"
and the nation relaxed in its mighty effort and was tuneful and appreciated. Winter evenings in
turned to music and entertainment after the trying the parlor "where the piano lamp flung its cheerful
strain. Playerpiano demand jumped over night to glow upon the faces of young women who wore
a high level never dreamed of and continued through their hair drawn primly down to the lobe of the
the entire year 1919. Factories increased their out- ear and who were grandly circled in space-defying
put, super efforts were made to meet the new con- crinoline; and upon the faces also of young men
ditions, but even the combined endeavors of en- with hair plastered diagonally across their fore-
tire industry failed to appease the music hunger of
heads and curled long in the neck, and with tiny
the nation.
whiskers, perchance, after the weird prevailing style
"In consequence the piano industry faces the of the time."
dawn of the new year with orders available to take
The writer writes with such feeling that he must
up its entire estimated output for 1920. New facili-
ties are being added to manufacturing plants all have been one of the glad throng on many an oc-
over the country and it is a safe prediction that the casion about pianos in the old days he pictures
production of playerpianos this year will set a new and mingled his bass or tenor in the joyful chor-
uses. There's a sob in his recital:
high mark.
But the memory of it all remains in the minds
Large Production.
of a few older people, and there is a charm about
"The production last year was of course seriously the long-gone era and the old piano that nothing of
curtailed by the strike during October, November these modern times can quite supply. There was a
and December. These three months could have simplicity in the life of that day we have alto-
been counted as the largest producing months of gether lost, mo re's the pity.
the year as increased facilities, new machinery, etc.,
One old piano—up in Peekskill—is now for sale,
were just about swinging into stride when labor
walked out. The Standard Player production dur- and the owner will be lucky if he gets the modest
ing 1919 was 30,080, a remarkable output for only price he asks. It is confessedly "tinpanny." Its
nine months of real operation. Forty thousand the keys are yellow, we suppose, though once they
Standard promise to manufacturers for 1919 would were as white as the skillful hands that moved
easily have been exceeded but for the strike condi- swiftly above them and brought forth the plaintive
tion. However, our factories are again operating sounds of "The Poor Old Slave," "Suwanee River,"
with a promising labor nucleus and we look forward or "My Darling Nellie Gray." Time has worked
to the coming year anticipating the record produc- its ravages upon the ancient instrument, as it has
A. W. JOHNSTON.
tion of both Standard player actions and player- upon the gay generation that once thronged
around it.
that city after a year-end visit to manufacturers pianos.
"'Let's go' and make 1920 the best year ever in
west of Buffalo. He is enthusiastic of playerpiano
NEW ILLINOIS FIRM.
prospects for the coming year and predicts that the piano industry. Standard player actions have
B. G. Davis and others have rented the Hardwick
playerpiano production in 1920 will be greater than done their part in the year just passed and will
equal and pass all past records during the year building on the corner of Main and Leiper streets,
was thought possible a little over a year ago.
Dixon, 111., and will open an up-to-date music store.
"All dealers and manufacturers will recall, only just born."
Kimball pianos and players and Pathe talking ma-
a short time ago, just previous to the signing of
Indianapolis, Ind.—The Martin Piano Instrument chines will be handled. The company will probably
the armistice, the very indefinite future of the
piano industry," said Mr. Johnston. "Materials were Company, Elkhart, reduced the number of its direc- have their store ready for business by the end of
this week.
curtailed, help was unobtainable and the mind of tors from seven to three.
BETTER THAN EVER
THE 1920 EDITION
of
PRESTO BUYERS' GUIDE
Orders for quantities of 100 or more copies must be placed at once or
we cannot guarantee deliveries.
Single Copy 50 Cents, Post Paid
No Dealer or Salesman Can Afford to Be Without It
PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 407 So. Dearborn St., Chicago
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/
PRESTO
RECORD DEMAND
FOR PLAYERPIANOS
the nation was centered wholly on its war purpose.
The making of pianos and kindred products seemed
doomed almost to stop. In fact I know that dozens
of manufacturers were making plans to shut down
their plants and stop production entirely until the
war had ended. Those were the conditions during
the entire year 1918. Few manufacturers saw and
hoped for a change of conditions during 1919 and
even the most optimistic, myself among them, did
not dare picture the remarkable development that
has taken place.
January 22, 1920.
CLASSIFIED AD PROVIDES
TEXT FOR EDITORIAL
Providence, R. I., Journal Writer Conjures Up
Memories of Days with Old Pianos.
Their Manufacture for New Year Will Eclipse
The Providence, R. I., Journal prints the follow-
1919 Output According to A. W. Johnston,
ing advertisement from a Peekskill, N. Y., news-
paper which is used as a text for an editorial by
Who Outlines the Standard Ambitions
a writer with feeling:
for the Future.
Nation Music Hungry.
For Sale—Piano. A little old and tinpanny, but
"The signing of the armistice wrought a magic intact and in tune. Delivered for $25 in advance.
A. W. Johnston, vice-president of the Standard
The Journal writer conjured up a word picture of
Pneumatic Action Co., New York, has returned to change in trade conditions. The government re-
leased raw materials such as lumber, metal, etc., a past day when the "little old and tinpanny piano"
and the nation relaxed in its mighty effort and was tuneful and appreciated. Winter evenings in
turned to music and entertainment after the trying the parlor "where the piano lamp flung its cheerful
strain. Playerpiano demand jumped over night to glow upon the faces of young women who wore
a high level never dreamed of and continued through their hair drawn primly down to the lobe of the
the entire year 1919. Factories increased their out- ear and who were grandly circled in space-defying
put, super efforts were made to meet the new con- crinoline; and upon the faces also of young men
ditions, but even the combined endeavors of en- with hair plastered diagonally across their fore-
tire industry failed to appease the music hunger of
heads and curled long in the neck, and with tiny
the nation.
whiskers, perchance, after the weird prevailing style
"In consequence the piano industry faces the of the time."
dawn of the new year with orders available to take
The writer writes with such feeling that he must
up its entire estimated output for 1920. New facili-
ties are being added to manufacturing plants all have been one of the glad throng on many an oc-
over the country and it is a safe prediction that the casion about pianos in the old days he pictures
production of playerpianos this year will set a new and mingled his bass or tenor in the joyful chor-
uses. There's a sob in his recital:
high mark.
But the memory of it all remains in the minds
Large Production.
of a few older people, and there is a charm about
"The production last year was of course seriously the long-gone era and the old piano that nothing of
curtailed by the strike during October, November these modern times can quite supply. There was a
and December. These three months could have simplicity in the life of that day we have alto-
been counted as the largest producing months of gether lost, mo re's the pity.
the year as increased facilities, new machinery, etc.,
One old piano—up in Peekskill—is now for sale,
were just about swinging into stride when labor
walked out. The Standard Player production dur- and the owner will be lucky if he gets the modest
ing 1919 was 30,080, a remarkable output for only price he asks. It is confessedly "tinpanny." Its
nine months of real operation. Forty thousand the keys are yellow, we suppose, though once they
Standard promise to manufacturers for 1919 would were as white as the skillful hands that moved
easily have been exceeded but for the strike condi- swiftly above them and brought forth the plaintive
tion. However, our factories are again operating sounds of "The Poor Old Slave," "Suwanee River,"
with a promising labor nucleus and we look forward or "My Darling Nellie Gray." Time has worked
to the coming year anticipating the record produc- its ravages upon the ancient instrument, as it has
A. W. JOHNSTON.
tion of both Standard player actions and player- upon the gay generation that once thronged
around it.
that city after a year-end visit to manufacturers pianos.
"'Let's go' and make 1920 the best year ever in
west of Buffalo. He is enthusiastic of playerpiano
NEW ILLINOIS FIRM.
prospects for the coming year and predicts that the piano industry. Standard player actions have
B. G. Davis and others have rented the Hardwick
playerpiano production in 1920 will be greater than done their part in the year just passed and will
equal and pass all past records during the year building on the corner of Main and Leiper streets,
was thought possible a little over a year ago.
Dixon, 111., and will open an up-to-date music store.
"All dealers and manufacturers will recall, only just born."
Kimball pianos and players and Pathe talking ma-
a short time ago, just previous to the signing of
Indianapolis, Ind.—The Martin Piano Instrument chines will be handled. The company will probably
the armistice, the very indefinite future of the
piano industry," said Mr. Johnston. "Materials were Company, Elkhart, reduced the number of its direc- have their store ready for business by the end of
this week.
curtailed, help was unobtainable and the mind of tors from seven to three.
BETTER THAN EVER
THE 1920 EDITION
of
PRESTO BUYERS' GUIDE
Orders for quantities of 100 or more copies must be placed at once or
we cannot guarantee deliveries.
Single Copy 50 Cents, Post Paid
No Dealer or Salesman Can Afford to Be Without It
PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 407 So. Dearborn St., Chicago
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).