Presto

r
July 10, 1920.
11
PRESTO
WHERE DOUBTS ARE DISPELLED
Under This Head Presto Will Answer Any Question Pertaining to Pianos, or
Other Subjects of Direct Interest to the Trade and Musical Public
Inquiries must bear the signature and address of some regularly equipped industry specializing in that
writer in order to receive attention. Answers thought work. There are now many such concerns, among
to be of general trade interest will be published. If an them being the Union Music Co., 1238 W. Van Buren
ansiver is not of general interest it will be mailed pro- street, Chicago; Star Music Co., 9 E. Harrison street,
vided stamp is inclosed.
Chicago, and others.
THE LYON & HEALY PIANO.
TWO GOOD PIANOS.
Mobridge, South Dakota, June 15th, 1920.
Lumberton, N. C, July 2, 1920.
Editor Presto: I have read with interest a part of
Editor Presto: I desire to purchase a piano and
your Presto Buyers' Guide, and now that I am con-
templating the purchase of a Windsor piano, I am have been discussing Chase Brothers and Stieff and,
writing you today to get your advice as to its re- finding it almost impossible to obtain any reliable
liability and also whether it is a high grade piano, information in regard to either of these pianos, have
and how long have they been on the market, or man- decided to write and ask your opinion on these two
pianos. With prices being equal, which would you
ufactured, and by what factory?
One of the dealers here has been talking about consider the best "buy"?
Yours very truly, E. A. Thompson.
the Lyon & Healy pianos, which he handles, and
which I am able to buy for a little less money than
While both of the instruments named are reliable
a Windsor. I would like to ask your advice relative products of highly responsible industries, it is our
to the Lyon & Healy piano, as to their reliability, opinion that the Chase Brothers piano is in some
etc. Please state what grade the Lyon & Healy notable respects the more durable of the two.
pianos are, also.
In the investment in a fine piano there are many
Yours very truly,
A. L. Larson.
things to be considered. Where the material and
It is surprising, if true, that any dealer should offer construction are good and the tone quality is also
the two instruments as claiming to belong in the fine, it is well to take into account the standing of
same class. It is still more surprising that the Lyou the instrument in the art world. The Chase Brothers
& Healy piano should be offered for less money piano has been the accepted choice of very many
than the Windsor, for the Lyon & Healy is a dis- great pianists and experts. It is a high grade instru-
tinctly artistic instrument made with little regard ment in every meaning of the term. In our judg-
to first cost, but with every aim to produce as fine ment it is a superior piano in point of tone; while
an instrument as material and money can produce. we have heard good results from both instruments,
The Windsor, on the other hand, while a well made prices being equal we would not hesitate to choose
popular instrument, is what is commonly called a the Chase Brothers, made in Muskegon, Michigan.
"trade-mark" piano. In other words, there is no "~
* * *
Windsor piano factory and the instrument is made
THE VIOLIN-PIANO.
for a large Chicago mail order house by a reputable
Raymond, 111., June 6, 1920.
industry, the name of which does not appear upon
Editor Presto: Want to inquire the address of a
the piano itself.
coin piano with a violin attachment that is supposed
We are inclined to think there is some mistake to be a new thing for restaurants, etc. Our pro-
about the Lyon & Healy having been offered for gressive restaurant man just called and said he
less money than the other instrument. A new Lyon heard there was one at Nokomis, 111., and asked me
& Healy could not be bought at wholesale for what to locate the factory. He said they were not sold,
a Windsor could be sold at retail.
but rented. The above information will be thank-
You understand that in making this reply we have fully received. Respectfully,
no intention to disparage the Windsor, but we want
D. E. GUTHRIE.
to place the Lyon & Healy where it belongs in your
In
all
probability
the
instrument
about which you
estimation and where it already stands in the under-
standing of the piano trade. It is a high-grade in- ask is the producet of the Mills Novelty Co., Jack-
son boulevard and Green street, Chicago. That con-
strument in every sense of the word.
cern is making what is called the "Violano-Virtuoso,
* * *
which is a self-playing violin and piano.
HOW WAR TAX IS CHARGED.
There are many other instruments suitable for
Oregon, 111., June 27, 1920.
amusement places and restaurants. The J. P. See-
Editor Presto: Can you inform me what the cus- burg Piano Co., 419 West Erie street, Chicago, and
tom of the manufacturers is with reference to the the Operators' Piano Co., 16 South Peoria street,
war tax when quoting prices? Do the manufacturers Chicago, make good ones. The Organola Co., of
quote prices with war tax included?
Vincennes, Ind., also is a new industry making a
It has been our custom to quote prices exclusive reed instrument which promises well.
of war tax and state that war tax of 5 per cent is to
be added. However, we would like to follow the
general custom, as dealers in comparing quotations
of different manufacturers, are likely to reach a
wrong conclusion.
Yours very truly,
E. B. Jones.
There is no fixed rule in the matter of charging Men in Search of Pianos and Players Make Things
the war tax. Some of the piano manufacturers add
Lively in Offices.
the tax to the original bill, while others make a sep-
S. Everett Kaiper, of the Vocalstyle Music Com-
arate item of it; for instance, here in Chicago—to
cite two representative concerns—the W. W. Kim- pany, Cincinnati, a brother of Elmer Kaiper, presi-
ball Co. adds the war tax to the price of the piano. dent of that company, passed through* Chicago late
On J^he contrary, The Cable Co. makes a separate last week to visit the Pacific Coast and the interven-
ing territory.
bill of it.
-
Frank J. Talbot, piano dealer of Kalamazoo, Mich.,
There has been some talk in the National Associa-
tion of taking up this matter for the sake of uni- was in Chicago this week ordering more goods for
formity. However, as you realize, it makes no dif- his trade.
R. F. Willey, of Baraboo, Wis., was another dealer
ference to the trade, nor to the manufacturer, except
bv adding tine tax to the price of the piano the cost who came to Chicago this week and ordered pianos
of the instrument may seem more than it really is. and player pianos.
J. B. Ledgerwood, Packard piano dealer of Knox-
* * *
ville, Tenn., was in Chicago on Tuesday and Wednes-
"KIBBEY" PLAYER ACTION.
day of this week. Mr. Ledgerwood has sold many
Shenandoah, Iowa, June 29, 1920.
Packards in Knoxville and vicinity.
Editor Presto: We are rebuilding an electric pi-
C VV. Anson, of the Anson Piano Company, Oel-
ano made by Standard Piano Player Co., Oregon, wein, Iowa, was in Chicago this week as a delegate
111., and need a new rewind mechanism and tracker to the Elks' convention.
bar for same. Have been unable to get any informa-
J. L. Horras, president of the Horras Piano Com-
tion from makers, who have discontinued business, pany, St. Louis, Mo., was in Chicago Thursday. He
or their associates, as to where we may secure these is having a fine trade in the Missouri metropolis in
parts. Can you tell us where we can get this mech- The Cable Company's line of instruments in which
anism, which is of the "Kibbey" type.
he deals exclusively.
Yours truly, Benedict Piano Co.
Wayne T. Fidler, piano merchant of Valparaiso,
The "Kibbey" electric or automatic player actions Ind., was in Chicago on Wednesday of this week
have been out of the market for a number of years. and ordered instruments from the manufacturers.
The Kibbey music rolls and other effects were
Max Winkler, president of Belwin, Inc., music
bought by the Operators' Piano Co., 16 So. Peoria
publishers, has purchased a plot, 100 by 200, at Nas-
street, Chicago.
Probably your better way will be to have the re- sau avenue and Waverly place, Malverne, L. I., and
pairs or rebuilding of the electric piano done by will build an eleven-room $20,000 house.
0UT=0F=T0WN DEALERS
ENCOUNTERED IN CHICAGO
EPISODE ON THE
S. DAKOTA TRAIL
Incidents Preceding Arrival at Aberdeen of the
Scheduled Train for Mitchell in Which
Five Weil-Known Roadmen
Took Part.
"Tom" Gormly, traveler for the Baldwin Piano
Co., jumped from a taxi in front of the railroad sta-
tion in Aberdeen, S. D., one day last week and hot-
footed to the ticket window. He had waited beyond
the last minute with a customer who wished to par-
ticularly describe some details in a "special" grand
ordered by a prominent citizen, and then bribed the
easily corrupted taxi bandit to disregard the speed
ordinances in order to make his train to Mitchell.
But he might have just as well walked up from the
business section. The agent informed him the train
would be forty-five minutes late on arrival.
Seated on a handcart on the platform he en-
countered J. C, Lawless, who travels out of Minne-
apolis for the W. W. Kimball Co.'s line. Mr. Law-
less was still panting from a similar experience as
that which had taken the starch out of Mr. Gormly's
collar and drew considerably from his stock of pep.
It was an admittedly warm July day in Aberdeen,
and when Aberdeen admits a day is warm, well, you
know. Mr. Lawless also had waited to the last
minute.
A Cuss Session.
Mr. Lawless thought he would go back to see a
customer, but finally decided to emulate Mr. Gormly
and fretfully wait for the train which had busted
schedules. The travelers had agreed in condemning
the management, system, rolling stock, main lines
and branches of the C. & N., C, M. & St. P. and the
G. N. roads, and Mr. Gormly was getting pleasure
in giving voice to it, when Luther Barnett, traveler
for the Bush & Gerts Piano Co., Chicago, made a
frantic entry into the station. He, too, had delayed
past the scheduled time for that Mitchell train, and
when he heard about the delay he added eighteen
amendments to the Gormly-Lawless citation of com-
plaints.
Pours Carbolic Acid.
All three piano travelers admitted it was exasper-
ating when they observed Frank M. Hood, traveler
for the Schiller Piano Co., saunter composedly into
the waiting room about eight minutes before the de-
layed train was surely due. When he sprung the
Hood line of banter the trio pawed the ground with
vexation, as you might say.
"The race is not always to the swift, gentlemen.
The plodder, like your Uncle Frank, sometimes
makes his train when he employs his uncanny wis-
dom and telephones the station agent as to the
idiosyncracies of a particular C. & N. train. The
longest way to a given point is often the shortest, a
statement that the bully boys of the beat-em-to-it
gait will deride. Here's a piece of mellow wisdom:
When in Aberdeen do as Aberdeenians do—tele-
phone the station first.' "
And It Arrives.
The train for Mitchell was just slowing up to the
station when George M. Slawson, traveler for the
Cable Company, Chicago, walked in and in leisurely
fashion took up a waiting position on the platform.
"Like a wise guy, I suppose you telephoned an
inquiry to the station agent about the arrival of the
Mitchell train?" inquired Mr. Gormly.
"Telephone? Why, no, 1 just sensed the train was
late! I can't explain it, but I always do when a train
is behind time," was the cool response of the veteran
traveler.
And when the train pulled out there were three
handsome piano men seemingly absorbed in deep
thought, until Mr. Hood said softly: "I've heard of
second sight, fore sight and hind sight, but I don't
believe sensing a train is late that is always behind
time is anything more than common sense, by a
darn sight!"
HAMILTON STORE INCORPORATES.
The Imfeld Music Store, South Third street, Ham-
ilton, Ohio, has been incorporated by C. F. Imfeld
and E. Dames, for $36,000. The bnilding is being
improved and the first floor will be used almost ex-
clusively for piano sales rooms. New sound-proof
phonograph and record rooms are being built, and
according to Clement Imfeld with the enlarged re-
sources, better service than ever will be given to
Hamilton.
The Sonnenberg Piano Company, of Yonkers, N.
Y., has been merged with the Sterling Piano Com-
pany, and notice of the merger has been filed with
the Secretary of State at Albany.
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