Presto

October 28, 1922.
PROMINENT ARTISTS
FEATURE THE AMPICO
Dr. Spaeth, Head of Ampico Division, Attends
Meetings and Concerts in Which
Instrument Has Part.
Dr. Sigmund Spaeth, head of the Ampico Division
of the American Piano Company, New York, and
well known as a lecturer on music and musical educa-
tion, stood ready to call the week of October 8 to
14 a busy one. In three days he appeared four times
in three cities. First of all he addressed the Super-
visors' Association of New York. On Wednesday,
October 11, he talked before the Recreation Congress
in Atlantic City.
At noon Thursday he was in Philadelphia, co-host
in the Wanamaker Egyptian Hall's reception to Vic-
tor Herbert, when the Ampico shared the program
with eminent artists before an audience of invited
celebrities. In the evening Dr. Spaeth was in Balti-
more, at the Lyric Theater, introducing Leo Orn-
stein and Marie Sundelius, the Metropolitan soprano,
who, with the Ampico, were giving a special concert
to celebrate the opening of the new Knabe ware-
rooms in Baltimore.
Under the auspices of the Charles E. Wells Music
Company of Denver, L. I. Gulich, local manager for
this concern in Casper, Wyoming, presented a con-
cert by Phillip Gordon and the Ampico in the Casper
High School Auditorium recently.
George Reimherr, a well known New York tenor,
is using the Ampico as accompanist in the course of
his engagements. At a recital in High Bridge, New
York, during the past week the tenor relied entirely
\ipon the Ampico with great success. In adopting
the Ampico as his accompanist, Mr. Reimherr is only
following a precedent set by Marie Sundelius, Rosa
Ponselle and Rafaelo Diaz of the Metropolitan Opera
Company, Marguerita Sylva.. Marguerite Namara and
Anna Fitzu.
SUPREME COURT DECISION
FAVORS STARR PIANO CO.
Federal Court Decision Ends Charge of Infringement
Made by Victor Talking Machine Co.
The United States Supreme Court has refused to
reopen the Victor-Starr litigation and the suit of
great interest to the music trade for several years,
has come to an end. In the case of the Victor Talk-
ing Machine Company against the Starr Piano Co.,
Richmond, Ind., the former charged infringement by
the latter of the so-called Johnson patents on lateral
cut talking machine records.
When the Circuit Court of Appeals last year gave a
decision against the Victor Talking Machine Co., the
trade did not consider that the last had been heard of
the suit. It was considered as a species of test case
and so was keenly watched by talking machine and
record dealers, jobbers and manufacturers. But the
end came last week when the United States Supreme
Court denied the petition of the Victor Talking Ma-
chine Co. for a writ of certiori to review the findings
of the U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
SOME OF THE LATE CHANGES
IN RETAIL PIANO TRADb
Changes, Renewals and New Enterprises in Different
Farts of the Country.
The Baldwin Music Shoppe is a new concern in
Okmulgee, Okla. E. B. Stern and C. B. Howell are
the owners.
The Salak Brothers Piano Co., Racine, Wis, held
and informal opening last week.
J. D. Harden has sold his music business in Ster-
ling, 111., to C. D. Hare. Mr. Harden intends to make
California his home.
S. D. Silverstrom opened a music store this week, at
656 East 75th street, Chicago.
C. M. Perrin has opened a music store at 8718 Ja-
maica Ave., Woodhaven, L. I.
L. Gifford Smith has purchased the music goods
department of the Smith, Metzger & Wright Co.,
Warren, Pa.
McCarraher Bros, is the name of a new firm at
Fhoenixville, Pa.
The Renfro-Wadenshen Desk Co., Seattle, Wash.,
has added a music department.
The Newach Piano Co. has opened a new store at
825 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, Minn.
The new store of the Flory-Williamson Co.,
Binghampton, N. Y., was opened recently.
Extensive improvements are being made in the
PRESTO
store at the Baker Music Co., 52 North Pearl street,
Albany, N. Y.
The Sunset Music Co., is a new firm opened re-
cently in Everett, Wash.
The Hawkins Piano Co., Columbus, Ga., has moved
into new quarters at the corner of Broad and Thir-
teenth streets.
WAREROOM WARBLES
(A New One Every Week.)
By The Presto Poick.
PROSPERITY AND IMPROVED
INDUSTRIAL CONDITIONS
Significant Facts With Obvious Meaning Presented
in Department of Labor Report.
The satisfactory employment conditions through-
out the country point to a general revival of business
according to a Department of Labor survey. In New
York state "a marked improvement in business condi-
tions," the report states, "is evidenced by the fact that
manufacturing plants and factories in small towns are
becoming active again."
Other facts in the report are similarly significant.
In Illinois the industrial condition is said to be better
than it has been at any time during the past two
years. Conditions are rapidly approaching normal in
Massachusetts. In California the number of em-
ployed at this time exceeds the number employed a
year ago by 15 per cent. Industrial conditions are
reported good. Five and a half million men who
were idle in July, 1921, in the state of Washington,
are working and jobs are waiting for a half million
more, Edward S. Henning, Assistant Secretary' of
Labor, asserted this week.
DINNER FOR DR. SPAETH.
Dr. Sigmund Spaeth, of the Ampico department of
the American Piano Co., New York, was the honor
guest at a dinner given at the Chicago Club on
Wednesday evening, Oct. .18, by the sales force of
the Knabe-Edison warerooms, Chicago. Dr. Spaeth
spent a few days in Chicago after attending the con-
vention of the Illinois Music Merchants Association
at Peoria. He gave a short talk on music salesman-
ship to the sales people of the Knabe-Edison ware-
rooms, numbering now about fifty.
THE WASHINGTON ASSOCIATION.
The encouragement of music by various means to
be definitely decided upon later, was discussed at
the meeting last week of the Washington Music
Trades Association held at the Martius Music House.
It was the second meeting of the association for fall
and plans suggested and proposed at the first meeting
recently at Meve's Cafeteria, were enlarged upon
and worked out in detail.
IT'S TUNING TIME.
Now the birds have flown away,
And the woods are still and grey,
We'll go back to town again.
Find the winter's song, and then
Sing or softly croon it;
Near and far the sound will swell,
Till, in homes where singers dwell,
Keys will dance and strings will thrill.
Then we'll pause and, shouting, will
Tell the world to tune it!
When some husky neighbor plays
Jazz, or sings loud roundelays.
Pounding with discordant clang.
Music that's all biff and bang—
Not so great a boon, it;
Then you stop your ears and roar
That the noisy yap next door
Join Harmonic Union and—
Pointing to some "straight" or grand-
Tell the world to tune it!
If vibration gives the key
To creation's mystery,
Then, to shape life's tree aright,
We must keep the good blade bright
When we trim and prune it;
Sound the warning that may bring
Harmony to everything.
Stop your labor and your play,
And, to drive discord away,
Tell the world to tune it!
HEARS BILLINGS CONCERT.
ADDS TO FLOOR SPACE.
E. L. Hadley, advertising manager of The Cable
Company, Chicago, left on Friday, Oct. 20, for Cin-
cinnati, to hear the concert given there by Earl
Bill'ngs, performing on a Cable piano. He is to
spend some time in Cincinnati and vicinity, calling on
piano dealers, and will also spend his vacation while
away. It is expected that he will be away from Chi-
cago for two weeks.
More floor space for its piano department is being
added by the Hancock Music Company, Pasadena,
Calif. An additional story is being built to the build-
ing occupied by the company at 331 East Colorado
street. The increase in business of the company
necessitated the building plans. The new rooms on
the added floor will be devoted to artistically arranged
display of Knabe pianos with the Ampico.
STARR EXHIBIT AT VIRGINIA FAIR
The photograph herewith shows
one of the crowds which gathered at
the booth of H\ Wallace Carner
during the Virginia state fair, Octo-
ber 2nd to 10th, at Richmond, Va.
Mr. Carner is the factor for the Starr
Piano Company at Richmond and
handles the •entire line of pianos, pho-
nographs and records.
The big feature of Mr. Carner's
display was the great wheel fash-
ioned after a giant Gennett Record.
Hundreds of Gennett records were
given away as an advertising stunt.
Blank slips were passed out and one
in each twenty-five was entitled to
a free Gennett record and the re-
maining twenty-four were entitled to
a 75c Gennett record for 50c, at any
of the Gennett dealers throughout
Mr. Carner's territory, on presenta-
tion of the slip they held.
Mr. Carner reports that hundreds
of the coupons are being presented
throughout Virginia as well as at his own store. Mr.
Carner further reported his exhibit showed life and
activity throughout the entire time of the fair. Crowds
were drawn from every part of the building when-
ever the wheel was spun.
Those in attendance at the booth, in addition to
Mr. Carner, were Frank Bates, a record dealer of
Ashland, Va., who lectured on the Starr products
very effectively. William Klumpp, traveling Starr
representative, and Mr. Carner's daughter.
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