Presto
Issue: 1923 1911 - Page 5
March 10, 1923
PRESTO
the elementary results of their labor for a rise in prices is not to the
point. In that case the farmers' families need not deny themselves
the comforts or luxuries if the means of purchasing can be had with-
out sacrifice of the better prices for which the growers may be hold-
ing out. And that is only a matter of the farmers' credit at bank.
In the case of piano buying the farmer whose name is "good" at the
bank can buy just as well as the man who has cash on deposit.
One of the last measures passed by the Sixty-seventh Congress,
which closed last week, was the enactment of the Rural Credit Bill
which seems to open the gates to the farmers. It has the possibilities
of letting loose a flood of good business, in which the piano trade
may have its share.
If it is true that "the farmer feeds us all," as the old song went,
it is equally true that the farmer buys the pianos, or a good share of
them. Every town and hamlet now has one or more active represen-
tatives of good instruments. Taken as a whole, the small town
dealers sell a larger proportion of good instruments than the city
dealers do. The people in the country are, as a rule, more critical in
the matter of pianos than their city brothers and sisters are. It re-
quires a good deal of convincing to satisfy the average head of the
rural household that the instrument is "as good as the best," irrespec-
tive of the price asked for it. Every little detail of the piano's con-
struction must be gone over, and every doubtful point, in case or
tone must be cleared up before the performance of counting out the
cash, or signing the notes can be gone through with. Ask any active
small town salesman!
And when the intelligent home-loving farmer finds it easy to
"raise the price" he is usually a ready buyer. He's a prospect worth
while to the piano dealer. So that the new legislation, which pro-
vides a way by which the farmers may realize upon their property
without sacrificing it, seems to present opportunities for business, and
especially the piano business. The opportunity to secure money, to
discount notes and to convert local paper into cash, is presented with
special view to bringing the rural buyers back into the market.
The complaints which have for so long been coming to Presto
from rural dealers will not longer be reasonable. The earlier condi-
tions, of which the rural prospects may again become ready buyers of
pianos, will return if the men who sell pianos get "back on the job" as,
without doubt, they will.
And the homes of the farmers will be the happier, the small town
merchants will realize a betterment in their business, and the pros-
perity which has been promised should be fully realized.
Mr. Harry J. Richards, expert acoustician and piano maker, of
Chicago, long time a special Steinway tuner, has developed an en-
tirely new grand scale. Mr. Richards has some very original ideas
concerning piano construction and sale. He, with admirable per-
sistency, maintains the idea that unless the piano depends upon its
musical tone, and the tone is based upon absolutely correct scientific
UNITED PIANO CORP. LINES
FOR S. E. MOIST PIANO CO.
A. B. Chase, Emerson and Lindeman & Sons Pianos
and Celco Reproducing Featured in Chicago.
All of the lines of pianos manufactured by the
United Piano Corp., New York, and the instru-
ments with the Celco reproducing medium will be
represented in Chicago by the S. E. Moist Piano Co.,
309 S. Wabash Avenue, Chicago, and preparations
for presenting the same are being made in the fine
warerooms of the firm. Last week a substantial
order for A. B. Chase, Emerson and Lindeman &
Sons pianos from the S. E. Moist Piano Co. was
booked by the United Piano Corp.
In the plans outlined for the featuring of the prod-
ucts of the United Piano Corp., the publicity of the
Celco reproducing medium has a prominent part.
Expert salesmen will demonstrate the simplicity of
construction of the Celco and its production of the
most delicate tonal effects made possible with the
mechanism. The Celco, embodied in both uprights
and grands of the pianos named, will be shown by
the S. E. Moist Piano Co.
GULBRANSEN SERIES, 1926.
The caption to the page advertisement of the Gul-
bransen-Dickinson Co., Chicago, appearing on page
2 of Presto, February 24, reading "The third ad-
vertisement of the Gulbransen series, appearing in
the Saturday Evening Post, March 10," was incom-
plete. It should have made clear that the series al-
luded to was that of 1923. Of course a great many
readers of Presto also read the Saturday Evening
Post, and they are aware that another Gulbransen
principles, there can be no permanent value or satisfaction in the in-
strument. • Manufacturers who may want a fine scale may find some-
thing interesting in Mr. Richards' shop.
H=
*
*
Industrial and trade writers just now have a good deal to say
about "service" in business. This is a feature in every-day affairs to
which piano men have not been giving much heed. The "service" in
the piano trade must largely follow the real business. After the piano
has been sold, and "guaranteed," the service should consist largely
in seeing to it that the buyer is satisfied because the instrument is
performing well and giving satisfaction. That kind of "service"
brings more business, and in the selling of pianos it is absolutely
essential.
* * *
The latest concerning Hy. Eilers seems to promise something of
a mystery. From Portland, Oregon, now comes a story about the
popular piano man being engaged with a large Milwaukee music
house, and that the report of his flight to Hamburg was not accurate.
It would be strange were such a case to escape the rumor and false
alarm stage, and there are many in the piano trade and industry who
will hope that, like the famous story of Mark Twain's death, the
whole report has been "greatly exaggerated."
* * *
A side-splitting witticism recently tickled an association trade
dinner committeeman's letter of invitation. It's nib was that "the
dinner will cost $2, so hang up twice that much on your swindle-
sheet." It is understood that some of trig traveling men have laughed
themselves to death at the cute little suggestion.
* * *
After the June music men's convention in Chicago, there will be
a big exposition at Atlantic City. It is expected that pianos will have
a place there, and probably a good many piano men will be there to
examine the Group 4 at Atlantic City where pianos will be in Class 20.
A German inventor has succeeded in perfecting a process for
making furniture out of pulp. The product is good and less expen-
sive than wood, and it takes a fine polish. How long before the "gen-
uine pulp case piano" will appear ?
* * *
An unmistakable sign of the improvement in the various depart-
ments of the music business is seen in the increasing number of new
companies which have recently been organized to manufacture and
sell musical instruments.
* * *
If you have fixed your income tax, it's time to begin to get things
into shape for your absence from home during the first week in June.
The Chicago convention will soon begin to call.
advertising series preceded that for 1923. The series
for 1922 had too strong an appeal to be forgotten by
piano men. But a more definite mention of the date
of the series now running, of which the page in
Presto. February 24, was an admirable example,
would have been more enlightening.
SMALLEST KEYLESS MADE.
The Tiny Coinola, a style of automatic piano man-
ufactured by the Operators' Piano Co., Chicago, is
said to be the smallest keyless piano made anywhere,
and certainly it seems that it must be. This Lilli-
putian model is 55 inches high, 36 inches wide, and
has a depth of 21 inches. It has a 54 note actual
playing range, with piano and mandolin (also one
and a half octaves of flute pipes if desired), and uses
"A" or 65 note rolls. The Tiny is a good seller
among the line of automatics manufactured by the
Operator's Co.
A. D. LA MOTTE, PRESIDENT.
A. D. LaMotte has been elected president of the
Thearle-Music Co., San Diego, Cal., to succeed the
late F. G. Thearle. Mr. LaMotte, who has been
vice-president and general manager of the company
for a number of years will continue his duties as
general manager. Harry E. Callaway, manager of
the talking machine department, has been elected
vice-president to succeed Mr. LaMotte. Mrs. Lily
E. Burton has been continued as secretary-treasurer.
MOVES IN NEW YORK.
The eastern offices of the Baldwin Piano Co. will
be moved this week from 665 Fifth avenue, New
York, to the fifteenth floor of 58 West Fortieth
street, where considerably more space for offices,
artists' department and showrooms is available.
FURNITURE DEALERS SEE
STARR PIANO CO'S DISPLAY
Representatives of Firms in Far Western States Visit
Divisional Offices in San Francisco.
A great many furniture dealers from far western
states handling pianos or talking machines or both
visited the display rooms of the Starr Piano Company
during the recent semi-annual furniture market held
in the Furniture Exchange, San Francisco.
The
Pacific Coast divisional offices of the Starr Piano
Co., Richmond, Ind., are located in that building, an
eight-story one, most of the space in which is de-
voted to furniture displays.
"I had some idea of the number of far western
furniture dealers who handle music goods, but I
never gauged their enthusiasm for the pianos and
talking machines so accurately as I did during the
furniture show week," said J. W. Steinkemp, in charge
of the Starr Piano Company's divisional offices, last
week. The Starr piano and the Starr phonograph,
with the Gennett records of course, are carried by a
large number of furniture dealers and in several in-
stances it is difficult to determine whether the furni-
ture interests or the music interests of the firm are
the most important.
"The big attendance at the furniture market this
year included many new faces.
Every day our
showrooms were visited by dealers who took their
first opportunity to see the Starr line of pianos,
phonographs and talking machines. Which means
that the field of the Starr Piano Co. has been ex-
tended in the states represented by dealers visiting
the recent show."
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
the elementary results of their labor for a rise in prices is not to the
point. In that case the farmers' families need not deny themselves
the comforts or luxuries if the means of purchasing can be had with-
out sacrifice of the better prices for which the growers may be hold-
ing out. And that is only a matter of the farmers' credit at bank.
In the case of piano buying the farmer whose name is "good" at the
bank can buy just as well as the man who has cash on deposit.
One of the last measures passed by the Sixty-seventh Congress,
which closed last week, was the enactment of the Rural Credit Bill
which seems to open the gates to the farmers. It has the possibilities
of letting loose a flood of good business, in which the piano trade
may have its share.
If it is true that "the farmer feeds us all," as the old song went,
it is equally true that the farmer buys the pianos, or a good share of
them. Every town and hamlet now has one or more active represen-
tatives of good instruments. Taken as a whole, the small town
dealers sell a larger proportion of good instruments than the city
dealers do. The people in the country are, as a rule, more critical in
the matter of pianos than their city brothers and sisters are. It re-
quires a good deal of convincing to satisfy the average head of the
rural household that the instrument is "as good as the best," irrespec-
tive of the price asked for it. Every little detail of the piano's con-
struction must be gone over, and every doubtful point, in case or
tone must be cleared up before the performance of counting out the
cash, or signing the notes can be gone through with. Ask any active
small town salesman!
And when the intelligent home-loving farmer finds it easy to
"raise the price" he is usually a ready buyer. He's a prospect worth
while to the piano dealer. So that the new legislation, which pro-
vides a way by which the farmers may realize upon their property
without sacrificing it, seems to present opportunities for business, and
especially the piano business. The opportunity to secure money, to
discount notes and to convert local paper into cash, is presented with
special view to bringing the rural buyers back into the market.
The complaints which have for so long been coming to Presto
from rural dealers will not longer be reasonable. The earlier condi-
tions, of which the rural prospects may again become ready buyers of
pianos, will return if the men who sell pianos get "back on the job" as,
without doubt, they will.
And the homes of the farmers will be the happier, the small town
merchants will realize a betterment in their business, and the pros-
perity which has been promised should be fully realized.
Mr. Harry J. Richards, expert acoustician and piano maker, of
Chicago, long time a special Steinway tuner, has developed an en-
tirely new grand scale. Mr. Richards has some very original ideas
concerning piano construction and sale. He, with admirable per-
sistency, maintains the idea that unless the piano depends upon its
musical tone, and the tone is based upon absolutely correct scientific
UNITED PIANO CORP. LINES
FOR S. E. MOIST PIANO CO.
A. B. Chase, Emerson and Lindeman & Sons Pianos
and Celco Reproducing Featured in Chicago.
All of the lines of pianos manufactured by the
United Piano Corp., New York, and the instru-
ments with the Celco reproducing medium will be
represented in Chicago by the S. E. Moist Piano Co.,
309 S. Wabash Avenue, Chicago, and preparations
for presenting the same are being made in the fine
warerooms of the firm. Last week a substantial
order for A. B. Chase, Emerson and Lindeman &
Sons pianos from the S. E. Moist Piano Co. was
booked by the United Piano Corp.
In the plans outlined for the featuring of the prod-
ucts of the United Piano Corp., the publicity of the
Celco reproducing medium has a prominent part.
Expert salesmen will demonstrate the simplicity of
construction of the Celco and its production of the
most delicate tonal effects made possible with the
mechanism. The Celco, embodied in both uprights
and grands of the pianos named, will be shown by
the S. E. Moist Piano Co.
GULBRANSEN SERIES, 1926.
The caption to the page advertisement of the Gul-
bransen-Dickinson Co., Chicago, appearing on page
2 of Presto, February 24, reading "The third ad-
vertisement of the Gulbransen series, appearing in
the Saturday Evening Post, March 10," was incom-
plete. It should have made clear that the series al-
luded to was that of 1923. Of course a great many
readers of Presto also read the Saturday Evening
Post, and they are aware that another Gulbransen
principles, there can be no permanent value or satisfaction in the in-
strument. • Manufacturers who may want a fine scale may find some-
thing interesting in Mr. Richards' shop.
H=
*
*
Industrial and trade writers just now have a good deal to say
about "service" in business. This is a feature in every-day affairs to
which piano men have not been giving much heed. The "service" in
the piano trade must largely follow the real business. After the piano
has been sold, and "guaranteed," the service should consist largely
in seeing to it that the buyer is satisfied because the instrument is
performing well and giving satisfaction. That kind of "service"
brings more business, and in the selling of pianos it is absolutely
essential.
* * *
The latest concerning Hy. Eilers seems to promise something of
a mystery. From Portland, Oregon, now comes a story about the
popular piano man being engaged with a large Milwaukee music
house, and that the report of his flight to Hamburg was not accurate.
It would be strange were such a case to escape the rumor and false
alarm stage, and there are many in the piano trade and industry who
will hope that, like the famous story of Mark Twain's death, the
whole report has been "greatly exaggerated."
* * *
A side-splitting witticism recently tickled an association trade
dinner committeeman's letter of invitation. It's nib was that "the
dinner will cost $2, so hang up twice that much on your swindle-
sheet." It is understood that some of trig traveling men have laughed
themselves to death at the cute little suggestion.
* * *
After the June music men's convention in Chicago, there will be
a big exposition at Atlantic City. It is expected that pianos will have
a place there, and probably a good many piano men will be there to
examine the Group 4 at Atlantic City where pianos will be in Class 20.
A German inventor has succeeded in perfecting a process for
making furniture out of pulp. The product is good and less expen-
sive than wood, and it takes a fine polish. How long before the "gen-
uine pulp case piano" will appear ?
* * *
An unmistakable sign of the improvement in the various depart-
ments of the music business is seen in the increasing number of new
companies which have recently been organized to manufacture and
sell musical instruments.
* * *
If you have fixed your income tax, it's time to begin to get things
into shape for your absence from home during the first week in June.
The Chicago convention will soon begin to call.
advertising series preceded that for 1923. The series
for 1922 had too strong an appeal to be forgotten by
piano men. But a more definite mention of the date
of the series now running, of which the page in
Presto. February 24, was an admirable example,
would have been more enlightening.
SMALLEST KEYLESS MADE.
The Tiny Coinola, a style of automatic piano man-
ufactured by the Operators' Piano Co., Chicago, is
said to be the smallest keyless piano made anywhere,
and certainly it seems that it must be. This Lilli-
putian model is 55 inches high, 36 inches wide, and
has a depth of 21 inches. It has a 54 note actual
playing range, with piano and mandolin (also one
and a half octaves of flute pipes if desired), and uses
"A" or 65 note rolls. The Tiny is a good seller
among the line of automatics manufactured by the
Operator's Co.
A. D. LA MOTTE, PRESIDENT.
A. D. LaMotte has been elected president of the
Thearle-Music Co., San Diego, Cal., to succeed the
late F. G. Thearle. Mr. LaMotte, who has been
vice-president and general manager of the company
for a number of years will continue his duties as
general manager. Harry E. Callaway, manager of
the talking machine department, has been elected
vice-president to succeed Mr. LaMotte. Mrs. Lily
E. Burton has been continued as secretary-treasurer.
MOVES IN NEW YORK.
The eastern offices of the Baldwin Piano Co. will
be moved this week from 665 Fifth avenue, New
York, to the fifteenth floor of 58 West Fortieth
street, where considerably more space for offices,
artists' department and showrooms is available.
FURNITURE DEALERS SEE
STARR PIANO CO'S DISPLAY
Representatives of Firms in Far Western States Visit
Divisional Offices in San Francisco.
A great many furniture dealers from far western
states handling pianos or talking machines or both
visited the display rooms of the Starr Piano Company
during the recent semi-annual furniture market held
in the Furniture Exchange, San Francisco.
The
Pacific Coast divisional offices of the Starr Piano
Co., Richmond, Ind., are located in that building, an
eight-story one, most of the space in which is de-
voted to furniture displays.
"I had some idea of the number of far western
furniture dealers who handle music goods, but I
never gauged their enthusiasm for the pianos and
talking machines so accurately as I did during the
furniture show week," said J. W. Steinkemp, in charge
of the Starr Piano Company's divisional offices, last
week. The Starr piano and the Starr phonograph,
with the Gennett records of course, are carried by a
large number of furniture dealers and in several in-
stances it is difficult to determine whether the furni-
ture interests or the music interests of the firm are
the most important.
"The big attendance at the furniture market this
year included many new faces.
Every day our
showrooms were visited by dealers who took their
first opportunity to see the Starr line of pianos,
phonographs and talking machines. Which means
that the field of the Starr Piano Co. has been ex-
tended in the states represented by dealers visiting
the recent show."
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).