Presto
Issue: 1923 1920 - Page 25
25
PRESTO
May 12, 1923
COINOLAS
FOR
RESTAURANTS, CAFES and
AMUSEMENT CENTERS
Style SO
FROM THE BIGGEST
ORCHESTRION
UNTOUCHED FIELD OF
MUSIC GOODS DEALER
Canvass of Territory by Midwest Dealer Dis-
closes Interesting Figures Which Are
Printed by Steger Magazine.
Do you know your territory for its music goods
sales possibilities? It is a question which provides
a head for a clever article in the current Steger
Magazine and treatment of the topic by the editor
brings out some very interesting and surprising facts.
He cites the common belief that there is either a
piano or a phonograph in nearly every house and goes
on to prove how erroneous it is. "Almost invariably
a well-planned canvass will reveal a surprisingly large
percentage of families which do not possess a piano,
playerpiano or even a phonograph," is the statement.
This was considered proved by the figures compiled
by a mid-western dealer in the canvass of a manu-
facturing community of approximately 25,000 inhabi-
tants. It is the center of a prosperous farming dis-
trict and draws patronage from a number of adjacent
towns.
In a canvass of 6,464 names in this city and nine
adjacent towns it was discovered that 3,066 families
were without pianos or players and 4,066 without
phonographs.
In that grand total of 6,464 names
3,013 were piano owners, 485 playerpiano owners and
2,498 possessed talking machines.
By the analysis thirty-nine per cent of the people
in that representative midwest city owned neither a
piano or a playerpiano and fifty-two per cent were
without a phonograph. And taking the aggregate of
figures for the nine small towns, fifty-seven per cent
were without pianos or player and seventy-six per
cent without phonographs. While the Steger Maga-
zine believes that the ratios, undoubtedly would de-
crease somewhat in larger cities the figures are held
to point out unmistakably:
1. That fewer families (in proportion to popula-
tion) own pianos, playerpianos and phonographs than
is generally believed.
2. That the outlook for player and phonograph
sales is remarkably bright, especially in the smaller
communities.
3. That there is a vast untouched field for the live
music merchant to cultivate.
A thorough canvass places at the dealer's disposal
a large fund of information which enables him to
push sales work in the most profitable channels.
An outstanding feature of the house-to-house sur-
vey we have analyzed was the large number of good
prospects uncovered. These resulted in enough im-
mediate sales to cover the cost of the undertaking.
however, that he did not think that the lack of par-
lors would prevent the activities of the young.
David Kirkwood, Socialist member of the Com-
mons, heckled Chamberlain while he was outlining
the plan of the Government to alleviate the housing
shortage.
Chamberlain, in an effort to placate the recalcitrant
member, stated the Government houses would contain
parlors ten feet six inches by nine feet three inches,
big enough for diminutive uprights. Chamberlain
pointed out that the specifications allowed plenty of
room for the young to do their courting.
DEVELOPMENT OF ORGAN
CREDITED TO WANAMAKER
Texas Writer Says the Interest of Great Merchant
Contributed to Great Instruments.
The advancement of organ music and the conse-
quent growth of the organ building industry is cred-
ited to the late John Wanamakcr, by Miss Grace
Switzer, dean-elect of the Texas chapter of the Guild
of Organists. In an article in the Times-Herald of
Dallas she says:
"His contribution to the growth of musical appre-
ciation in America, through the free concerts which
have been given in his stores in New York and Phila-
delphia for many years, proved him to be a great
patron of music.
"The Wanamaker concerts have become famous
both in America and in Europe. From the start
they have centered around the organ, and today in
the Philadelphia store stands the largest organ in
the world, and in New York the newest and largest in
the metropolis. These instruments have been played
by world-famous organists and have been heard by
millions of music lovers."
THE FLEXIBLE TARIFF.
President Harding this week told a delegation
which protested against opening up a schedule of the
Fordney-McCumber tariff act that under the flexible
provisions of the law he would modify rates "only on
the most striking evidence of the necessity for such
a change." "I can tell you surely," Air. Harding said,
"that the President would proclaim no reduction of
the tariff unless there were very pronounced reasons
for it." The flexible provision of the tariff law, the
President told the delegation, is designed "to protect
the American consumer against inordinate charges as
well as the American producer against unfair
competition."
BRITAIN DECREES PARLOR
FOR PIANO A NECESSITY
Admits That Young Folks Need Place in Which to
Spark and Play Music.
The first aid to learning and playing the piano is
the piano itself, but applying the first aid is not
feasible except you have a place to put the piano.
That was an argument in the contention of the
Labor party in England that the houses built under
the Government subsidy should contain parlors.
Young folks, the Laborites maintained, should have
a place in which to play music and sing and do their
courting.
Neville Chamberlain, Minister of Health, who pre-
sented the bill to the House of Commons, stated that
he was willing to consider any constructive amend-
ments. Thus the Government has relented from its
previous attitude that parlors were unnecessary and
old-fashioned.
Chamberlain denied he was prejudiced against the
parlors or that he wished to deprive sweethearts of
a place in which to make music and court. He said,
PIONEER SCHOOL FO PIANO MEN
"in it's Zo^year
POLKS [ with
upwards of
Tiny Coinola
THE SMALLEST
KEYLESS
Manufactured by
The Operators Piano Co.
16 to 22 South Peoria St.
CHICAGO
JTUNINO \ \ 2tf
1
1000
SUCCESSFUL
GRADUATES
^ ^ ^ O L I VALPARAISO. I N D j
Piano 'layer-Piano and Organ Tuning Repairing. Regula-
tinf
A Voicing. Best equipped school in the U. S.
DipJ"-nas awarded and positions secured. Private am) dan
inttn-tioni. both sexe«.
POUTS SCHOOL OF TUNING, VALPARAISO. IND
In Three Parts:
1. Instruments of Established
Names and Character.
2. Instruments that bear Spe-
cial Names or Trade Marks.
3. Manufacturers of Pianos
and Player-Pianos with Chap-
ters on Piano Building and Buy-
ing designed for the guidance
of prospective purchasers.
Facsimile Fall-
board Names of Leading Pianos
and Player-Pianos in Colors
Revised
Annually
NO PIANO DEALER OR SALESMAN
CAN AFFORD TO BE WITHOUT IT.
IF YOU DON'T CONSULT "PRESTO
BUYERS' GUIDE" YOU ARE MISSING
OPPORTUNITIES. G E T I T NOW.
Give a copy to each of your salesmen.
Price 50 cents per copy.
PRESTO PUBLISHING CO.
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
May 12, 1923
COINOLAS
FOR
RESTAURANTS, CAFES and
AMUSEMENT CENTERS
Style SO
FROM THE BIGGEST
ORCHESTRION
UNTOUCHED FIELD OF
MUSIC GOODS DEALER
Canvass of Territory by Midwest Dealer Dis-
closes Interesting Figures Which Are
Printed by Steger Magazine.
Do you know your territory for its music goods
sales possibilities? It is a question which provides
a head for a clever article in the current Steger
Magazine and treatment of the topic by the editor
brings out some very interesting and surprising facts.
He cites the common belief that there is either a
piano or a phonograph in nearly every house and goes
on to prove how erroneous it is. "Almost invariably
a well-planned canvass will reveal a surprisingly large
percentage of families which do not possess a piano,
playerpiano or even a phonograph," is the statement.
This was considered proved by the figures compiled
by a mid-western dealer in the canvass of a manu-
facturing community of approximately 25,000 inhabi-
tants. It is the center of a prosperous farming dis-
trict and draws patronage from a number of adjacent
towns.
In a canvass of 6,464 names in this city and nine
adjacent towns it was discovered that 3,066 families
were without pianos or players and 4,066 without
phonographs.
In that grand total of 6,464 names
3,013 were piano owners, 485 playerpiano owners and
2,498 possessed talking machines.
By the analysis thirty-nine per cent of the people
in that representative midwest city owned neither a
piano or a playerpiano and fifty-two per cent were
without a phonograph. And taking the aggregate of
figures for the nine small towns, fifty-seven per cent
were without pianos or player and seventy-six per
cent without phonographs. While the Steger Maga-
zine believes that the ratios, undoubtedly would de-
crease somewhat in larger cities the figures are held
to point out unmistakably:
1. That fewer families (in proportion to popula-
tion) own pianos, playerpianos and phonographs than
is generally believed.
2. That the outlook for player and phonograph
sales is remarkably bright, especially in the smaller
communities.
3. That there is a vast untouched field for the live
music merchant to cultivate.
A thorough canvass places at the dealer's disposal
a large fund of information which enables him to
push sales work in the most profitable channels.
An outstanding feature of the house-to-house sur-
vey we have analyzed was the large number of good
prospects uncovered. These resulted in enough im-
mediate sales to cover the cost of the undertaking.
however, that he did not think that the lack of par-
lors would prevent the activities of the young.
David Kirkwood, Socialist member of the Com-
mons, heckled Chamberlain while he was outlining
the plan of the Government to alleviate the housing
shortage.
Chamberlain, in an effort to placate the recalcitrant
member, stated the Government houses would contain
parlors ten feet six inches by nine feet three inches,
big enough for diminutive uprights. Chamberlain
pointed out that the specifications allowed plenty of
room for the young to do their courting.
DEVELOPMENT OF ORGAN
CREDITED TO WANAMAKER
Texas Writer Says the Interest of Great Merchant
Contributed to Great Instruments.
The advancement of organ music and the conse-
quent growth of the organ building industry is cred-
ited to the late John Wanamakcr, by Miss Grace
Switzer, dean-elect of the Texas chapter of the Guild
of Organists. In an article in the Times-Herald of
Dallas she says:
"His contribution to the growth of musical appre-
ciation in America, through the free concerts which
have been given in his stores in New York and Phila-
delphia for many years, proved him to be a great
patron of music.
"The Wanamaker concerts have become famous
both in America and in Europe. From the start
they have centered around the organ, and today in
the Philadelphia store stands the largest organ in
the world, and in New York the newest and largest in
the metropolis. These instruments have been played
by world-famous organists and have been heard by
millions of music lovers."
THE FLEXIBLE TARIFF.
President Harding this week told a delegation
which protested against opening up a schedule of the
Fordney-McCumber tariff act that under the flexible
provisions of the law he would modify rates "only on
the most striking evidence of the necessity for such
a change." "I can tell you surely," Air. Harding said,
"that the President would proclaim no reduction of
the tariff unless there were very pronounced reasons
for it." The flexible provision of the tariff law, the
President told the delegation, is designed "to protect
the American consumer against inordinate charges as
well as the American producer against unfair
competition."
BRITAIN DECREES PARLOR
FOR PIANO A NECESSITY
Admits That Young Folks Need Place in Which to
Spark and Play Music.
The first aid to learning and playing the piano is
the piano itself, but applying the first aid is not
feasible except you have a place to put the piano.
That was an argument in the contention of the
Labor party in England that the houses built under
the Government subsidy should contain parlors.
Young folks, the Laborites maintained, should have
a place in which to play music and sing and do their
courting.
Neville Chamberlain, Minister of Health, who pre-
sented the bill to the House of Commons, stated that
he was willing to consider any constructive amend-
ments. Thus the Government has relented from its
previous attitude that parlors were unnecessary and
old-fashioned.
Chamberlain denied he was prejudiced against the
parlors or that he wished to deprive sweethearts of
a place in which to make music and court. He said,
PIONEER SCHOOL FO PIANO MEN
"in it's Zo^year
POLKS [ with
upwards of
Tiny Coinola
THE SMALLEST
KEYLESS
Manufactured by
The Operators Piano Co.
16 to 22 South Peoria St.
CHICAGO
JTUNINO \ \ 2tf
1
1000
SUCCESSFUL
GRADUATES
^ ^ ^ O L I VALPARAISO. I N D j
Piano 'layer-Piano and Organ Tuning Repairing. Regula-
tinf
A Voicing. Best equipped school in the U. S.
DipJ"-nas awarded and positions secured. Private am) dan
inttn-tioni. both sexe«.
POUTS SCHOOL OF TUNING, VALPARAISO. IND
In Three Parts:
1. Instruments of Established
Names and Character.
2. Instruments that bear Spe-
cial Names or Trade Marks.
3. Manufacturers of Pianos
and Player-Pianos with Chap-
ters on Piano Building and Buy-
ing designed for the guidance
of prospective purchasers.
Facsimile Fall-
board Names of Leading Pianos
and Player-Pianos in Colors
Revised
Annually
NO PIANO DEALER OR SALESMAN
CAN AFFORD TO BE WITHOUT IT.
IF YOU DON'T CONSULT "PRESTO
BUYERS' GUIDE" YOU ARE MISSING
OPPORTUNITIES. G E T I T NOW.
Give a copy to each of your salesmen.
Price 50 cents per copy.
PRESTO PUBLISHING CO.
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).