Presto
Issue: 1923 1939 - Page 6
September 22, 1923
PRESTO
MEISTER PIANOS ARE
OUT OF THE RUNNING
Chicago Department House of Rothschild
Closes Manufacturing, and the Factory at
Monroeville, Ohio, has Been Sold.
not have made if I had not had it to demonstrate
piano with. My Ford car carries it splendidly and
stands the work, and I have never had any injury to
a piano as a result from hauling it on its back.—E.
K. Watson, Macon, Ga."
"There must be some magic about the loader, for
we got it installed about 12 o'clock Monday and by
Tuesday night, the salesman had found prospects and
sold THREE pianos. We are very much pleased
with the loader.—A. J. Kirby & Co., Gastonia, N. C."
•=•=•;«:•:•=•:•=•=•:•=•=•:•=•=•=
l
i
S
ii
•i
STARTED IN YEAR 1903
R. K. Maynard Was First Manager of Distribution
and the Name of Meister Was Blumenberg's
Little Trade Joke.
"Old Man 'Meister'" has sold his factory. The
piano has been promoted in a retail way, by the de-
partment house of Rothschild & Co., which made and
sold it for a good many years. It has never had any
wholesale trade, but for a time it was a thorn in the
flesh of the retailers in Chicago. The factory at
Monroeville, Ohio, has been sold, and Rothschild &
Co. has withdrawn from the list of piano manu-
facturers.
When the late Marc Blumenberg was actively en-
gaged in editing a music trade paper in New York,
he found a great deal of play for his wit in the
"Meister" name. "Old Man Meister" was an appela-
tion which tickled him most, and he never tired of re-
ferring humorously to what that imaginary individual
was doing to "imbrove de bianno." But since Mr.
Blumenberg's death the name of "Meister" has sel-
dom appeared in the trade papers, and the sale of
the instruments which bore the name has been con-
fined to the big general store at Van Buren and
State streets, Chicago.
When the Rothschild piano department was opened
it was in charge of R. K. Maynard, who put in a
great deal of ingenuity to making the upper floor
of the big building bright and attractive. He fixed
up a pretty concert room and gave recitals. He an-
nounced special events and put in a large stock of
other pianos of standing with which to soften the
"Meister" influence and kill the old idea of a "sten-
cil," which the name originally implied. But Mr.
Maynard didn't like it for long, and the Rothschild
piano department has suffered many changes since
he abandoned it.
The Meister factory, at Monroeville, Ohio, has
quite a history. It was originally put to purposes of
reed organs. Then the Burdett Piano Co. took it
and produced a good line of pianos. After financial
difficulties had gripped the plant the Martin Piano
Co. tried it, but with indifferent success, and then the
Rothschild house purchased the factory and the
"Meister" appeared.
And now the experiment of a department store
running a piano factory remains for the Blooming-
dale and Wanamaker houses to solve. For some
reason not clear the Rothschild piano department
manager refused any information as to why the Mon-
roeville factory had been sold and told a Presto rep-
resentative that he would prefer that nothing at all be
said about it.
DEALERS' TESTIMONY FOR
BOWEN ONE-MAN LOADER
Once a User Always a User Is Determination of
Those Who Have Bought Device.
GULBRANSEN REGISTERING
PIANO AT CHURCH FUNCTION
ARTISTIC
Delighted Audience in Chicago Hear Demonstration
of "Country Seat Model" in Concert.
The Gulbransen registering piano made another
triumphant appearance in public Wednesday night,
September 12, being used in solo numbers in connec-
tion with a musical program presented at the North
Austin English Lutheran Evangelical Church, Mason
and LeMoyne streets, Chicago. The numbers played
were "Stolen Inspirations," by Davis; "Pearls," by
Moret, and "In the Garden," the Billy Sunday hymn.
The instrument was a Country Seat model Gul-
bransen.
There were 300 persons in the audience. Many of
them remained after the concert to get closer to the
instrument in order that they might see how pedal-
ling accomplishes the results it does in the Gul-
bransen.
There were many queries as to the "registering"
features of the Gulbransen, and how it is possible to
make melody notes sing out in such a pronounced
manner over the accompaniment notes. Comment
was also freely heard as to the splendid tone of the
Gulbransen.
IN EVERT
DETAIL
HADDORPF PIANO CO.
ROCKFORIMLL.
Wholeaale Office*:
Naw T«fk Cm
I t o f t .
CU*«t»
410 S. Mhb%aa AT*.
8 u fmacmat
311 CaUtamfc Si.
=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•;•=•=•=•»=•=»
THE AUTOPIANO AGENCY
FOR BIG NEWARK STORE
Fact, Impressed on Public by Newspaper Announce-
ments and Notable Window Display.
Hahne & Co., a leading department store of
Newark, N. J., has taken the agency for the Auto-
piano for that territory. Space was recently used in
the newspapers, inviting readers of the Hahne & Co.
advertising to visit the piano department to see and
hear the various models representing the complete
line of Autopianos. The r publicity together with a
special window display w as very effective.
The window display itself is well calculated to
create interest. It featured a large, framed card
which showed pictures of famous musicians, Euro-
pean kings and queens, popes and cardinals, and other
celebrities who own, use and enthusiastically endorse
the Autopiano; the card also indicated the popularity
of the Autopiano in the United States army and navy.
An impressive display of pianos lent reality and
weight to the legend on the card. The results en-
tirely justified the infraction of one of the window
decorator's cardinal rules. The foreground, the cen-
ter of attraction, was the world-wide prestige of the
Autopiano, and the background, impressive, distinc-
tive, unobtrusive but inescapable, was the Autopiano
itself in various models. Hahne & Co. are to be con-
gratulated both on the window display and on the
acquisition of so valuable a franchise as the autopiano
agency.
Cincinnati Factories of The Baldwin Piano Company
SUCCESS
is assured the dealer who takes advantage of
THE BALDWIN
CO-OPERATION
PLAN
which offers every opportunity to represent
under the most favorable conditions a com-
plete line of high grade pianos, players and
reproducers
For b\forma,ion wrttt
Wf)t Palbtoin
$tano Company
Incorporated
CINCINNATI
INDIANAPOLIS
LOUISVILLE
CHICAGO
ST. LOUIS
DALLAS
NEW YORK
DENVER
SAN FRANCMCO
NEW INCORPORATIONS
IN MUSIC GOODS TRADE
There is one thing you never find in the piano trade
and that is a dealer returning to the old primitive
ways of handling pianos after once using the Bowen
One-Man Loader and Carrier. The first aid to sales
in the piano business is providing the means for New and Old Concerns Secure Charters in Various
bringing the prospect and the piano face to face.
Places.
And that is a successful function performed by the
Rosenthal-Low, New York City; $40,000; to make
Bowen One-Man Loader and Carrier.
musical instruments; S. N. Rosenthal, J. Low and
For the out-of-door salesman who values his time N. Weiss.
the Bowen Loader is the most desirable acquisition.
Hudson Music Co., Hastings on Hudson, N. Y.;
With the greatest ease he can load or unload his $40,000.
piano and show and demonstrate it on the road or in
Automatic Repeating Phonograph Co., Inc., Wil-
the prospect's yard. There is no strenuous lifting
mington, Del., $1,000,000.
when the Bowen Loader is employed.
G. Leblanc, orchestra instruments, $1,000; E. I.
Here is what the Rosenblatt Co., Greenville, Tenn.,
says about the Bowen Loader: "We find the Bowen/ Unger, J. C. McGowan. (Attorney, L. C. Wills, 32
One-Man Piano Loader and Carrier satisfactory in Court street, Brooklyn, N. Y.).
every way. We have had no injury to any piano
Leaders Music Store, Liberty, N. Y., $20,000; H.
handled in this way. Our Ford will go where any Cohen, H. J. Steinbrink. (Attorney, H. Kaufman,
truck will take a piano. One man is all that is neces- 215 Montague street, Brooklyn, N. Y.).
sary to handle a piano. Wish you much success with
Gaiety Talking Machine Co., Manhattan; $5,000;
the loader."
A. Markowitz, H. Gellman, W. Haines. Attorney,
Here are other testimonials for the Bowen Loader: S. E. Miller, 99 Nassau street, New York.
"I think the One-Man Piano Loader and Carrier
Edward Straus, Brooklyn; pianos; $50,000; E.
is the greatest thing yet for a Piano Salesman. It Strauss, E. Satlien, C. Cartoon. Attorneys, Korn-
has been the means of me making sales that I would blueh & Hutter, 154 Nassau street.
The Beppe, Marcellus and Edouard Jules PfaOO
manufactured by the
HEPPE PIANO COMPANY
are the only pianos In the world with
Three Sounding Boards.
Patented in the United States, Great Britain.
Prance, Germany and Canada.
Liberal arrangements to responsible agents only*
Main Office, 1117 Chestnut St.
PHILADELPHIA. PA.
When in doubt refer to
PRESTO BUYERS GUIDE
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
MEISTER PIANOS ARE
OUT OF THE RUNNING
Chicago Department House of Rothschild
Closes Manufacturing, and the Factory at
Monroeville, Ohio, has Been Sold.
not have made if I had not had it to demonstrate
piano with. My Ford car carries it splendidly and
stands the work, and I have never had any injury to
a piano as a result from hauling it on its back.—E.
K. Watson, Macon, Ga."
"There must be some magic about the loader, for
we got it installed about 12 o'clock Monday and by
Tuesday night, the salesman had found prospects and
sold THREE pianos. We are very much pleased
with the loader.—A. J. Kirby & Co., Gastonia, N. C."
•=•=•;«:•:•=•:•=•=•:•=•=•:•=•=•=
l
i
S
ii
•i
STARTED IN YEAR 1903
R. K. Maynard Was First Manager of Distribution
and the Name of Meister Was Blumenberg's
Little Trade Joke.
"Old Man 'Meister'" has sold his factory. The
piano has been promoted in a retail way, by the de-
partment house of Rothschild & Co., which made and
sold it for a good many years. It has never had any
wholesale trade, but for a time it was a thorn in the
flesh of the retailers in Chicago. The factory at
Monroeville, Ohio, has been sold, and Rothschild &
Co. has withdrawn from the list of piano manu-
facturers.
When the late Marc Blumenberg was actively en-
gaged in editing a music trade paper in New York,
he found a great deal of play for his wit in the
"Meister" name. "Old Man Meister" was an appela-
tion which tickled him most, and he never tired of re-
ferring humorously to what that imaginary individual
was doing to "imbrove de bianno." But since Mr.
Blumenberg's death the name of "Meister" has sel-
dom appeared in the trade papers, and the sale of
the instruments which bore the name has been con-
fined to the big general store at Van Buren and
State streets, Chicago.
When the Rothschild piano department was opened
it was in charge of R. K. Maynard, who put in a
great deal of ingenuity to making the upper floor
of the big building bright and attractive. He fixed
up a pretty concert room and gave recitals. He an-
nounced special events and put in a large stock of
other pianos of standing with which to soften the
"Meister" influence and kill the old idea of a "sten-
cil," which the name originally implied. But Mr.
Maynard didn't like it for long, and the Rothschild
piano department has suffered many changes since
he abandoned it.
The Meister factory, at Monroeville, Ohio, has
quite a history. It was originally put to purposes of
reed organs. Then the Burdett Piano Co. took it
and produced a good line of pianos. After financial
difficulties had gripped the plant the Martin Piano
Co. tried it, but with indifferent success, and then the
Rothschild house purchased the factory and the
"Meister" appeared.
And now the experiment of a department store
running a piano factory remains for the Blooming-
dale and Wanamaker houses to solve. For some
reason not clear the Rothschild piano department
manager refused any information as to why the Mon-
roeville factory had been sold and told a Presto rep-
resentative that he would prefer that nothing at all be
said about it.
DEALERS' TESTIMONY FOR
BOWEN ONE-MAN LOADER
Once a User Always a User Is Determination of
Those Who Have Bought Device.
GULBRANSEN REGISTERING
PIANO AT CHURCH FUNCTION
ARTISTIC
Delighted Audience in Chicago Hear Demonstration
of "Country Seat Model" in Concert.
The Gulbransen registering piano made another
triumphant appearance in public Wednesday night,
September 12, being used in solo numbers in connec-
tion with a musical program presented at the North
Austin English Lutheran Evangelical Church, Mason
and LeMoyne streets, Chicago. The numbers played
were "Stolen Inspirations," by Davis; "Pearls," by
Moret, and "In the Garden," the Billy Sunday hymn.
The instrument was a Country Seat model Gul-
bransen.
There were 300 persons in the audience. Many of
them remained after the concert to get closer to the
instrument in order that they might see how pedal-
ling accomplishes the results it does in the Gul-
bransen.
There were many queries as to the "registering"
features of the Gulbransen, and how it is possible to
make melody notes sing out in such a pronounced
manner over the accompaniment notes. Comment
was also freely heard as to the splendid tone of the
Gulbransen.
IN EVERT
DETAIL
HADDORPF PIANO CO.
ROCKFORIMLL.
Wholeaale Office*:
Naw T«fk Cm
I t o f t .
CU*«t»
410 S. Mhb%aa AT*.
8 u fmacmat
311 CaUtamfc Si.
=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•;•=•=•=•»=•=»
THE AUTOPIANO AGENCY
FOR BIG NEWARK STORE
Fact, Impressed on Public by Newspaper Announce-
ments and Notable Window Display.
Hahne & Co., a leading department store of
Newark, N. J., has taken the agency for the Auto-
piano for that territory. Space was recently used in
the newspapers, inviting readers of the Hahne & Co.
advertising to visit the piano department to see and
hear the various models representing the complete
line of Autopianos. The r publicity together with a
special window display w as very effective.
The window display itself is well calculated to
create interest. It featured a large, framed card
which showed pictures of famous musicians, Euro-
pean kings and queens, popes and cardinals, and other
celebrities who own, use and enthusiastically endorse
the Autopiano; the card also indicated the popularity
of the Autopiano in the United States army and navy.
An impressive display of pianos lent reality and
weight to the legend on the card. The results en-
tirely justified the infraction of one of the window
decorator's cardinal rules. The foreground, the cen-
ter of attraction, was the world-wide prestige of the
Autopiano, and the background, impressive, distinc-
tive, unobtrusive but inescapable, was the Autopiano
itself in various models. Hahne & Co. are to be con-
gratulated both on the window display and on the
acquisition of so valuable a franchise as the autopiano
agency.
Cincinnati Factories of The Baldwin Piano Company
SUCCESS
is assured the dealer who takes advantage of
THE BALDWIN
CO-OPERATION
PLAN
which offers every opportunity to represent
under the most favorable conditions a com-
plete line of high grade pianos, players and
reproducers
For b\forma,ion wrttt
Wf)t Palbtoin
$tano Company
Incorporated
CINCINNATI
INDIANAPOLIS
LOUISVILLE
CHICAGO
ST. LOUIS
DALLAS
NEW YORK
DENVER
SAN FRANCMCO
NEW INCORPORATIONS
IN MUSIC GOODS TRADE
There is one thing you never find in the piano trade
and that is a dealer returning to the old primitive
ways of handling pianos after once using the Bowen
One-Man Loader and Carrier. The first aid to sales
in the piano business is providing the means for New and Old Concerns Secure Charters in Various
bringing the prospect and the piano face to face.
Places.
And that is a successful function performed by the
Rosenthal-Low, New York City; $40,000; to make
Bowen One-Man Loader and Carrier.
musical instruments; S. N. Rosenthal, J. Low and
For the out-of-door salesman who values his time N. Weiss.
the Bowen Loader is the most desirable acquisition.
Hudson Music Co., Hastings on Hudson, N. Y.;
With the greatest ease he can load or unload his $40,000.
piano and show and demonstrate it on the road or in
Automatic Repeating Phonograph Co., Inc., Wil-
the prospect's yard. There is no strenuous lifting
mington, Del., $1,000,000.
when the Bowen Loader is employed.
G. Leblanc, orchestra instruments, $1,000; E. I.
Here is what the Rosenblatt Co., Greenville, Tenn.,
says about the Bowen Loader: "We find the Bowen/ Unger, J. C. McGowan. (Attorney, L. C. Wills, 32
One-Man Piano Loader and Carrier satisfactory in Court street, Brooklyn, N. Y.).
every way. We have had no injury to any piano
Leaders Music Store, Liberty, N. Y., $20,000; H.
handled in this way. Our Ford will go where any Cohen, H. J. Steinbrink. (Attorney, H. Kaufman,
truck will take a piano. One man is all that is neces- 215 Montague street, Brooklyn, N. Y.).
sary to handle a piano. Wish you much success with
Gaiety Talking Machine Co., Manhattan; $5,000;
the loader."
A. Markowitz, H. Gellman, W. Haines. Attorney,
Here are other testimonials for the Bowen Loader: S. E. Miller, 99 Nassau street, New York.
"I think the One-Man Piano Loader and Carrier
Edward Straus, Brooklyn; pianos; $50,000; E.
is the greatest thing yet for a Piano Salesman. It Strauss, E. Satlien, C. Cartoon. Attorneys, Korn-
has been the means of me making sales that I would blueh & Hutter, 154 Nassau street.
The Beppe, Marcellus and Edouard Jules PfaOO
manufactured by the
HEPPE PIANO COMPANY
are the only pianos In the world with
Three Sounding Boards.
Patented in the United States, Great Britain.
Prance, Germany and Canada.
Liberal arrangements to responsible agents only*
Main Office, 1117 Chestnut St.
PHILADELPHIA. PA.
When in doubt refer to
PRESTO BUYERS GUIDE
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).