Presto

PRESTO
November 10, 1923
WELCOME CHANGE
IN THE PIANO AD VS.
Big Sunday Newspapers Are Beginning to Dis-
play Fine Commingling of Plain Business
and Poetic Sentiment in the Publicity
Columns.
READS LIKE LITERATURE
Big Contrast Between the Present and the "Count
the Dot" Past in the Trade.
Of late months the metropolitan Sunday news-
papers have added to other countless attractions some
of the kind of piano advertising that reaches into the
realms of literature. Last Sunday the New York
Times had a display of the Griffith Piano Co., of
Newark, N. J., which would do in the miscellaneous
or art sections of the paper. It bore the poetic title,
"The Piano of Your Dreams," and read as follows:
There is nothing comparable to the purchase of a
grand piano. The first automobile gives a thrill of
pride and pleasure, but in a year or two you are
ready to "turn it in" for a new model.
How different with your grand piano. The day
you make your selection w T ill live forever in your
memory. Ambition is more than realized on that oc-
casion. All your love for the beautiful, for the higher
and nobler things in life, seem wrapped in the pur-
chase of that grand piano.
Time in its passing brings many changes. But
your grand piano, through those immutable laws of
sentimental association, will take firmer hold on your
affection.
How important then it is that' your selection of a
grand or reproducing grand piano be made under the
most favorable circumstances, so that the instrument
you choose shall forever give satisfaction.
Can you think of any better way to select your
piano than from among the world's most famous
makes, gathered together, side by side, under one
roof? That is the way you decide when you come
to the Griffith warerooms. Here you see and hear
them all, one after another, judging the merit of each
piano's tone, comparing the craftsmanship and finish
of all these makes.
The Griffith house represents a fine line, embracing
all of these: Steinway, Sohmer, Krakauer, Lester,
Brambach, McPhail, Hallet & Davis, and Kurtzmann.
In Chicago, Too.
In the Chicago Tribune there were several notable
exhibitions of what a piano advertisement may be
when written by men of literary, as well as publicity,
tastes. One of them read as follows:
Through centuries of development the Adam
Schaaf Art Grand Piano has come down to you—the
culmination of musical achievement.
History reveals that in the days of early Greece
this instrument existed in primitive form; the Mono-
chord, a sound box with one string, was imported
to them from Egypt. From it the Clavichord was
made, then the Virginal or Spinet upon which Queen
Elizabeth was a skilled performer. The famed
Harpsichord followed, and not until the eighteenth
century did the Pianoforte as we know it now take
tangible form.
Today whoever you are, wherever you may live,
Adam Schaaf has a Grand Piano whose supremacy is
admitted by critics, yet whose size is small and price
most reasonable.
Another Fine Specimen.
It wouldn't be easy to give the Adam Schaaf grand
a better or more permanently interesting verbal set-
ting than that. And still another Tribune page set
forth the claims of the Lyon & Healy Apartment
Grand in terms that must have brought prospects into
the stately warerooms at Jackson Boulevard and
Wabash avenue, Chicago. Here it is:
Who, that has enjoyed the beauties of the concert
grand, has not longed for a grand piano with the
same warm richness of tone and ease of expression,
yet of a size that could be accommodated in the
modern living room!
It was as a fulfillment of this wish that the Lyon
& Healy Apartment Grand was created. Propor-
tioned to occupy but little more space than an up-
right, it is as small as a grand can be designed and
yet have sufficient string length to yield a tone of
depth and fullness. It permits of most delicate
shading, yet in fortissimo playing is equal to the
most spirited rendering. So responsive is the touch
that the instrument fairly sings under the fingers.
The case designs are exquisite. They are beautiful
reproductions of Sheraton and Chippendale period
styles, richly finished in mahogany, oak, and walnut.
There is a choice of several styles. Come and see
them.
Gracefully Instructive.
That is good advertising, and something more. It
imparts some of the kind of information the piano
buying public needs and wants. It is easy enough to
buy books on music in its scientific and in creative
aspects. There are big volumes telling about the
masters of sweet sound, and the piano manufacturers
are ready to deliver any amount of interesting de-
scriptive matter pertaining to their beautiful instru-
ments.
:,
But in the newspaper advertisements quoted therje
is just enough of the literary touch to lighten up the
dull suggestion of trade. It is a welcome divergency
from the customary "best in the world" and "lowest
prices on earth" order of things. We could have.a
lot more of it with good effect. Compare it with the
"Count the dots" and "find the faces," of a few years
ago!
A TWO-DAY CELEBRATION.
Two days were given over recently to the formal
opening of the new quarters of the Humes Music
Co., at 1132 Broad street, Columbus, Ga. Each day,
too, a succession of interested visitors showed friendly
interest in the ambitious efforts of J. E. Hume as
expressed in every phase of the business. The first
floor and mezzanine are given over to talking ma-
chines, small goods and music rolls. On the second
floor are the piano and playerpiano warerooms which
are artistically arranged to suit the high character of
the line.
NOW SCHEFFT'S MUSIC HOUSE.
Schefft's Music House has succeeded the Ross,
Schefft & Weinman Piano Co., 96 Mason street, Mil-
waukee, Wis., and Charles H. Schefft, one of the
original partners, is now s"ole ow r ner. A. H. Weinman
died a number of years ago and August Ross, senior
partner, had already retired from active business on
account of advanced age. Mr. Schefft also conducts
an exclusive talking machine house on Upper Third
street.
SPECIAL ROOM FOR PLAYERS.
The Lechner & Schoenberger Co., Pittsburgh, Pa.,
has about completed extensive alterations and changes
on the fifth floor of its building at 631 Liberty avenue.
This floor will be used hereafter exclusively for the
display and demonstration of player-pianos and re-
producing pianos. In the rear there will be a room
specially devoted to reproducing pianos and their
demonstration.
BUYS PARTNER'S INTEREST.
E. H. Stevens, who has been conducting a retail
music store in the McGregor Building at 214 Main
street, Monongahela, Pa., with A. H. Todd, has pur-
chased the latter's interest in the business.
CHICAGO PIANO & ORGAN
ASSOCIATION ELECTION
Complimentary Dinner to Members Precedes
Annual Meeting, at Which Important
Business Topics Are Discussed.
A complimentary dinner was one of the features
of the annual meeting of the Chicago Piano & Organ
Association and election of officers, held November
8, at the La Salle Hotel. Very important business
was scheduled for this meeting, and as it concerned
the entire music trade it was decided to have the
meeting held in the evening in order to give all
members an opportunity to be present and join in
the discussion.
Contrary to usage no ticket for the election of offi-
cers had been prepared in advance of the meeting and
as the Presto goes to press before the actual hour
of the election, the new list of officers can not be
printed in this issue. The only certainty for election
is Adam Schneider, treasurer of Julius Bauer & Co.,
who "will not be allowed to decline the honor of
nomination for treasurer," as one member of the as-
sociation declared today. "There is something more
than safeguarding the funds of the association in
Adam. Schneider's job as treasurer of the Chicago
Piano & Organ Association. He is the keeper of the
association conscience. His politest reminder of a
member's remissness in paying dues has the potency
of a tongue lashing. Adam for perpetual treasurer
is a certaintv."
RULING ON TAX ON
COIN=OPERATED PIANOS
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce Considers
It Final But Suggests Inaugurating Test Case.
The recent ruling of the United States Department
of Internal Revenue imposing a tax upon automatic
coin-operated pianos or other musicar instruments
under the "vending-machine" clause of the present
revenue law, is a final ruling, and it is doubtful if it
can be changed through appeal to the Internal Rev-
enue Department, according to the opinion of the
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce.
The only course of action which now remains open
to the Chamber is the bringing of a test case in the
Federal court to determine the validity of this ruling,
and to have it reversed if possible. In view of the
importance of this ruling and the large sums involved
in back taxes and future taxes demanded by the In-
ternal Revenue Department, the directors authorized
the Chamber to institute such a test case in the;
:
Federal court.
.*
D. J. TREMBLEY, MANAGER.
EXPANDS IN HOQUIAM, WASH.
The music department in the Quimby & Wilson
furniture store, Hoquiam, Wash., has made rapid
growth under the management of Al Richards. New
quarters at 716 I street have been selected for the
music business of the company to be kept distinct
from other interests and the store will be known as
the Harmony Music Store.
New Edition for 1924 Ready—Order Now
PRESTO BUYERS* GUIDE
Will Contain Full Lists with Concise Classification and Description of all
American Pianos* Players and Reproducing Pianos, with Sketches of their
Makers. Edition for 1924 in preparation. Price 50 cents, post paid.
NO PIANO DEALER OR PROSPECT CAN AFFORD TO BE WITHOUT IT.
PRESTO PUBLISHING CO.,
#
D. J. Trembley, formerly of the Collins Piano Co.,
of New Orleans, has been made manager of the
Knabe Studios, Inc., Baltimore, Md., succeeding
Louis C. Dederick, who becomes treasurer of the
Chickering Warerooms, Inc. Harry How, who was
secretary and treasurer, will continue as secretary of
the company and, in addition, will devote time to the
sales force in the future.
407 S. Dearborn St., CHICAGO
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