Presto

PRESTO
May 31, 1924.
CHRISTMAN
"The First Touch Tells
ON THE WAY TO
CONVENTION CITY
Presto Representative, Starting Early and
Stopping Off Here and There, Observes
as He Travels and Gives Results in
Interesting Letter.
FIRST TO ARRIVE
Takes Advantage of Opportunity and Seeks Out and
Meets Many Old Friends in New York
Industry.
Reproducing Grand
The very highest type of piano attainment
is exemplified in this remarkable instru-
ment. It is as perfect in operation, repro-
duction and in volume of tone, and as
reliable in every detail of construction, as
skill and flawless materials can create.
Studio Grand
Some of the Greatest Pianists have pro-
nounced this instrument the peer of any
produced. It is powerful and yet it is but
five feet long. It is a veritable "little giant"
among pianos, and its artistic qualities
command attention in any dealers' ware-
room.
If in New York
Dealers who visit the Factory may
see how these Famous Instruments
are made. And all comers will be
most welcome.
We Will bo equally pleased to answer
requests from Dealers by mail.
"The First Touch Tells"
Reg. U S. P»t. Off.
Christman Piano Co.
597 East 137th St.
New York
Templin's Music House, of Elkhart, Indiana, has
some bold and attractive billboard signs along the
New York Central road for several miles east and
west of the home town. These signs catch the eye
and attract attention largely by their brevity of words.
They read:
"TEMPLIN'S PIANO HOUSE
Elkhart — Mishawakee — Goshen."
* * *
Inquiries are made of persons who have recently
been in the vicinity of Monroeville, Ohio, as to "what
has become 1 of that piano manufacturing factory at
Monroeville. ' The answer has to be: "Gone the
way of many another." However, the factory was
kept busy for a long time after piano making ceased
in the production of piano benches and stools. It
may be remembered that great quantities of these
benches were sent into Chicago some months ago and
offered for sale at unusually low prices; at prices
which were considered as less than the cost of mak-
ing. It is presumed they were used as "bait" for
some kind of a catch, but the bait seems now to have
been exhausted and we may have heard the last of
Monroeville benches as we have about forgotten
that pianos were made there.
* * *
No, Warren Whitney does not give much, if any,
time to the Norwalk, Ohio, plant of the United Piano
Corporation's A. B. Chase factory at that place. Mr.
Whitney is more content with his interests in radio
equipment manufacturing just now than in giving
time to piano factories.
- * * *
Speaking of erstwhile piano making at Monroeville,
Ohio, several of the men who worked in the Mon-
roeville factory are now at the United Piano Corpora-
tion's factory, the old A. B. Chase plant at Norwalk,
five miles away. Some of these same men, by the
way, had worked at the A. B. Chase factory years ago,
long before the Monroeville affair was thought of, so,
in a way, it is like coming back to the old love to get
into the big A. B. Chase piano workshop again. Most
of these Monroeville workmen drive to Norwalk in
their automobiles. There's both pleasure and inde-
pendence for you.
* * *
Some two weeks ago a member of a New York
export commission house came to Chicago to attend
to some details in connection with shipments of a few
hundred pianos to Australia, about three hundred in-
struments to be more nearly accurate. This item of
news went the usual rounds in and about Chicago
with but little, if any, exaggeration.
When the information reached Cleveland a few days
later it was talked of in the trade there as a Chicago
piano manufacturer having just received an order for
immediate shipment of a thousand pianos. At Buffalo
the order had grown to fifteen hundred and in New
York they were trying to find out if it were really
true that a bona fide order had been placed for three
thousand pianos for the Australian market. When
assured that the shipment in question was for con-
siderably less than one-third the last augmented re-
port, New York felt relieved.
* * *
J. H. Williams, president of the United Piano Cor-
poration, is the proud father of a son who seems to
be following in the footsteps of his hustling parent.
This son is now conducting the piano store purchased
by his father at Baltimore when that gentleman came
back into the retail business after a few years of res-
pite from piano trade activities and just before join-
ing Mr. Shale in the present United Piano Corpora-
tion.
Mr. Williams is now getting under headway a great
piano manufacturing plant at Norwalk, combining, as
we all know, the A. B. Chase, the Emerson and the
Lindeman & Sons factories.
It is said that Mr. Williams wants his son to give
up his Baltimore business and join him in the manu-
facturing end of the game. This is natural and per-
fectly correct. Since the A. B. Chase factory was
taken over by Mr. Williams and his associates that
gentleman has given nearly all of his time to the work
of rehabilitating it and making of it a modern medium
for producing pianos. In truth he has accomplished
a great task, to say the least. Mr. Williams sees a
great future for the Norwalk institution and likewise
a wonderful opportunity for his son should he decide
to join him at the factory.
* * *
Coming down in an elevator in a building on Forty-
second street, New York, in which are located several
radio supply houses as well as a piano agency, a
young man employed in one of the radio shops
slipped in and was immediately hailed by a passen-
ger with the salutation: "So the radio business is on
this floor, eh?" To which the young man addressed
replied: "Yes, this is the radio floor all right but the
radio business isn't here any more; it's vamoosed,
somewhere."
And the red caps at the railway stations are com-
plaining that there are so many boys on the job
and travel so uncertain that they cannot make enough
to pay expenses. And the chauffeurs of New York
say too much competition is ruining their business.
All of which reminds one that the piano selling busi-
ness is a good one to be engaged in.
* * *
A look inside the three well-equipped factories of
the C. Kurtzmann Co. at 526 to 536 Niagara street,
Buffalo, is in the nature of a revelation to the man
unacquainted with the position of that city in the
piano manufacturing field. Three factories are the
result of development, a pleasant consequence of the
continuous call for the pianos and players of the line.
The Kurtzmann piano has a background of
achievement to make the Kurtzmann officials proud.
Not only is the C. Kurtzmann Co. one of the oldest
in continuous operation, but also one whose products
(Continued on page 6.)
WEAVER REPRODUCING GRAND
IS READY FOR THE DEALERS
New Instrument Equipped with Welte-Mignon Pat-
ents, a Leader of Line.
The Weaver Reproducing Grand Piano, made by
the Weaver Piano Co., York, Pa., is now ready for
shipment in prompt response to the calls of dealers.
The new reproducing grand piano of the Weaver
Piano Co., Inc., is equipped with the Welte-Mignon
action, licensed under original Welte patents. From
its generally meritorious character the instrument is
rightfully entitled to the foremost place in the "Lead-
ing Line."
The Weaver Grand Piano has made a host of
friends among pianists and musicians because of the
wonderful way in which it responds to every demand
of the pianist. Now these qualities are available to
every music lover. The Welte-Mignon Library con-
tains the greatest selection in the world of recordings
by the leading pianists of the past and present. These
recordings bring out all the delightful tone qualities
of the Weaver Grand.
In a letter to the trade this week the Weaver Piano
Co., Inc., says: "When properly presented to the
music lovers in your territory it will increase your
sales volume. Let us co-operate. Send us your pros-
pects' names and addresses. We will write them.
Let us arrange for a demonstration. A music lover
cannot hear the Weaver Welte-Mignon Grand without
wanting it. The price is reasonable and the profit
for vou attractive."
IMPROVES GALVESTON STORE.
Extensive changes have been made in the store of
the Galveston Piano Company, Galveston, Tex., espe-
cially on the second floor. Alvin M. Cain is the man-
ager. The front show windows have been repainted
and handsome hardwood floors installed. A new
demonstration room has been put in for player rolls,
as the business has no increased that more demon-
stration rooms for the records were necessary. The
entire second floor has been renovated and a large
sales room for pianos has been installed. The entire
store has been refinished and decorated and has taken
on an appearance of being dressed up for the summer
tourist trade. Piano repairing is now one of the
specialties of the store.
FINE LINE IN AKRON, O.
The Kratz Piano Co., 29 S. Howard street, Akron,
O., was established over thirty-five years ago and the
company, in a consistent presentation of pianos of
quality, has built up a splendid clientele. In the piano
warerooms is a fine array of Steinway, Hardman,
Krakauer and other high-class pianos in grand and
upright models. The house is a representative of the
Duo-Art Pianola. In addition to its fine line of pianos
the Kratz Piano Company carries two lines of phono-
graphs and records.
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