Presto

Presto Buyers' Guide
Analyzes and Classifies
All American P i a n o s
and in Detail Tells of
Their Makers.
PRESTO
Established 1884. THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
Presto Year Book
The Only Complete
Annual Review of the
American Music In-
dustries and Trades.
10 Cent.,- $2.00 a Year
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1924
NO PRICE ADVANCE BY
CONTINENTAL PIANO CO.
Recently Formed Combination of the Two
Great Industries Will Improve Products
Without Changing Selling Terms.
Officials of the Continental Piano Company, the
recently formed holding company for Henry F.
Miller & Sons Piano Company, of Boston, and Smith,
Barnes & Strohber Company, of Chicago, have an-
nounced that, although many improvements are be-
ing made in their entire line, prices for the present
will be maintained as formerly.
By bringing into play all of the technical knowl-
edge and scientific features of efficient production
developed in the two organizations in over half a
century of piano building, and through the' greater
distribution made possible by the merger of these
two pioneer companies, the Continental Piano Com-
pany expects to be able to follow out its policy of
toning up the quality of its entire line without any
material change in prices.
The company has a well-balanced line of grands,
reproducing grands, uprights and players, headed by
the famous Henry F. Miller, and including the Trow-
bridge, Smith & Barnes, Strohber, Willard, Lessing,
and Hoffman.
Henry F. Miller was an artist of considerable note
in Boston musical circles, and the Henry F. Miller
piano, which he created, is a worthy leader of the
Continental line. The Welte-Mignon (Licensee) in-
stallation will be used throughout the company's
entire line of reproducing pianos.
The enormous facilities of the Smith, Barner &
Strohber plants at Chicago and Milwaukee w T ill en-
able the company to satisfy the music needs of the
masses, and it is intended that each instrument
throughout their entire line will be a leader in its
class, well built, artistically finished, and put out at
a price consistent with the quality.
F. RADLE, INC. WILL EXHIBIT
AT CLEVELAND CONVENTION
Enterprise of New York Industry Again to Find
Illustration at Ohio Meeting.
The fifteenth annual meeting of the Music Mer-
chants' Association of Ohio, at Cleveland, on Sep-
tember 8th to 10th, promises to be the largest state
organization convention in history. Interest in the
meeting is much more than state-wide, and a number
of prominent manufacturers have arranged to be
represented by displays of their instruments, in charge
of direct factory attaches.
Presto has already referred to several of the manu-
facturers who have made arrangements for displays
either at the Hotel Statler or other convenient points.
It is now announced that F. Radle, Inc., of New
York, will make an exhibit, with headquarters at the
Cleveland Hotel.
It need not be said that whatever the F. Radle,
Inc., undertakes to do is sure to be well done, and
dealers who go to the Ohio convention will find it to
their advantage to visit the Radle display and ex-
amine the instruments carefully.
Some of the dealers who visit Cleveland will be
surprised to find in the Radle a class of instruments
which must command their admiration, while still
more of the visitors will only recognize the merits
with which they are already familiar, for the F. Radle,
Inc., line is very widely known.
town districts of Memphis, is doing big things in the
trade. Its quick success is attributed to the cour-
teous service it has given its customers, which has
accorded to it the title of "The House of Pleasant
Dealings."
The Floyd Company made its start in small way.
From an obscure second floor location it grew, under
the capable management of C. M. Bishop and R. E.
Ching, to the present large establishment, which is
one of the most elaborate and progressive in the
South.
The Floyd Piano Company did not attain its suc-
cess, however, without a line of meritorious mer-
chandise, which it considered was the first step in
establishing confidence with its customers.
The new quarters provide greater facilities for the
displaying of its extensive line, and also the render-
ing of better service to its patrons. Booths are con-
veniently located for the demonstration of grands,
reproducing grands, playerpianos, phonographs and
radio, and the sales of these instruments have been
considerably increased by acquainting the customers
through this method.
The sale of grands and reproducing grands is
being vigorously pushed by the Memphis firm, and
has resulted in the placing of a good number of these
instruments in the homes of Memphis and surround-
ing territory.
The Floyd Piano Company represents the lines of
Steger & Sons Piano Mfg. Co. and Lyon & Healy,
Inc., Chicago.
SELLS ESTEY PIPE ORGANS.
The Emerson Piano House, Decatur, 111., finds a
profitable business in pipe organs and automatic in-
struments for theaters and other public places. The
company has been very successful in sales of Estey
pipe organs made by the Estey Organ Co., Brattle-
boro, Vt. Last week the Decatur firm finished in-
stalling an Estey organ in the chapel of Dawson &
Wikoff, leading undertakers there.
EXHIBIT OF OHIO FAIR.
One of the most attractive music goods exhibits
at the annual Muskingum County Fair, held in Zanes-
ville, O., was that of the Davis, Burkham & Tyler
Co.'s branch in that city. The display was presented
in a large tent and was in charge of Frank C. Dunn,
manager of the local store. Mr. Dunn reports a large
number of good prospects were obtained through the
exhibit.
GOOD BUSINESS IN DETROIT.
A. C. Clausen, sales promotion manager for the
Henry F. Miller Stores Co., who has just returned
to the Boston headquarters from a few days' stay in
Detroit, reports that the Detroit store has done an
exceptionally good business during August, and
shows an increase of more than a third over the busi-
ness for last August.
STANWOOD MILLER IN CHICAGO.
Stanwood Miller, western representative of the
Continental Piano Company, has returned to Chicago
after spending a few days at the home office in Bos-
ton. Mr. Miller, who will travel extensively through
the western territory, making his headquarters at
Chicago, anticipates a heavy fall business.
NEW PAGE PLANT.
Following the fire which destroyed the Page Organ
Co. plant at Defiance, causing damage estimated at
$100,000, D. M. Lamson, superintendent, announced
that plans would be started immediately to erect a
new factory.
ANOTHER IN MILWAUKEE.
FLOYD PIANO COMPANY
ACTIVE IN SOUTHERN CITY
Occupies Elaborate Quarters in Busiest Section of
Memphis and Is Accorded Substantial Business.
One of the music houses in the South that is
rapidly coming to the fore is that of the Floyd Piano
Co., Memphis, Tenn. The company, which recently
moved to its new quarters, located in the busy down-
Announcement is made of the incorporation of
the George H. Eucker Music Company of Milwau-
kee; $10,000, 100 shares, par $100. George H. Eucker,
W. H. Eucker and Erna Eucker are the incorpor-
ators.
GEORGE S. SCHOFIELD MANAGER.
George S .Schofield is the new manager of Spargo
& Co., Hazleton, Pa., succeeding Mrs. Reese, who
has resigned. He has been identified with the Spargo
establishment for several years.
DEATH OF W. SCHAAF
IS BLOW TO INDUSTRY
Secretary of Adam Schaaf, Inc., Chicago,
Passed Away on Wednesday of Pneu-
monia, After a Week's Illness.
Throughout the trade everywhere there will be re-
gret in the announcement of the death of Walter A.
Schaaf, secretary of Adam Schaaf, Inc., of Chicago.
Mr. Schaaf died on Wednesday of this week, Septem-
ber 3rd, at the residence of his mother, 2830 Sheri-
dan road, in the 45th year of his age. The passing
of the popular piano man was so unexpected as to
be shocking to his friends, who only a few days be-
fore had seen him in apparently his customary health
and activity.
Mr. Schaaf was ill less than a week. He left his
office on Wabash avenue on Tuesday of last week and
on Friday told his brother, Harry, who had .called
at their mother's home that he had contracted a cold,
but that there was nothing serious about it. He dis-
played no serious symptoms until last Sunday, when
he had trouble in speaking, and later pneumonia
threatened, which finally brought to an end one of
Chicago's most popular members of the piano indus-
try. For several days the sufferer was sustained
only by emergency treatment, and though he was
rational to the end, hope was abandoned a day or
two before death came.
From early manhood Walter Schaaf had been as-
sociated with his brothers, Harry and Fred, in the
steady upbuilding of the industry which had been
founded by his father, whose name the company still
bears. There were three sons, all of whom have
joined in the control of the industry, and in which,
with Harry, his elder brother, Walter Schaaf was
especially active. He was a man who made friends
easily, by his agreeable characteristics, and his in-
fluence in the development of the retail department
of the Schaaf piano especially was inestimable. As
secretary of the company he was an invaluable as-
sistance to his brother, President Harry Schaaf, who
will of necessity find his passing a blow almost
irreparable.
REPRESENTATIVE OF FAMED
INDUSTRY ON LONG TRIP
A. R. Farmer, of the Standard Pneumatic Action Co.,
to Visit Western Manufacturers.
Allen R. 1'armer, well-known and popular repre-
sentative of the Standard Pneumatic Action Co., is
leaving New York at an early date for an extended
trip through several of the eastern central states.
Mr. Farmer will call on the many customers of the
company and will investigate business conditions of
the piano trade throughout the territory he will cover.
He is optimistic for the fall and winter business of
1924, and for the early months of 1925.
Business with the Standard, he declares, is very
good, and will be still brisker for the remainder of
the year.
Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Mennie and Mr. and Mrs.
A. R. Farmer were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. A. K.
Gutsohn over the week-end holiday, which included
Labor Day. Mr. and Mrs. Gutsohn entertained at
the White Beeches Golf and Country Club, at Har-
worth, New Jersey. Golf, tennis and dancing were
enjoyed, and the weather proved ideal. Both Mr.
Menuie and Mr. Farmer are executives of the Stand-
ard Pneumatic Action Co.
TO CUT PULLMAN RATES.
The Interstate Commerce Commission has returned
to Washington from a trip studying proposal to cut
Pullman rates, in addition to the proposed dropping
of the 50 per cent surcharge tax. A Chicago official
of the Pullman Company declared that the Pullman
Company attorneys suggested an adjournment to
allow representatives of both sides to study the vari-
ous reports and iron out any differences. The mo-
tion was indorsed by the commission and an ad-
journment was taken until September 26.
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