Presto
Issue: 1924 1995 - Page 17
r
17
PRESTO
October 18, 1921.
ity products who refuse to pay the toll demanded by
retail distributors for the use of hidden demonstrators
are subject to a double injury. Not only are their
Roods discriminated against and misrepresented by
demonstrators in the pay of competitors, but they
are handicapped by unfair price cutting and their
Secretary of the American Fair Trade League products are uniformly used to serve as "bargain"
bait to mislead the public as to the value of the
Calls Attention to Very Obnoxious
dealer's stocks of unbranded merchandise, whereas
Form of Bribery.
articles handled by these hidden demonstrators are
sold.at normal or higher prices.
Do you know of any "hidden demonstrators" in
As the result of recent investigation Mr. Whittier
tlii' music trade? This variety of demonstrator, who
is quite different from the affable gentleman who declares that the chief offenders among retail mer-
shows the paces of the pianos and players to the cus- chants in this particular are the "notorious, predatory
tomers in music stores, is the pet abomination of the price-cutters of the country who seek to profit by the
American Fair Trade League, which has offices at 71 prostitution of their own clerks as 'hidden demon-
West 23rd street. \'e\v York. F.dmond L. Whitticr. strators" and force this system upon unwilling manu-
secretary-treasurer of the league, defines hidden dem- facturers."
The music trade is filled with ethical demonstra-
onstrators as the salespeople in retail stores who re-
ceive subsidies for pushing a manufacturers' product, tors, but it is possible some of the "hidden" stuff is
practiced in some places. Hut piano dealers or sales-
these subsidies being paid through and with the
knowledge of the employer, who is enabled thereby men who sometimes damn with faint praise or frankly
disparage a trade-in of another line from the one
to reduce his payroll, and without the knowledge of
handled by the house, do not consider their proce-
the retail purchaser.
dure very unethical. Their demonstrations for their
It has never been charged that a piano manufac-
own pianos and players are straight out and above
turer descended to 1 the pernicious form of commercial
bribery described by Mr. Whittier. but the practice board.
In the old unregenerate days before Mrs. Ethics
must prevail to a considerable extent in other trades.
The League's survey veems to establish two facts in- reformed the piano trade, the commission of inquiry
disputably. Manufacturers of widely advertised qual- was continuous. Things were done in the name of
keen business that shocked the lady and those in
her graces. J'ianos of competitors were knocked
with vehemence by unregenerate dealers who like-
wise descended t<> such practices as placing a com-
petitor's piano with an honored name in a show
window with a ridiculous bargain price attached
thereto. Today such things are so conspicuous that
they quickly receive attention from a specially pro-
vided bureau in the Music Industries Chamber of
Commerce. It has been found that above-board
competition, clean trading, is the best policy. An
irresponsible salesman or tuner may give a hammer
whack to the piano of a competing house in order to
effect the- sale of an instrument in the line of the
Fine Electric Self-Players of eye-
house they represent, but as a rule the dealers of
catching design and perfect perform-
ambition and standing do not countenance their
action.
ance. Also
Hut the piano trade and music trade generally is
COIN OPERATED
to be congratulated on its happy condition when that
of other trades is considered, according to Mr. Whit-
for places of entertainment, Theatres,
tier, who says: "'The consuming public has scarcely
Movies, Ice Cream Parlors, Etc., Etc.
an inkling of the wide prevalence of this form of com-
The best line including the famous
mercial bribery. It is high time that the consuming
public and the cause of honest advertising were freed
"PIAN-O-GRAND"
from injury by this parasitic practice."
DARK WAYS OF THE
HIDDEN DEMONSTRATOR
There's Money
for the Dealer in
Automatic Pianos
"BANJ-O-GRAND"
and "HARP-O-GRAND"
Wide-awake Piano D e a l e r s find
them easy sellers in every community.
Send for illustrated
descriptive circulars.
Nelson -Wiggen Piano Co.
1731 Belmont Ave.,
CHICAGO
The Keed-French Piano Company has remodeled
the front of the store and decorated the wareroom
so that it looks like a new establishment. S. L.
Wakefield. sales manager, reports excellent business
is being done in the piano department. One day last
week three grands were sold before noon, a Hardman
and two Harringtons.
FOR ITS
INESTIMABLE AGENCY VALUE
THE CHOICE OF
Representative Dealers the World Over
Now Produced in Several
New Models
WRITE FOR TERRITORY
Factory
l.eomimter,
Man.
Executive Offices
138th St. and Walton Ave.
New York
Division W. P. HA1NES & CO., Inc.
The McCormick Music Co., at 187 Broadway, Port-
land, Ore., the home of the Kimball piano, has added
a radio department with Herman Miller in charge
of the department. Mr. McCormick has installed the
1'ederal and the Atwater Kent lines.
The Sisters of the Good Shepherd, of Portland.
Ore., have purchased a Kimball grand piano from
the McCormick Music Co.. for their assembly hall.
Mr. McCormick reports many other sales of a like
nature during the past week.
Harold S. Gilbert, of the Gilbert Piano Co, of
Portland, Ore. says that business conditions con-
t'nv.e to imprdve and that the sales of pianos con-
t'nue to be of a high grade. During the past week
he sold two R. S. Howard grands and a large num-
ber of uprights in the K. S. Howard and Laffargue
lines, both of which he carries.
WISCONSIN DEALER RETIRES.
Albert E. Fm!th has sold his interests in Hook
llros.. Madison, Wis , and is retiring from the com-
pany. Several months ago the business of Hook
Bros, and that of Mr. Smith were consolidated. Mr.
Smith has been engaged in the music business since
l£0n, win n he opened a store on Carroll street.
GRAND-PIANO
58 Inches Long
The best exponent of the preserft Baby Grand Age.
Its tone— ij8 lines — its restricted space requirement and
attractive price—
Get full details of this valuable celling franchise NOW.
Premier Grand Piano Corporation
Largest Institution in the World Building Grand
Pianos Exclusively
JUSTUS HATTBMBR
V W r W inhat
WAITER C. HEPPERLA
PraiiJaat
510-532 West /3rd Street
NEW YORK
NEW SOHMER AGENCY.
The exclusive representation for the Sohnier piano
for Washington has been secured by Me Hugh &
l.awson, located at 1222 G street, N. W. This house
is featuring the Sohmer line of instruments in very
effective displays, and the Sohmer will be given a
strong representation in this city and vicinity.
THE
FOR ITS
ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE
Kimball Instruments Seem to Be Having a
Lively Demand with the McCormick
Music Co.
MAKE IT THE PREMIER AGENCY
BUSY IN PORTLAND STORE.
ESTABLISHED 1854
BRADBURY PIANO
PIANO TRADE NOTES
FROM PORTLAND, ORE.
QUALITY
in Name and in Fact
TONE, MATERIALS, CONSTRUCTION,
WORKMANSHIP, DESIGN—all in ac-
cord with the broadest experience—are
the elements which give character to
Bush & Lane Products.
BUSH&LAIME PIANOS
BUSH t LANE CECILUN PLAYER PIANOS
take high place, therefore, in any com-
parison of high grade pianos because of
the individuality of character which dis-
tinguishes them in all essentials of merit
ana value.
Schumann
PIANOS and PLAYER PIANOS
GRANDS and UPRIGHTS
Have no superiors in appearance, tone
power or other essentials of strictly
leaders in the trade.
Warning to Infringers
Thla Trade Mark Is cast
In the plate and also ap-
pears upon the fall board
of all genuine Schumann
Pianos, and all Infringers
will be prosecuted. Beware
of Imitations such as Schu-
mann & Company, Schu-
mann & Son, and also
Shuman, as all stencil
shops, dealers and users of
pianos bearing a name In
Imitation of the name
Schumann with the inten-
tion of deceiving the public
will be prosecuted to th«
fullest extent of the law.
New Cutaloftie on Request.
Schumann Piano Co.
W- N. VAN MATRE, President
BUSH ft LANE PIANO CO.
Holland, Mich.
Rockford, III.
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/
17
PRESTO
October 18, 1921.
ity products who refuse to pay the toll demanded by
retail distributors for the use of hidden demonstrators
are subject to a double injury. Not only are their
Roods discriminated against and misrepresented by
demonstrators in the pay of competitors, but they
are handicapped by unfair price cutting and their
Secretary of the American Fair Trade League products are uniformly used to serve as "bargain"
bait to mislead the public as to the value of the
Calls Attention to Very Obnoxious
dealer's stocks of unbranded merchandise, whereas
Form of Bribery.
articles handled by these hidden demonstrators are
sold.at normal or higher prices.
Do you know of any "hidden demonstrators" in
As the result of recent investigation Mr. Whittier
tlii' music trade? This variety of demonstrator, who
is quite different from the affable gentleman who declares that the chief offenders among retail mer-
shows the paces of the pianos and players to the cus- chants in this particular are the "notorious, predatory
tomers in music stores, is the pet abomination of the price-cutters of the country who seek to profit by the
American Fair Trade League, which has offices at 71 prostitution of their own clerks as 'hidden demon-
West 23rd street. \'e\v York. F.dmond L. Whitticr. strators" and force this system upon unwilling manu-
secretary-treasurer of the league, defines hidden dem- facturers."
The music trade is filled with ethical demonstra-
onstrators as the salespeople in retail stores who re-
ceive subsidies for pushing a manufacturers' product, tors, but it is possible some of the "hidden" stuff is
practiced in some places. Hut piano dealers or sales-
these subsidies being paid through and with the
knowledge of the employer, who is enabled thereby men who sometimes damn with faint praise or frankly
disparage a trade-in of another line from the one
to reduce his payroll, and without the knowledge of
handled by the house, do not consider their proce-
the retail purchaser.
dure very unethical. Their demonstrations for their
It has never been charged that a piano manufac-
own pianos and players are straight out and above
turer descended to 1 the pernicious form of commercial
bribery described by Mr. Whittier. but the practice board.
In the old unregenerate days before Mrs. Ethics
must prevail to a considerable extent in other trades.
The League's survey veems to establish two facts in- reformed the piano trade, the commission of inquiry
disputably. Manufacturers of widely advertised qual- was continuous. Things were done in the name of
keen business that shocked the lady and those in
her graces. J'ianos of competitors were knocked
with vehemence by unregenerate dealers who like-
wise descended t<> such practices as placing a com-
petitor's piano with an honored name in a show
window with a ridiculous bargain price attached
thereto. Today such things are so conspicuous that
they quickly receive attention from a specially pro-
vided bureau in the Music Industries Chamber of
Commerce. It has been found that above-board
competition, clean trading, is the best policy. An
irresponsible salesman or tuner may give a hammer
whack to the piano of a competing house in order to
effect the- sale of an instrument in the line of the
Fine Electric Self-Players of eye-
house they represent, but as a rule the dealers of
catching design and perfect perform-
ambition and standing do not countenance their
action.
ance. Also
Hut the piano trade and music trade generally is
COIN OPERATED
to be congratulated on its happy condition when that
of other trades is considered, according to Mr. Whit-
for places of entertainment, Theatres,
tier, who says: "'The consuming public has scarcely
Movies, Ice Cream Parlors, Etc., Etc.
an inkling of the wide prevalence of this form of com-
The best line including the famous
mercial bribery. It is high time that the consuming
public and the cause of honest advertising were freed
"PIAN-O-GRAND"
from injury by this parasitic practice."
DARK WAYS OF THE
HIDDEN DEMONSTRATOR
There's Money
for the Dealer in
Automatic Pianos
"BANJ-O-GRAND"
and "HARP-O-GRAND"
Wide-awake Piano D e a l e r s find
them easy sellers in every community.
Send for illustrated
descriptive circulars.
Nelson -Wiggen Piano Co.
1731 Belmont Ave.,
CHICAGO
The Keed-French Piano Company has remodeled
the front of the store and decorated the wareroom
so that it looks like a new establishment. S. L.
Wakefield. sales manager, reports excellent business
is being done in the piano department. One day last
week three grands were sold before noon, a Hardman
and two Harringtons.
FOR ITS
INESTIMABLE AGENCY VALUE
THE CHOICE OF
Representative Dealers the World Over
Now Produced in Several
New Models
WRITE FOR TERRITORY
Factory
l.eomimter,
Man.
Executive Offices
138th St. and Walton Ave.
New York
Division W. P. HA1NES & CO., Inc.
The McCormick Music Co., at 187 Broadway, Port-
land, Ore., the home of the Kimball piano, has added
a radio department with Herman Miller in charge
of the department. Mr. McCormick has installed the
1'ederal and the Atwater Kent lines.
The Sisters of the Good Shepherd, of Portland.
Ore., have purchased a Kimball grand piano from
the McCormick Music Co.. for their assembly hall.
Mr. McCormick reports many other sales of a like
nature during the past week.
Harold S. Gilbert, of the Gilbert Piano Co, of
Portland, Ore. says that business conditions con-
t'nv.e to imprdve and that the sales of pianos con-
t'nue to be of a high grade. During the past week
he sold two R. S. Howard grands and a large num-
ber of uprights in the K. S. Howard and Laffargue
lines, both of which he carries.
WISCONSIN DEALER RETIRES.
Albert E. Fm!th has sold his interests in Hook
llros.. Madison, Wis , and is retiring from the com-
pany. Several months ago the business of Hook
Bros, and that of Mr. Smith were consolidated. Mr.
Smith has been engaged in the music business since
l£0n, win n he opened a store on Carroll street.
GRAND-PIANO
58 Inches Long
The best exponent of the preserft Baby Grand Age.
Its tone— ij8 lines — its restricted space requirement and
attractive price—
Get full details of this valuable celling franchise NOW.
Premier Grand Piano Corporation
Largest Institution in the World Building Grand
Pianos Exclusively
JUSTUS HATTBMBR
V W r W inhat
WAITER C. HEPPERLA
PraiiJaat
510-532 West /3rd Street
NEW YORK
NEW SOHMER AGENCY.
The exclusive representation for the Sohnier piano
for Washington has been secured by Me Hugh &
l.awson, located at 1222 G street, N. W. This house
is featuring the Sohmer line of instruments in very
effective displays, and the Sohmer will be given a
strong representation in this city and vicinity.
THE
FOR ITS
ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE
Kimball Instruments Seem to Be Having a
Lively Demand with the McCormick
Music Co.
MAKE IT THE PREMIER AGENCY
BUSY IN PORTLAND STORE.
ESTABLISHED 1854
BRADBURY PIANO
PIANO TRADE NOTES
FROM PORTLAND, ORE.
QUALITY
in Name and in Fact
TONE, MATERIALS, CONSTRUCTION,
WORKMANSHIP, DESIGN—all in ac-
cord with the broadest experience—are
the elements which give character to
Bush & Lane Products.
BUSH&LAIME PIANOS
BUSH t LANE CECILUN PLAYER PIANOS
take high place, therefore, in any com-
parison of high grade pianos because of
the individuality of character which dis-
tinguishes them in all essentials of merit
ana value.
Schumann
PIANOS and PLAYER PIANOS
GRANDS and UPRIGHTS
Have no superiors in appearance, tone
power or other essentials of strictly
leaders in the trade.
Warning to Infringers
Thla Trade Mark Is cast
In the plate and also ap-
pears upon the fall board
of all genuine Schumann
Pianos, and all Infringers
will be prosecuted. Beware
of Imitations such as Schu-
mann & Company, Schu-
mann & Son, and also
Shuman, as all stencil
shops, dealers and users of
pianos bearing a name In
Imitation of the name
Schumann with the inten-
tion of deceiving the public
will be prosecuted to th«
fullest extent of the law.
New Cutaloftie on Request.
Schumann Piano Co.
W- N. VAN MATRE, President
BUSH ft LANE PIANO CO.
Holland, Mich.
Rockford, III.
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).