Presto

PRESTO
Presto
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY.
Published Every Saturday at 417 South Dearborn
Street, Chicago, Illinois.
C. A. DANIELL and FRANK D. ABBOTT •
• Editors
Telephones, Local and Long Distance, Harrison 234
Private Phones to all Departments. Cable Address (Com-
mercial Cable Co.'s Code), "PRESTO," Chicago.
Rntered as second-class matter Jan. 29. 1896, at the
Post Office, Chicago, Illinois, under Act of March 3, 1879.
Subscription, $2 a year; 6 months, $1; Foreign, $4.
Payable in advance. No extra charge in United States
possessions, Cuba and Mexico. Rates for advertising on
application.
Items of news and other matter are solicited and if
of general interest to the music trade will be paid for
at space rates. Usually piano merchants or salesmen
in the smaller cities are the best occasional corre-
spondents, and their assistance is invited.
Forms close at noon every Thursday. News mat-
ter should be in not later than eleven o'clock on the
same day. Advertising copy should be in hand before
Tuesday, five p. m., to insure preferred position. Full
page display copy should be in hand by Monday noon
preceding publication day. Want advs. for current
week, to insure classification, must not be later than
Wednesday nocn.
Address all communications for the editorial or business
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South
Dearborn Street, Chicago, III.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1924.
A FRENCH INNOVATION
For a good many years it was the common
understanding that the French piano manufac-
turers had so far minimized the cost of produc-
tion that not even Germany could market in-
struments for less than was paid in Paris. Of
course the war changed that, temporarily at
least. And, the understanding being correct,
why doss a distinguished French piano indus-
try engage an American piano expert to reor-
ganize its factory methods and introduce our
systems of manufacture?
France has several very famous and artistic
piano industries. Tn fact, all of the advanced
nations have pianos which stand forth promi-
nently because of their special excellence and
beauty of artisanvy. American pianos have
won leadership, in many instances, because of
important improvements the use of which has
become universal. The tone-power and qual-
ity of American pianos marks the best of them
as unrivalled also. We believe that there will
be no dissenting voice to this. But American
pianos have not attained to so great a diversity
of case designs as marks the product of some
foreign factories. And the French instruments
are particularly noted for their daintiness and
novelty in case decoration.
So that it is probably not to bring about any
changes in the appearance of the French pianos
that Mr. Charles Stanley has been engaged for
a six months of directing activities in the fac-
tory of Gaveau & Co., of Paris. It is without
doubt to introduce the producing system by
which the French manufacturers may create in
larger quantities and greater uniformity of
quality throughout. It is the American sys-
tem of piano making that is desired. And
with the acquisition of that system, made ap-
plicable to conditions where the larger expense
of piano production in this country is elimi-
nated, it is easy to foresee the result.
They have some very perfectly developed
methods in special factory departments in all
of the piano making countries abroad. It is
only in the processes employed by the larger
and more energetic American factories that
such a house as that of Gaveau can be espe-
cially interested. It has been common enough
for experts in piaro making to come to this
country from the old world capitals. Our fac-
tories contain scores of them. But they bring
with them the peculiarities and admirable
qualities of both skill and thrift which are char-
acteristic of their native lands. When an ex-
pert goes from this country to the older in-
dustries abroad, he takes with him the ideas,
the methods and the vision which the old world
piano industry needs for its vitalizing and for-
ward-impelling vigor.
It will be interesting to observe the effect
upon the famous French industry of the ef-
forts of a man possessed of the experience and
unquestioned skill for which Mr. Stanley is
noted among the piano experts of this coun-
try. The Gaveau industry was established in
1847.
No piano, whether equipped with a pneu-
matic action or not, can be expected to re-
main permanently in good condition. It isn't
in the nature of things. But if some plan
could be devised by which the retailer would
obligate himself to the manufacturer of a fine
instrument to keep it in playing condition, a
great protection to the entire industry and
trade might be accomplished.
* * *
Radio has at last found its place in trade.
It belongs in the music stores, not as a com-
petitor of the piano, which it isn't, but as a
subsidiary or comrade and an addition to the
home equipment. Piano owners are the
logical radio prospects. Consequently the
established piano store is the ready-made
radio station.
The U. S. Music Co. has a very attractive
and liberal proposition for music dealers in
whatever branch of the business. It is to
arrange special window displays, at no cost
at all to the dealers. The U. S. Music Co.
even supplies the materials for the trimming,
and it is certain that a fine effect and profit-
able results follow the acceptance of the plan.
* * *
The upward trend of trade is felt in the very
air. Few of the piano makers or dealers will
say that they can't detect it. The watchword
to the retail piano men is Get Busy.
* * *
It is predicted that more grand pianos will
be sold and delivered to the people's homes
during 1925 than in any three years that have
gone. Is it too big a guess?
* * *
A good many homes will have new small
grand pianos after Christmas that never ex-
pected to have them before. It's the dealers'
opportunity.
* * *
Get out that old prospect list and set the
boys on the trail of the good citizens who, in
more or less remote days, promised to buy
"at some later time."
5|r
;S :
H*
From now till Christmas—keep plugging.
As you end this year you will begin the new
one.
* * *
Two New York piano manufacturers or-
dered fifty copies each of the 1925 edition of
Presto Buyers' Guide the moment they learned
it was off the press. How would it be to pre-
November 29, 1924.
sent a copy to every salesman in the employ
of the retailers by way of a Christmas gift?
Is the suggestion in order?
HOLIDAY TRADE HOPES.
[Chicago Evening Post.]
An encouraging indication of what the nation may
anticipate in the stimulation of business is the prep-
aration of merchants and retailers for the largest
Christmas in their history. The report of this un-
precedented activity with relation to the holiday
trade comes from New York, but it is evident that
buying on a scale sufficient to establish a record can-
not be confined to any one section of the country.
The fact that retailers are already talking of eclipsing
sales records can only mean that each section of the
United States is enjoying a degree of prosperity
which should afford a reliable barometer for con-
tinued business activity in 1925.
Another gratifying feature of this season's buying
is the fact that the value of the dollar has increased
materially since the record year of 1919, when prices
soared to unprecedented levels. The 1924 Christmas,
according to the experts who have been making a
s'udy of buying prospects, will represent a kind of
middle ground between 1919 and 1921. In the former
year the price was a secondary matter; in the latter
the business depression cast a pall over trade of every
description. The buyer this year, it is predicted, will
return to the American habit of bargaining, followed
by a purchase when satisfied as to quality and price.
From a general business standpoint it appears that
consumption has been running ahead of production,
a situation which is clearly, demonstrated by two
major factors. For one thing the national figures of
freight car loadings within recent weeks have been
tremendous. On the other hand, the statistics of
several basic industries show that they are still oper-
ating below production capacity. This suggests di-
minishing stocks and the approach of a period when
replenishment will be necessary.
The supply of
money and credit now available and the improved
economic position of the American farmer warrant
this outlook. The stimulant of the holiday trade
should be reflected later in a sound and slow, but
steady, increase in general all-year buying.
30 YEARS AGO IN THE TRADE
From the Files of Presto
(November 29, 1894.)
Mr. K. H. Proddow, of the Estey Piano Co.,
treated The Presto office to a pleasant call on Tues-
day. He was on his way homeward from Cincin-
nati.
Mr. Curtis N. Kimball, nephew of Mr. W. W.
Kimball, who was married a few weeks ago, will
remove soon from his present apartments on Michi-
gan avenue to his new house on Washington avenue.
According to foreign dispatches Fannie Bloomneld
Zeiskr, Chicago's famous pianiste, now giving re-
citals abroad, is meeting with still greater success
than that which attended her former tour.
We regret to hear of the severe illness of Mr.
Lucien Wulsin, of D. H. Baldwin & Co. Mr. Wulsin
has been afflicted with rheumatism so severely as
to confine him to his home in Cincinnati at intervals
since his recent trip abroad.
There is considerable discussion in the music trade
circles in this city regarding the proposition to run
the elevated road on Wabash avenue, and there is
also considerable speculation as to the effect it will
have upon that street as a desirable location for
music houses.
Mr. Geo. Steck, who has been seriously ill at his
home in New York, is reported much improved. His
physician enjoins absolute quiet and rest, as Mr.
Steck's trouble is due to too intense mental applica-
tion in the perfection of his new inventions. His
nervous system is badly shattered, and it may be
some t'me before complete recovery is affected.
20 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
(From Presto December 1, 1904.)
A decided novelty in piano literature has just been
published by the Colby Piano Company, of Erie, Pa.
It is a compilation entitled: "A Few Quotations
from the Musician-Poet. Fdgar Allen Poe, and Some
Others from Colby Piano Admirers."
Sparks coming from the roof of the Foster-Arm-
strong piano works the other night caused some ex-
cited individual to sound an alarm from the nearest
box calling out all the downtown companies. A lad-
derman, who went up to investigate, brought down
a roofer's soldering pot.
The place won by the Stultz & Bauer piano in the
estimation of the piano trade and musical public is
being proudly occupied by the beautiful instruments
that company is now producing. The latest Stultz
& Bauer instruments are beauties.
Originality means success, and one of the means
to success in the career of the maker of the "Crown"
pianos is originality. The latest wrinkle from that
source is the rubber time-saving signature whicr
reads: "Geo. P. Bent, trying to be straight, square
& upright."
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/