Presto
Issue: 1924 2002 - Page 17
December 6, 1924.
15
PRESTO
EVERY PIANO MAN
HAS HIS PROBLEM
But the Vital One General to the Whole
Trade Concerns the Source of All Piano
Prices—the Money the Farmer
Gets for His Crops.
VETERAN TRAVELERS' VIEWS
Man Who Is Close to the Dealers Tells of Their
Keen Interest in the Farmers'
Fortunes.
Every piano trade question is vita! in a general
way to all in the trade. But every piano man has
one question that preponderates. So you cannot
point to any one question as the vital one, the all-
absorbing one. At one time were you to ask some
men what was the grave and insistent piano trade
problem and they would answer right off—the bum-
stencil, meaning the worthless, characterless thump-
box, unfathered by its maker. The poor stencil ques-
tion is no burning one in the trade today.
Should you ask piano men today the most impor-
tant question confronting the trade, some will answer,
moarnfully or with profane comment not heard in
our best society, that the mail order house is IT.
Why they ever let the mail order house arrive at
the importance of a piano trade problem is a query
that takes weeping and gnashing of teeth and much
lurid anathema to answer. And when you hear the
answer you are still where you "were at" previous
to the query. To-wit, in doubt as \o what is the real
and officially vital problem of the piano trade.
Still Other Views.
Some sensitive piano men hold that the sole article
of belief concerning a trade problem is the one con-
cerning that primeval holdover from the stone age—
the hammer wielder. The knocker is the disgrace of
the trade and knocking includes all forms of the un-
ethical double cross known to the hammer swinging
tribe.
Some will tell you I be automobile or the radio is
the problem disturbing the trade. The same was
said by them about the phonograph when it appeared.
Right off, a great many will answer, when you
put the question as to what is the vital piano trade
problem, by saying, "More sales." Others will an-
swer, "Better prices," and others again will come
back with "Better collections."
The Right Guess.
Rut if you did the guessing for a great number of
men and took a choice of any of the foregoing for
answer, you would be wrong. The great and stand-
ard question north, south, east and west as well as
in the middle is—the price of crops. The big ques-
tion in spring and summer and one that concerns
everybody in the trade, whether they make pianos,
sell 'em, tune 'em, collect on 'em, demonstrate 'em
or write about 'em in the trade papers, is, "How are
the crops?" When they are gathered the question
is, "How are the prices for farm produce?" See how
really close to the soil we all are after all.
President Coolidge Knows.
President Coolidge, visiting Chicago this week, got
close to the farmers and showed his interest in their
problems as well as understanding of their impor-
tance. Mr. Coolidge knows that the farmer's prob-
lems are the problems of every business man, those
of the piano industry and trade included.
How It Affects Things.
It does not mean that piano men feverishly watch
the reports of the grain and produce markets and are
influenced by such. But whether the wheat market
is without props on that particular date and wheat
does some spectacular "planing" to earth did not
affect one piano sale a hoot, whatever the commercial
value of a hoot may be. But crop reports most as-
suredly interest the men who make as well as the
men who sell pianos and each one has his own par-
ticular phase of the crop question to concern himself
about.
The farmer is undoubtedly a big factor in the piano
man's fortunes. Wheat, which means bread and cake
and pie, also means pianos from the piano man's
point of view. Thus it is that the piano traveler's
anxious inquiries in the Dakotas, Minnesota and Iowa,
from seeding to harvesting, are about the wheat.
Elsewhere he talks about other farm commodities
that mean more piano sales when the producing of
them is profitable in any year.
STORY & CLARK MUSICALE
DRAWS BIG ATTENDANCE
Appreciative Audience at New York Store Listens to
Prominent Artists in Fine Program.
The musicales given by the Story & Clark Piano
Co.'s branch at 33 West Fifty-seventh street, New
York city, are becoming extremely popular and at
each recital a growing attendance is noted. In view
Greeting the Trade.
Does the piano traveler for instance talk about the -
stencil to the dealers up about Duluth and other
places? Does he lead conversation to the topic of
unethical advertising up around Bismarck or Fargo?
Or does he waste any words anathemizing the mail
order house to the piano hustlers in Fort Dodge,
Iowa? Not a breath of conversation does he waste
on the academic problems. Instead, he opens with
the general question, "How's tricks?" And the reply
is one bearing on the condition of crops. They know
what he means.
To the piano traveler who knows his route and his
men, walks into a piano store in any section, the
greeting is one that concerns the particular farm
product of that section. How are the prices for this,
that and the other thing? is the great and leading
question. In one place it means wheat, another corn,
another cotton or fruit or hay or dairy results, but
in all places the question is a vital one and one that
has the most concern right there.
Hypothetical Question.
Suppose, to put the enlightening hypothetical ques-
tion, suppose we approach a dealer in Okootche,
Okla., and ask him to stand up and give his free and
frank views on the commission fiend question, or any
other much thrashed question which has formed a
text for convention oratory and trade press preach-
ing since the year of the big wind. Suppose you put
him on his word of honor to a true opinion according
to the evidence given and to well and truly try the
commission fiend at the bar. And suppose you asked
him the foregoing, what do you think he would
answer? Right off, before you could unlimber half
of your durned old hypothetical question the man in
Okootche would say, "Aw, nix on it," or words of
similar import.
But suppose you say, "How are the folk around
here getting along with the Elberta peaches this sea-
son, Bill?" he will answer you truly, right off the bat.
Others Like Him.
But the man in Okootche, Okla., is not a bit dif-
rent from his brothers in the piano trade elsewhere.
At the conventions, between soft drinks, he hears
about the evergreen evils, or reads about them in
the trade paprs. But does he harbor a view? Nary
a view. But say "How's crops?" and you start him
viewing in an intelligent way that is interesting and
enlightening.
That is really the great, vital piano trade question
and how it is eventually answered by farm events de-
termines the future of the piano business for the
year. The question is never really asked in conven-
STOUV & CLARK RECITAL HALL,.
of last year's success in giving musicals and exploit-
ing the fine line of Story & Clark instruments the
company began early this year to make preparations
for bigger and better recitals. This was done by
enlarging and beautifying the hall in which the re-
citals are given.
The twelfth invitation musicale, given Thursday
evening, November 20, was received enthusiastically
by a large audience, every available seat being occu-
pied. The numbers were given by three selected
artists, Ann Million, soprano; Katharine Ives, pian-
ist, and Molly Paschinsky, accompanist.
The musicales will be given every Thursday eve-
ning throughout the winter months and a full at-
tendance is expected as the programs are above the
ordinary and are appreciated for their artistic value.
J. W. Whitenight & Sons has opened a music store
in Hazleton, Pa. The firm conducts a store at .31
West Market street, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
tions. The appearance of black rust in the wheat
fields of the northwest or the discovery of smut in
the corn of any middle west or southern state affects
piano sales, payments, and production just as surely
as they do the prices on the boards of trade.
M. D. S.
New Edition for 1925 Ready—Order Now
PRESTO BUYERS* GUIDE
It Contains Full Lists with Concise Classification and Description of all
American Pianos, Players and Reproducing Pianos, with Sketches of their
Makers. Edition for 1925 is now ready. Price 50 cents, post paid.
NO PIANO DEALER OR PROSPECT CAN AFFORD TO BE WITHOUT IT.
PRESTO PUBLISHING CO.,
417 S. Dearborn St., CHICAGO
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/
15
PRESTO
EVERY PIANO MAN
HAS HIS PROBLEM
But the Vital One General to the Whole
Trade Concerns the Source of All Piano
Prices—the Money the Farmer
Gets for His Crops.
VETERAN TRAVELERS' VIEWS
Man Who Is Close to the Dealers Tells of Their
Keen Interest in the Farmers'
Fortunes.
Every piano trade question is vita! in a general
way to all in the trade. But every piano man has
one question that preponderates. So you cannot
point to any one question as the vital one, the all-
absorbing one. At one time were you to ask some
men what was the grave and insistent piano trade
problem and they would answer right off—the bum-
stencil, meaning the worthless, characterless thump-
box, unfathered by its maker. The poor stencil ques-
tion is no burning one in the trade today.
Should you ask piano men today the most impor-
tant question confronting the trade, some will answer,
moarnfully or with profane comment not heard in
our best society, that the mail order house is IT.
Why they ever let the mail order house arrive at
the importance of a piano trade problem is a query
that takes weeping and gnashing of teeth and much
lurid anathema to answer. And when you hear the
answer you are still where you "were at" previous
to the query. To-wit, in doubt as \o what is the real
and officially vital problem of the piano trade.
Still Other Views.
Some sensitive piano men hold that the sole article
of belief concerning a trade problem is the one con-
cerning that primeval holdover from the stone age—
the hammer wielder. The knocker is the disgrace of
the trade and knocking includes all forms of the un-
ethical double cross known to the hammer swinging
tribe.
Some will tell you I be automobile or the radio is
the problem disturbing the trade. The same was
said by them about the phonograph when it appeared.
Right off, a great many will answer, when you
put the question as to what is the vital piano trade
problem, by saying, "More sales." Others will an-
swer, "Better prices," and others again will come
back with "Better collections."
The Right Guess.
Rut if you did the guessing for a great number of
men and took a choice of any of the foregoing for
answer, you would be wrong. The great and stand-
ard question north, south, east and west as well as
in the middle is—the price of crops. The big ques-
tion in spring and summer and one that concerns
everybody in the trade, whether they make pianos,
sell 'em, tune 'em, collect on 'em, demonstrate 'em
or write about 'em in the trade papers, is, "How are
the crops?" When they are gathered the question
is, "How are the prices for farm produce?" See how
really close to the soil we all are after all.
President Coolidge Knows.
President Coolidge, visiting Chicago this week, got
close to the farmers and showed his interest in their
problems as well as understanding of their impor-
tance. Mr. Coolidge knows that the farmer's prob-
lems are the problems of every business man, those
of the piano industry and trade included.
How It Affects Things.
It does not mean that piano men feverishly watch
the reports of the grain and produce markets and are
influenced by such. But whether the wheat market
is without props on that particular date and wheat
does some spectacular "planing" to earth did not
affect one piano sale a hoot, whatever the commercial
value of a hoot may be. But crop reports most as-
suredly interest the men who make as well as the
men who sell pianos and each one has his own par-
ticular phase of the crop question to concern himself
about.
The farmer is undoubtedly a big factor in the piano
man's fortunes. Wheat, which means bread and cake
and pie, also means pianos from the piano man's
point of view. Thus it is that the piano traveler's
anxious inquiries in the Dakotas, Minnesota and Iowa,
from seeding to harvesting, are about the wheat.
Elsewhere he talks about other farm commodities
that mean more piano sales when the producing of
them is profitable in any year.
STORY & CLARK MUSICALE
DRAWS BIG ATTENDANCE
Appreciative Audience at New York Store Listens to
Prominent Artists in Fine Program.
The musicales given by the Story & Clark Piano
Co.'s branch at 33 West Fifty-seventh street, New
York city, are becoming extremely popular and at
each recital a growing attendance is noted. In view
Greeting the Trade.
Does the piano traveler for instance talk about the -
stencil to the dealers up about Duluth and other
places? Does he lead conversation to the topic of
unethical advertising up around Bismarck or Fargo?
Or does he waste any words anathemizing the mail
order house to the piano hustlers in Fort Dodge,
Iowa? Not a breath of conversation does he waste
on the academic problems. Instead, he opens with
the general question, "How's tricks?" And the reply
is one bearing on the condition of crops. They know
what he means.
To the piano traveler who knows his route and his
men, walks into a piano store in any section, the
greeting is one that concerns the particular farm
product of that section. How are the prices for this,
that and the other thing? is the great and leading
question. In one place it means wheat, another corn,
another cotton or fruit or hay or dairy results, but
in all places the question is a vital one and one that
has the most concern right there.
Hypothetical Question.
Suppose, to put the enlightening hypothetical ques-
tion, suppose we approach a dealer in Okootche,
Okla., and ask him to stand up and give his free and
frank views on the commission fiend question, or any
other much thrashed question which has formed a
text for convention oratory and trade press preach-
ing since the year of the big wind. Suppose you put
him on his word of honor to a true opinion according
to the evidence given and to well and truly try the
commission fiend at the bar. And suppose you asked
him the foregoing, what do you think he would
answer? Right off, before you could unlimber half
of your durned old hypothetical question the man in
Okootche would say, "Aw, nix on it," or words of
similar import.
But suppose you say, "How are the folk around
here getting along with the Elberta peaches this sea-
son, Bill?" he will answer you truly, right off the bat.
Others Like Him.
But the man in Okootche, Okla., is not a bit dif-
rent from his brothers in the piano trade elsewhere.
At the conventions, between soft drinks, he hears
about the evergreen evils, or reads about them in
the trade paprs. But does he harbor a view? Nary
a view. But say "How's crops?" and you start him
viewing in an intelligent way that is interesting and
enlightening.
That is really the great, vital piano trade question
and how it is eventually answered by farm events de-
termines the future of the piano business for the
year. The question is never really asked in conven-
STOUV & CLARK RECITAL HALL,.
of last year's success in giving musicals and exploit-
ing the fine line of Story & Clark instruments the
company began early this year to make preparations
for bigger and better recitals. This was done by
enlarging and beautifying the hall in which the re-
citals are given.
The twelfth invitation musicale, given Thursday
evening, November 20, was received enthusiastically
by a large audience, every available seat being occu-
pied. The numbers were given by three selected
artists, Ann Million, soprano; Katharine Ives, pian-
ist, and Molly Paschinsky, accompanist.
The musicales will be given every Thursday eve-
ning throughout the winter months and a full at-
tendance is expected as the programs are above the
ordinary and are appreciated for their artistic value.
J. W. Whitenight & Sons has opened a music store
in Hazleton, Pa. The firm conducts a store at .31
West Market street, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
tions. The appearance of black rust in the wheat
fields of the northwest or the discovery of smut in
the corn of any middle west or southern state affects
piano sales, payments, and production just as surely
as they do the prices on the boards of trade.
M. D. S.
New Edition for 1925 Ready—Order Now
PRESTO BUYERS* GUIDE
It Contains Full Lists with Concise Classification and Description of all
American Pianos, Players and Reproducing Pianos, with Sketches of their
Makers. Edition for 1925 is now ready. Price 50 cents, post paid.
NO PIANO DEALER OR PROSPECT CAN AFFORD TO BE WITHOUT IT.
PRESTO PUBLISHING CO.,
417 S. Dearborn St., CHICAGO
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).