Presto

Presto Buyers' Guide
Analyzes and Classifies
All American P i a n o s
and in Detail Tells of
Their Makers.
PRESTO
EttablUhed iU4.
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
Presto Year Book
The Only Complete
Annual Review of the
American Music In-
dustries and Trades.
tO Cent.; $2.00 a Year
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1924
W.L.BUSH HOOKS UP
WITH BUSH & LANE
Widely Known and Energetic Manufacturer
and Salesman Becomes Identified with
Progressive Industry of Chicago
and Holland, Michigan.
AN ANNOUNCEMENT
Energetic Worker in All Things of the Piano Will
Devote His Forceful Efforts to Marketing
the W. L. Bush Line.
The following announcement needs no comment.
It speaks for itself, and there are scores of retail
piano merchants who will read it with genuine and
very unusual pleasure:
ANNOUNCEMENT.
To my host of friends among the dealers, jobbers
and members of the music trade I make this an-
nouncement, believing that it will inspire sincere
congratulations.
Arrangements have been made wherein from this
date my activities will be identified and affiliated with
to offer to my many friends among the dealers with
whom I have had years of previous dealings a special
Wm. L. Bush small artistic five-foot grand and two
beautiful styles of upright, four-foot-four-inch pianos,
a straight piano, and a player with the wonderful
Cecilian installation of either reproducing electric or
foot player.
The beautiful and complete line of exceptionally
artistic and individually designed uprights, players
and grand pianos of the classic high grade Bush &
Lane line of instruments, the superb uniformity of
beautiful conception in latest models included in the
Victor, Farrand and Farrand Cecilian instruments,
all carry the imprint of the handicraft and genius of
the super expert, Walter Lane.
Cordial and Courteous.
Enthusiasm is spontaneous admiration. Confidence,
rapture and deep rooted interest are all resultants of
a visit and inspection of the comprehensive estab-
lishment with which I feel indeed proud and delighted
to align myself, and I can assure every dealer and
friend in the music trade that the cordial treatment,
courteous attention combined with most business-like
and well-organized environment of this great institu-
tion, carries with it a conviction and a charm that is
irresistible, whether it be in the offices of the chief
financial executive and general manager or his son
and assistant or of the affable sales manager's de-
partment, or amidst the whirr and noise of the fac-
tory, with its exceptionally clear-headed intelligent
energetic workmen, under the magic, friendly, watch-
ful .expert direction of its well-known superintendent
and president of the company.
I want to hear from you and to interest you in
these wonderful instruments that are keeping every-
one busy, every man on the job, every machine under
efficient operation, as a result of a tremendous urgent
demand.
Kindly address me care of Bush & Lane Piano
Company, Holland, Mich.
Yours sincerely,
W. L. BUSH.
HOUSTON PIANO MAN
KICKED KING OUT OF BED
John McCleary, Manager of the Kearney Piano Co.
in Texas City, Verifies Yarn.
\V.
T,.
H I ' S I I".
the Bush & Lane industries of Chicago, Illinois, and
Holland, Michigan, an organization for which I have
always had a family feeling, having been actively
identified with the company at the time of its crea-
tion. 1 have always had particular affection for the
Bush & Lane Piano Company and have taken per-
sonal pride in its rapid growth, progress and exalted
position of prestige attained and maintained through
the acknowledged excellence and exceptional value of
the artistic instruments manufactured by this com-
pany.
Several visits recently made to the mammoth mod-
ern plant, perfectly equipped, intelligently constructed,
ideally arranged to expedite work and economize on
overhead cost, convinced me during the period of my
negotiations that the many exceptional advantages of
location, plant efficiency, complete organization, all
presented a great opportunity, and especially to one
of years of experience and a thorough appreciation of
economic advantages.
An Attractive Line.
The pleasure of consummating an agreement
through the medium of a sales contract covering
liberal territory for the complete and uniformly beau-
tiful and attractive line of instruments was enhanced
by the fact of its establishing a new relationship with
former friends and associates.
I will be in position also in the immediate future
Few men ever have kicked a king out of bed and
lived to tell the tale, yet a Houston, Tex., piano man
accomplished that feat and produced documents last
week to prove it. He is John McCleary, manager of
the Kearney Piano Co., who served in the English
navy aboard the same ship with the former Prince
of Wales, now George V of England.
Mr. McCleary, who has been in the piano business
in Houston for more than 30 years, was born in
Scotland and served ten years in the British navy.
. Tt was while he was a member of the crew of the
combination steam and sailing vessel "Canada" that
he was associated with the prince.
The "Canada" was put in commission in 1883 at
Portsmouth with a picked crew, The prince was
signed on as an ordinary midshipman. Officers ad-
dressed him as "George."
"As part of my duties I made up the prince's
hammock each morning, and it was the custom that
the last seaman to have his bunks ready was sub-
jected to unofficial discipline.
"On this particular morning the prince was hard
to wake. Time was short. I got my back under his
hammock and raised. George hit the deck in sur-
prise, then grinned, for he knew the rules. He wasn't
a bit angry."
According to Mr. McCleary, the prince was a good
sailor. He had charge of the mainmast crew and
behaved well in storms. The piano man has a faded
picture of the prince handling canvas on a yardarrft
during a squall.
The prince often participated in the crew's enter-
tainments in the fo'c'sle. He preferred to mingle
with the crew than with the officers. On several
occasions when the ship landed to attend a function
in his honor, the future king of England ran away
from the captain and joined the men.
The yellowed parchment discharge from the royal
navy shows that Mr. McCleary served 10 years with
a "very good" conduct record.
CHEERING FLOOD OF
HOLIDAY GREETINGS
Every Hour It Grows Larger, and Starts
Anticipation of a New Year of Gladness
and Good Will.
Never before such a flood of bright messages of
good will and friendly greetings as fills the mails
and renews the glow of faith in the men who make
the music industry and trade. For full forty years
Presto has now been recording the history of this
trade, and in the two-score years there has never
been so glad an evidence of the place the paper has
won in the esteem of the army of progressive work-
ers in office, factory and store in whose interest it
lives. This is the real reward of the years, and so
long as it continues the Presto will feel that other
things are of lesser importance.
It would require pages of Presto to reprint all of
the messages of good will that heap the desks, but
some of them are so original, and so unique in their
beauty of design and expression, that they will be
culled, with the regret only that every one of the
messages can not be reprinted. Among the original
cards—striking in coloring, design or text—some-
times in all—are these:
* * *
A merrie Chriftmas to you—and may your golden
ship of success come in during nineteen twenty-five!
—E. H. Jewett, The Jewett Radio and Phonograph
Company, Detroit.
* * *
From the hearts of all of us we speed to your
fireside, all that is old and all that is new in the
spirit of Christmas. We extend to you a hearty
handclasp, wishing to you and yours Health, Happi-
ness and Prosperity for the New Year.—The Cable
Company, Chicago.
* * *
At this time of the year we like to cast aside the
thoughts and phrases of business and wish you a
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.—Mason
& Hamlin Co. (C. E. Brockington).
* * *
With this greeting goes a hearty "Thank You"
for the good-will you have shown and cordial wishes
for your success and prosperity during the coming
year.—Charles C. Firkens, Story and Clark Piano Co.
* * *
We extend to you the Season's Greetings with
grateful acknowledgment of your interest and co-
operation during this past year.
With best wishes for your Happiness and Pros-
perity for the coming year.—Mathushek Piano
Mfg. Co.
* * *
1874
1924
We extend a double measure of the happiness
which is ours on this, our 50th Christmas. May
prosperity be yours on this New Year.—Wessel,
Nickel and Gross.
* * *
Your good will and friendship is one of our most
valued assets; and the greatest thing we can wish
you you during the coming year is that your dealings
with your customers be as pleasant as ours have
been with you.—J. P. Seeburg Piano Company.
* * *
The loyalty of friends is of inestimable value. Ac-
cordingly a sincere feeling of gratitude for your
Good Will accompanies this Greeting. May the
coming season bring you a full realization of your
best hopes.—Poole Piano Company, A. W. Poole,.
President.
* * *
Just as the ties of friendship are strengthened at
this Holiday Season so may our business associa-
tions grow in mutual accord and confidence. With
best wishes for Christmas and the New Year.—
Miessner Piano Company, Milwaukee, Wis.
* * *
The spirit of Christmas calls us to a better appre-
ciation of old associations and the value of old friend-
ships. May the New Year bring you a full quota
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