Presto

June 27, 1925.
PRESTO
presto
ment for other piano manufacturers who pos-
sess the spirit of progress in the best inter-
pretation of the word.
A MEMORABLE EVENT
At the recent Geo. P. Bent banquet for the
aged probably more trade reminiscences and
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY. authentic piano history cropped out than ever
Published Every Saturday at 417 South Dearborn before in the hundred years or more of Amer-
Street, Chicago, Illinois.
ican piano tradition. Outstanding, predomi-
Editors
C. A. D A N I E L L and F R A N K D. A B B O T T
nating, amazing yet characteristic, was the
permeating,
all-pervading presence of the
Telephones, Local and Long Distance, Harrison 234
Private Phones to all Departments. Cable Address (Com-
Eternal
Spirit
of Youth that characterized this
mercial Cable Co.'s Code), " P R E S T O , " Chicago.
unique,
original,
typical event. Among the
Entered as second-class matter Jan. 29. 1896, at the
Post Office, Chicago, Illinois, under Act of March 3, 1879.
revelations and surprises were the chronologi-
Subscription, $2 a year;
y e ; 6 months,
n s , $ $1;
; Foreign,
o e g n , 94.
9
cal facts and data regarding the year and date
Payable in advance. No extra
charge
United
t
h
I In U
i t d States
Stt
possessions, Cuba and Mexico. Rates for advertising: on
of entry revealed by the spry and youthful-
application.
spirited members of the trade who received
Items of news and other matter are solicited and if
gifts and prizes of mechanical musical toys
of general interest to the music trade will be paid for
suitable for the period of second childhood.
at space rates. Usually piano merchants or salesmen
in the smaller cities are the best occasional corre-
And as the winners responded to call of the
spondents, and their assistance is invited.
master of ceremonies, for those who had spent
Forms close at noon every Thursday. News mat- 65 years or more in active music trade affilia-
ter should be in not later than eleven o'clock on the
tion, only one arose—old Kid Bates, a rare
same day. Advertising copy should be in hand before
Tuesday, five p. m., to insure preferred position. Full
83-ycar-old boy, displaying as much vigor as a
page display copy should be in hand by Monday noon
ten-year-old. Then the 60-year servitors; the
preceding publication day. Want advs. for current
week, to insure classification, must not be later than
55-year and 50-year slaves of the music mas-
Wednesday noon.
ter; and then the 45 to 50-year apprentices.
Address all communications for the editorial or business
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South
Unmasking and identifying the only life
Dearborn Street, Chicago, III.
members
of the famous Chicago Piano Club—
SATURDAY, JUNE 27, \ { )2S.
Col. William Lincoln Bush and Mr. Adam E.
Schneider—the complete group of prize win-
ners seemed almost to include the entire
LATEST STEINWAY ADVANCE
The opening of the new Steimvay Building membership. Whether this fact was evidence
in New York marks one more epoch in the on the part of youth to appear aged and ex-
advancement of artistic pianos in America. perienced, or was due to the ambition to carry
The press of the country has given very full off souvenirs of the occasion, we have no way
accounts of the latest step of the world's most of knowing.
distinguished instrument, and the special
In any event the winning group displayed
adaptability of the new structure, and its ap- as much joy and mirth over the unique musi-
pointments to the purposes for which it has cal toys as would a bevy of kids at a Christ-
been erected, have been dwelt upon. The new mas tree shower, and this feature of the Bent
Stein way Hall will, for many years to come, dinner to the Aged was what the most bald-
be one of the world's music centers, just as headed of the boys present did not hesitate to
for seventy years was the old headquarters of call a "humdinger"-—and so was the dinner
the Steinvvay on East Fourteenth street.
from the psychic Peiper Heidsieck to the least
But within the immediate circle of trade of the beautiful poems.
paper readers' interest it is not altogether the
splendor of the new Steinway building, nor
RATHER SLOW RADIO
even the world-wide interest which must at-
There has been a good deal said about the
tach to it and its place in art circles, that music store being the "logical" place for radio
most concerns Presto. It is rather the in- selling. Probably it is so. But it seems clear
terest among the piano buying people, and enough that the makers of radio receivers
the dealers who sell pianos, that is of special have not yet found it out. For at the recent
uppermost concern. It is the influence of the music trades convention, while there were 133
Steinway piano, even the very name of Stein- exhibits at the Drake Hotel, only two of
way, that reflects most widely upon the busi- them were of radio apparatus. If the music
ness of piano selling and the love of piano store is the "logical" place for radio, how do
playing.
you account for the neglect, on the part of
It may not be going too far to say that the its industry, to take advantage of so great an
Steinway piano, and the Steinway name, more opportunity?
largely effect the piano trade, and the piano
According to President Potter, of the Ther-
playing public, than any other instrument, or miodyne Radio Corporation, which conducts a
any other name, in the world of music. That Chicago office in charge of a gentleman who
is saying much, but it is true that the Stein- knows something about the music business,
way piano holds, without dispute, the place of about 800 dealers and jobbers inspected the
the model instrument, and the magic name by exhibit of that company. Doubtless, results
which other pianos are judged. It represents were in proportion, notwithstanding that the
—to employ a stereotyped term—the standard incitement of competitive displays was lack-
of piano construction and the highest type of ing. To any one who understands the music
piano tone. And it is this that gives to the business, it is not strange that the radio busi-
latest move of the house of Steinway & Sons ness is reported as being very dull at this
in New York its greatest significance. It is the time. Radio has not been exploited in a way
indisputable proof and assurance that art in to create the interest that a new and vital
piano manufacture persists and that a large industry should easily have. There are only
share of the piano buyers are discriminating two or three radio receivers which have at-
and will insist upon having the best qualities tained to anything like prominence, as com-
in their instruments, irrespective of mere cost. pared with the many scores of similar prod-
And in this is the inspiration and encourage- ucts which have been placed upon the market.
The music dealers show no such special en-
thusiasm in the new department as might
easily have been expected.
The fact is that, even after the long feeling
around and experimentation, with many kinds
of outlets for their products, the radio manu-
facturers have not found the "logical" market-
place for their products. A walk along any
second class business street, in any city, will
prove this. And the slaughter prices of prac-
tically all the radio sets is sufficient proof
that the music trade, even if the "logical"
place for radio, has not been properly inter-
ested and protected.
A feature of the recent convention in Chi-
cago was the number of large contracts se-
cured by manufacturers' representatives, from
responsible dealers. In some instances the
orders ran into the hundreds.
* * *
There is a distinct feeling of renewed cheer-
fulness in the piano trade. The feeling in the
field is that next fall will bring a better de-
mand for good pianos than has been indulged
during the five years past.
30 YEARS AGO IN THE TRADE
From the Files of Presto
(June 27, 1895.)
Last week we announced the serious illness of Mr.
M. J. Chase. This week it is with sorrow that we
record the death of this veteran manufacturer.
C. H. Badlam, "the bad," who is known in North-
ern New York as a crook, was sentenced to twenty
months' imprisonment through the efforts of Weser
Bros., of New York.
There is more than a possibility that the grand old
Chickering factory building, on Tremont street, Bos-
ton will give way to other commercial temples better
adapted to the retail section which is fast growing
out toward it.
(ius Brigham, L. M. French and Mr. Robson, three
of the prominent downtown Chicago piano salesmen,
have for some time past been interesting themselves
in the formation of a "Piano Salesmen's Association"
which it is proposed to establish.
It is money in many a man's pocket to be able to
say that he was "formerly of," or "with," such and
such a firm. His legal right, not only to say, but to
advertise, according to the supreme judicial court of
Massachusetts, is indisputable. He must notj how-
ever, do it in a manner calculated to mislead the
public.
The offices of Sohmer & Co. present much the ap-
pearance of a busy banker's counting room. Messrs.
Sohmer, Reichmann and Fahr occupy standing desks
alongside the bookkeepers, and all work like "hired
men." Mr. Sohmer, however, puts in most of his
time in the warerooms, and he is regarded as one of
the greatest piano salesmen in the world.
20 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
(From Presto, June 22, lb»05.)
Lyon & Healy have issued a special "strike circu-
lar" in which they say that the "slight delay in deliv-
ering goods caused by striking teamsters some weeks
ago is a thing of the past."
A name is wanted for a playerpiano. Don't all
speak at once, but let us hear from a few at least with
suitable names that have not already been pre-empted
in this line.
According to the newspaper reports from Put-In-
Bay, there were eleven trade paper representatives at
last week's convention. Well, the trade paper busi-
ness is getting into long pants sure enough.
The appearance of Platt P. Gibbs at the conven-
tion bearing a trombone and followed by the orches-
tra was the signal for an ovation. Then came a suc-
cession of incidents that wakened mirth and enthu-
siasm. There was a craning of necks about the en-
trance door and a loud noise arose as a stuffed skin-
cote Indian was borne in triumph down the center
aisle.
It docs not require a big combination of promoter
and daily paper reporter to set afloat a story of the
biggest kind of a trust and combination of manufac-
turing interests in the musical instrument industry.
The Buffalo News printed the following: "Accord-
ing to information, the Aeolian, Cecilian, Pianola,
Healiola, the Farrand Organ Company, of Detroit,
and Chase & Baker, of this city, are the principal con-
cerns proposed to be merged, but all of the other
makes of pianoplayers, both inside and outside play-
ers, will be absorbed if negotiations do not miscarry."
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