Presto

Presto Buyers' Guide
Analyzes and Classifies
All American P i a n o s
and in Detail Tells of
Their Makers.
PRESTO
E*tabiuk»i i8M. THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
Presto Year Book
The Only Complete
Annual Review of the
American Music In-
dustries and Trades.
/»C™«.,M.M«IW
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1925
BOSTON PIANO SALE
DISTURBS DEALERS
But Piano Manufacturers at the Hub, Un-
affected by Local Events, Report Biggest
October in Recent Years, with Novem-
ber Figures Adding More Cheer.
AEOLIAN CO. AT NEPONSET
New Owners of Great Daylight Factory Retain Old
Hallet & Davis Force and Go Forward Smoothly
and Increasingly.
Boston's rousing piano clearance sale is a sequel to
the recent sale, by the Hallet & Davis Piano Co., of
its interests in the manufacturing rights of Hallet &
Davis, Conway and other pianos to New York inter-
ests.
The widely advertised "Factory Removal Sale"
now going on at 874 and 876 Washington street,
probably is the biggest event of the kind ever carried
out in the Hub. It is a tremendous effort to quickly
move a great lot of pianos, some quite ready for sale
and others being quickly made up for the bargain
salesroom presentations.
Retail Business Disturbed.
That the great sale is disturbing the retail business
I of Boston, and other places in the state, is a cer-
tainty. Dealers do not hesitate to voice their resent-
ment at the disturbing cause. It is said that one
hundred and twenty-five pianos were sold on the
Monday following the first announcement of the sale
lin the Sunday papers, Nov. 22, and that the second
lday resulted in sixty-five sales, And it is also said
[that there are about 2,500 pianos to be made up at
Ithe factory in view of sale at the amazing bargain
jprices.
Sign Is Inviting.
The rush of piano bargain buyers is explained when
|the wording of the mammoth sign on the face of the
store is noted: "No Reasonable Cash Offer Refused,"
is the appeal to the prospective buyer who puts the
element of cheapness above everything else. And as
great number of visitors to the store, at 874 and
376 Washington street, leave without buying, it is
jbvious that many offers are unreasonable.
Anyway, the Premier Grand Piano Corp., New
r
ork, which purchased the Grand piano interests of
the Hallet & Davis Co., and Jacob Doll & Sons,
|vhich secured the manufacturing interests in all the
lprights made or controlled by the Boston company,
pan feature the fact that they took on no part of the
)ld stock found in the hands of the Hallet & Davis
J
iano Co. at the time the transfers were completed.
Smooth Work at Neponset.
The Aeolian Company, New York, which a few
lonths ago bought the Hallet & Davis factory at
leponset, Mass., is effecting a smooth transposition
Ihere. By a sensible arrangement the company is
foing right on with the old force of Hallet & Davis
/orkmen. It is said, too, that the scheme extends to
Hallet & Davis travelers, or at least to four of
Hallet & Davis roadmen.
Result of Adjustments.
So results of the important changes brought about
|y the Conway Co. will be visible in many places
|fter January 1, 1926, the date on which the arrange-
lents become effective. The Hallet & Davis grands
|nd uprights, the Angelus reproducing piano and the
ingelus library of rolls will be made and distributed
ly the companies and in the manner described in a
[revious paragraph. The Simplex Player Action
Jompany will be the only industry remaining under
control of the Conway Co.
The company believes that by concentrating on
le Simplex Reproducing Drawer, as well as on the
^producing upright and foot power player action, it
m render an important service to the trade.
The readjustments have important results for the
lonway Securities Company. For instance, the capi-
tal released through the sales of manufacturing in-
terests will be concentrated in the company, giving it
an added capital strength in its field of endeavor.
Cheering Reports.
But the business of the Boston manufacturers
evidently is unaffected by any local disturbances of
the bargain selling kind. Most of the important fac-
tories report an unusually good October. Several say
that in sales October exceeded the same month in
several recent years. The Mason & Hamlin Com-
pany state that the month of October, 1925, was the
best month in the history of the house. And, with all
the Boston piano manufacturers, it is the expectation
that November figures will be favorable and full of
cheer.
The Vose Factory.
One arriving in Boston on the Boston & Albany
Railroad cannot fail to see the great electric sign of
the Vose & Sons Piano Co., 100 feet long and 10 feet
high, passing through Watertown as he approaches
the city. It is about half a mile away from the rail-
road tracks, but the sign seems like a city block in
distance.
The Vose factory is very active; about eighty per
cent of the output being grands. October was the
best month in the entire history of the house and
November it was presumed the day of our visit to
the factory would run a little over October. The
Vose factory is certainly not only a model one, it is
more than that, it is a striking illustration of the con-
tinuation of a remarkable family in an industry that
is loved. The great plant in Watertown represents
the development of an ideal created by James W.
Vose in 1851. It suggests the character of the goods
produced; spacious, light, pleasant surroundings for
the workmen; extensive grounds, wide and expansive
lawns and beds of flowers. The passerby feels cer-
tain that the piano made at that factory is a safe and
worthy one to buy.
Fine Vose Fruit.
In keeping with this admirable scheme the Vose
factory orchard is just at the west of the main build-
ing where the acre and a half or so of ground is given
over to the planting of fruit trees in great variety,
apples, cherries, plums and other kinds. These trees
have been set out and are cared for by the foremen of
the different departments. Each foreman, within the
past year or more has planted a fruit tree of some
kind. Each one who has planted a tree takes per-
sonal care of it. There are now about twenty-five
of these trees and, apparently, all doing well and a
robust and healthy orchard is coming along.
The Yose & Sons Piano Co. is proud of the man-
ner in which the Vose dealers all over the country
advertise the Vose piano; the strong, conservative,
forceful way they use their home papers. The com-
pany refers to the reproduction of a Jenkins adver-
tisement which they are using for their next page
display in Presto.
New Starck Building.
Another important event in the Boston trade is the
opening of the new P. A. Starck Piano Company
store, at the new Starck Building. 156 Boylston
street. This is not an instance of remodeling, but
where an old building was torn down and this new
one put up. Everything is spick and span, new and
clean and the establishment will undoubtedly cut a
figure in the Boston retail trade. The manager is
Mr. Faux and the entire force are Boston folks. The
store is next to the Vose & Sons Piano Co.'s store.
The new Starck store and the Gulbransen Co. store
are two distinctively Chicago piano stores in Boylston
street. And the story goes in the Hub that another
one will be in operation by the first of the new year,
when, if not before the first of January, a piano house
located further south in Boylston street than the two
just named, will become the Boston representative of
a well known Chicago piano manufacturing house.
Action Man Cheerful.
Mr. McHugh, of the Standard Action Company,
Cambridge, Mass., is very optimistic. He says busi-
ness is now all they can take care of. The force has
worked full time all this year and a good deal of
overtime. As is known the Standard Action Com-
pany has purchased the entire business of the Syl-
vester Tower Action concern, together with the
Tower factories and real estate. The company also
has purchased other real estate and factory property
NEW AEOLIAN HALL
CORNER-STONE LAYING
Ceremony to Take Place Next Week Thurs-
day Marks Another Progressive Move
by Famous Piano Industry.
The exercises in connection with the laying of the
corner stone of the new Aeolian Building at 5th avenue
and 54th street, New York, will take place with appro-
priate ceremonies on Thursday afternoon, Dec. 10—
next week. There will be addresses and music by
eminent artists.
F. E. Edgar, general sales manager of the Aeolian
Company devoted most of his time while in Boston
last week to matters requiring his attention at the
new Aeolian factory at Neponset. Plans are in the
making for a great output at this plant.
It is expected that the formalities at the corner
stone laying next week will attract a large number
of piano men. Interest in the palatial new home of
the Aeolian Company is naturally an item of much
interest in the rapid expansion of New York's new
business section. The new Aeolian building will rear
its fine proportions at Fifth avenue and Fifty-fourth
street, northwest corner. It will have fourteen stories
and will be completed in the fall. Particulars of the
structure have already appeared in Presto and an
account of the corner stone laying will appear next
week.
CHEERING REPORT OF BIG
PIANO SUPPLY INDUSTRY
Julius Breckwoldt, of Sounding Board and Piano
Back Industry, Says Things Are Booming.
Julius Breckwoldt, head of the big Breckwoldt &
Son sounding and piano board back works, at Dolge-
ville, N. Y., has the cheering information for the
New York representative of Presto that business
with his house, which really means piano manufac-
turing in general, has greatly improved within the
past sixty days.
Mr. Breckwoldt says that the Breckwoldt plant
has been running full time for some weeks past, and
overtime of late, and that the prospects are very
favorable for the piano business for the coming year.
Mr. Breckwoldt says the piano business has cer-
tainly had enough "pinching" and he believes things
are a whole lot better now and will so continue for
the immediate future.
ATTRACTIVE GEORGIA STORE.
The Humes Music Co., which opened an attrac-
tive store at 214 Pine street, Albany, Ga., recently,
carries a fine line of pianos, phonographs, sheet music,
string and reed instruments. J. E. Humes is presi-
dent of the company, which also has a store in
Columbus, Ga., where C. S. Waddell is manager.
H. E. Gorham, Mrs. F. W. Brannon and Miss Marie
Rogers are assistants in the sales department.
and in the near future will be at home in much larger
and better buildings than the present quarters which
have been outgrown.
Other News.
Chas. S. Norris, the Tremont street dealer, gives an
entire window this week to display of a handsome
ebony and gold Premier grand piano.
Ivers & Pond report good trade.
Rud. Steinert, of the New Haven Steinert store,
was a guest of his brother, Alex. Steinert, over
Thanksgiving.
William P. Marsh, vice-president of the Mason &
Hamlin Co., tells of exceedingly good trade in Mason
& Hamlin instruments.
The Continental Piano Co. says the Milwaukee fac-
tory is very busy and the Henry F. Miller trade quite
satisfactory.
Mrs. Burbeck, widow of Mr. Burbeck. long with
Vose & Sons, died two weeks ago.
Earl E. Conway, who has spent much time in
Europe the past two or three years, is at present
abroad.
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/