Presto

Presto Buyers' Guide
Analyzes and Classifies
All American P i a n o s
and in Detail Tells of
Fheir Makers.
PRESTO
Ertabiuhed 1884. THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
Presto Year Book
The Only Complete
Annual Review of the
American Music In-
dustries and Trades.
to c«nt.,- $1.00 a i w
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1925
SEEING THE TRADE
IN NEW YORK CITY
Variety in Events in the Music Business Cre-
ates New Topics of Interest Every Day in
Manufacturing, Wholesaling and Re-
tailing of Instruments.
STEINWAY HALL A WONDER
And New Landay Bros. Store, at Sixth Avenue and
Forty-second Street, Appears as New Piano
Selling Center.
An interesting event in the music business of New
York City last week was the formal opening of the
new Welte-Mignon Studios at Landay Hall, south-
west corner of Forty-second street and Sixth avenue,
at which six charming Period cases enclosing the
original Welte-built "Welte-Mignon Reperforming
Grand Piano" were shown.
The quotation is from the Landay display in the
newspapers, showing the use of a new descriptive
word for the reproducing piano. It is a reminder of
another word of somewhat similar application, "Re-
enacting," used quite a long while ago by the Ameri-
can Piano Company in alluding to its playerpiano.
The Landay Bros, store, now generally called Lan-
day Hall, is an acknowledged piano selling center, and
the Welte-Mignon salons provide a fit setting for
the marvelous instruments for the presentation of
which they were designed. By the way, a significant
fact is commented on in the trade of Manhattan. It
is that the decision of Landay Bros, to open a branch
at Forty-second street and Sixth avenue was printed
in detail in Presto three weeks or more before the
item of trade news was generally circulated.
Word Describes Steinway Hall.
Much has been written and many pictures printed
of the new Steinway Hall in West Fifty-seventh
street, but no matter what the man of the music
trade may read he gets a new impression when he
sees the actual building. "Why it's Steinwayesque"
was the way one Middle West dealer summed up his
impressions at his first sight of the new structure.
He meant what everybody feels. That Steinway Hall
is distinctive.
But apart from the striking exterior the trade vis-
itor sees something on the inside that also makes it
Steinwayesque. He notes the artistic oil paintings
and mosaics and the impressive furnishings of course.
And throughout the establishment, in all the piano
parlors, the main salesroom and everywhere, there is
just one piano name—Steinway. Where is there just
such another remarkable instance in the trade?
Florida for Julius Breckwoldt.
Julius Breckwoldt, president of Julius Breckwoldt
& Son, Inc., of Dolgeville, N. Y., has not been de-
terred from his annual winter sojourn in Florida by
the frantic condition of the state described by the
newspapers. The buying and selling of land, and
semi-equatic real estate, is a phase of Florida activity
that marks Florida's transition from Spanish dolce
far niente to distinctively American business anima-
tion.
While playing, and resting himself, Mr. Breckwoldt
believes he will enjoy Florida more this winter watch-
ing real estate men work. New subdivisions ulti-
mately mean new occupants who will be prospects
for pianos. He will also watch the active workers
with admiration. It takes energy and courage to
open up many of the new Florida subdivisions. It
takes genius to sell them.
"No Florida for Me."
J. Hackenheimer^ president of C. Kurtzmann &
Co., Buffalo, however, will not seek the winter joys
of Florida this winter, as he has been accustomed to
do for quite a number of years. Florida does not
suggest rest and the placid surroundings conducive to
the pleasurable vacation for the man from the north,
in the opinion of Mr. Hackenheimer. And, apart
from the frenzied activity, there is the element of
expenditure in dollars that makes one pause before
deciding on Florida for a winter vacation, says Mr.
Hackenheimer.
"Anyway, if I decided to go, I'd make sure of a
bed while there. I'd build a bungalow on a motor
truck and make sure of bedroom, kitchen and parlor,
too. But I guess I'll stay away from Florida this
time."
Becker Bros. Busy.
A cheering condition in the business of Becker
Bros., Inc., is the steady addition in the number of
new customers and the continuous increase in orders.
The facts are made plain at the offices and factory,
52nd street and 10th avenue, where the endeavors to
keep up with orders were in evidence in every de-
partment.
"Our aim is to preserve the character for tone and
dependability of construction which has been asso-
ciated with the Becker Bros, pianos from the begin-
ning," said Rudolph Becker, president of the company.
"The company started out to get the confidence of
the trade and the public and the rational way Becker
Bros, knew how to do it was to give the best value
for the money, in every instance. To keep on merit-
ing the confidence of dealers and buyers we employ
the best skill and experience, use the best quality
materials and make pianos that not only hold custom-
ers but preserve the owners' admiration of the pianos
and friendship for the dealers and ourselves."
Reinhard Kochman, the veteran traveler who rep-
resents Becker Bros., Inc., on the road, is at present
at the factory where he meets the visiting trade. By
stimulating the work in the factory on his customers'
orders, he believes he can give good personal service
until he starts out again on the road after the holi-
days.
Trade Likes Ricca Grand.
The information that the little Ricca grand is a
lively seller does not surprise the trade visitor to the
factory of Ricca & Son, 97-99 Southern boulevard.
Ricca small grands are being made and shipped in a
manner that brings the cheerful signs of satisfaction
to the faces of President H. F. Ricca and Sales Man-
ager J. C. Henderson.
Everything moves smoothly in that well equipped
and admirably managed factory, and dealers ordering
pianos are assured of shipments within reasonable
time. Mr. Henderson now makes only short trips to
nearby points and will not start out on an extended
journey until after the holidays.
Tolbert F. Cheek Busy.
Back at the factory, after a week's forced seclusion
at home doctoring for a severe cold, Tolbert F.
Cheek, president of the Peerless Pneumatic Action
Co., was found in the plant at 469-485 East 133rd
street, catching up with his business with stored
energy. The season for the Peerless Player Action
Co. is an excellent one. Orders for the actions show
that the piano industry recognizes the possession of
very essential features by the actions, durability, sim-
plicity, accessibility, and every claim for the action
guaranteed for fulfillment.
The Laffargue Co.
The Laffargue Co., 134th street and Southern boule-
vard, reports business for 1925 up to the end of
November, ahead of the entire year 1924. According
to Max J. de Rochemont this year will close the best
in the history of the house. The business of this-
house is about as near a cash business as a piano
business can be. Not any of the accounts are for
over four months' time and most of the business
is a thirty day business. "It is just as well and just
as easy to do business this way as the long-winded
long-time business now so common," said Mr. de
Rochemont, who in his lucid way told how it can be
done.
Timorous Dealers Heard From.
From opinions expressed in New York piano fac-
tories, a marked tendency this year was to hold off
on orders by dealers chronically timorous and those
responding to temporary cases of cold feet. It was
the old story of hoping for sales without the very im-
portant preliminary of showing the goods. The fac-
tory files are filled with the typed howls for help
from the timorous ones and from the foxy ones who
trusted to orders by wire to save a good sale. Where
the customer with a good first payment finds an
CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
STIRS INDIANAPOLIS
Many Good Piano Sales for Gifts and Dealers
Report Activities in Fine Instruments
for Special Purposes.
One of the sales of the past week was that of a
small concert Knabe Grand to school No. 62, at Tenth
and Walnut streets, purchased by the Parent-Teach-
ers' Club of that school. Rapp & Lennox made the
sale and are very proud of it, as every house in the
city were hot on the trail of the committee in charge
of the purchasing, said Mr. Rapp.
Mr. Richardson, of the United Piano Corporation,
was one of the visitors of the past week. The Knabe
Ampico sales are up to expectations, and this class of
customers is worth while. The usual holiday activity
about the store is very noticeable, and the company
are expecting their share of the trade.
One of the new arrivals in pianos, which is causing
considerable discussion among the holiday prospects,
is the Jesse French Sons, style 44, ebonized, which
happens to be the first of this style and finish offered
for sale by the Wilking Music Company. Mr.
Wilking is very proud of the instrument, which is
causing a great deal of comment on its exquisite fin-
ish and distinct style, which is unusual.
The Fuller-Ryde Music Company is displaying an
excellent line of Conn's brass instruments and Leedy
drums in their window, which is attracting consider-
able attention.
GULBRANSEN "LOCAL TIE-UP."
"Local tie-up" means something extra to Gulbran-
sen dealers this month, for December Gulbransen
national advertising is appearing in an unusually large
group of mediums. First, and most important, is the
four-color, full-page in the American Weekly of De-
cember 6th, the Sunday magazine section of four-
teen leading newspapers with circulation of close to
5,000,000. Then comes the Saturday Evening Post
January 12th, the American Magazine, sixteen maga-
zines of the all-fiction field, the Chicago Sunday
Tribune, Country Gentleman, Holland's Magazine,
etc.
aching void in a piano store instead of an array of
pianos, he naturally feels so disappointed that he
goes elsewhere. It is the exceptional case where a
dealer can substitute a piano desired by a customer
for another, especially if it is a grand that is sought.
Most of the big piano firms in New York City are
advertising and displaying radio receiving sets in
their windows and in special display rooms. The
idea seems to be that if the people want the radio, the
music dealers are the ones to supply them. The
Aeolian Co. and the Wurlitzer Co. are prominent in'
this line.
T. Linton Floyd-Jones Back.
The recent trip of T. Linton Floyd-Jones to the
central west, extended as far as York, Neb., where
Mr. Floyd-Jones always visits when in that part
of the country. His company has a good customer
there who has sold its instruments for many years.
He found general trade conditions good and booked
many orders.
Louis Dutton, assistant secretary of Hardman,
Peck & Co., reports business normal, with a demand
for the better instruments, which makes the year's
trade greater as to dollars and cents, even with little
or no increase in units of production. He says there,
is a good demand for grands.
Mr. Stephens of Pratt, Read & Co., Deep River,
Conn., whose headquarters are at New York, has
been in Chicago, and also visiting other western
cities. Mr. Stephens went to Chicago to pay a- visit
to the western representative, Mr. Leiser.
W. C. Heaton Pleased at Results. \.. -;
W. C. Heaton, president of the- Auto-Pneumatic
Action Co., is enthusiastic over the evidence of
results from his recent trip in the interests of-the*
Welte-Mignon. I found him head over heels-' in
work at the factory. Had to talk with him at the
telephone, at a bench in the factory, where, in his
shirt sleeves, he was directing operations in the
plant.
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