Presto
Issue: 1927 2110 - Page 10
10
January 8, 1927.
PRESTO-TIMES
SOME STORIES OF
BEST PIANO SALES
fied with the piano. I asked him what I had better
do about it.
"Well," he said, "I wouldn't advise you to do much
driving, and the best way I can think of is to take
your mare out and shoot her!"
How Do Your Own Successes Measure Up
with These as Told by Veterans in
the Field of Prospect Seekers
and Closers?
A LUCKY NAME.
SOME RARE EXAMPLES
From the Rape of the Bed-Tick to the Story of the
Moon-Eyed Mare All Are
Good Ones.
THE POT OF GOLD.
Story of the Seemingly Hopeless Piano Pros-
pect that Turned Out a Cash Buyer.
BILLY T.
Coincidence That Appealed to the Bride's
Family Settled Preference.
My easiest piano sale was so very unusual that it
may create doubt, but I am ready to prove it on
special request.
I was working for a Milwaukee dealer, a good
many years ago. We had a request for prices from
a nearby stage town. (Did you know that travel was
made by stage from Milwaukee not so many years
ago?)
I found that the piano was wanted for a bridal
present. There had been many salesmen trying to
close the order and there were three instruments in
the house for sale when I arrived. I had only a lot
of catalogues.
After the preliminary talk, I had about concluded
that it was a hopeless case. For the wedding day
was near and prices already given in competition had
been pretty closely shaved. But I passed out my
catalogues and had but one more left to show.
I pulled out my winner. It was a Smith & Barnes
booklet. At once the two ladies present—the pros-
pective bride and her mother—cried out in evident
delight. My piano was "just the thing," aside from
any price or other consideration. And the why of
it, do you ask?
The groom's name was Smith, and the bride's name
was Barnes. Just a coincidence, but it won.
SAMMY H.
My most remarkable sale was made at Sedalia, Mo.,
a long time ago. I was traveling for the old Chase
Piano Co. and a Miss Irene De Willis was our agent
in the town named.
After the customary discussion, Miss De Willis said
she had too many pianos in stock, but challenged me
to close just one sale for her and she would give me
an order. She furnished the names of three pros-
pects and I got busy.
I drove far into the country to find that my first
prospect had died since he visited the store. My
second prospect had concluded to wait till after har-
vest and I couldn't budge him. My third prospect
had moved away.
I was a stranger and lost as to what to do. 1
started back to town and, as often happens, I stum-
bled into what I had searched far for, when I had
PIANO FOR GAMBLER'S DEBT.
about reached the end of my journey.
As I passed a cottage at the edge of the town I
Poker Player's Winnings Proved a Good
spied an elderl}' woman at the door bidding good bye
Sale for a Strict Church Member.
to a young man who had an open piano catalogue in
My father kept a music store in a city of less than
his hand, and had evidently been talking piano to
the woman. I slowed down and soon was at 'the ten thousand population. Two doors away was a rival
store, and the two competitors fought hard for busi-
cottage door. The woman asked me in and I led up
ness. Sales were not frequent, at that.
to the piano talk and found a willing listener.
I was only about fifteen years of age, but large
My prospect had a fixed notion of what she
wanted, but her rooms were far too small for the enough to "keep store" when Senior was out after
old-fashioned square piano which was still in vogue prospects.
Right across the street was a club at which—
in the South, and had been discussed by 'the sales-
man who had just left. I saw the condition at once though I didn't know it—a good deal of poker was
played. My father was a strict churchman and, of
and began to talk uprights. It fitted perfectly and
course, did not frequent the club, and that fact gives
within an hour I had a conditional order to deliver
point to my story.
a piano.
One afternoon, while I was alone in the store, a
When I returned to the store I was discouraged by
being told that the old lady was not financially fixed "sporty" individual blew in.
"Where's the old man?" he asked. I didn't know.
to buy a piano; that she had two daughters who were
expected home soon from boarding school. That "Well, you just tell him I want that piano I won
statement satisfied me that the prospect was a good of him last week! Tell him to send it out!"
My blood ran cold. I had made a terrible discov-
one and I took a piano to the cottage. Certainly
ery. I couldn't sleep that night. My father a gam-
things didn't look affluent, but the lady was intelligent
bler! I could hardly understand it. But I said noth-
and a good listener.
I made the sale, expecting a fair cash payment. ing to my shattered idol. A few days later, to make
What was my surprise when the old lady up-ended it worse, a piano was actually delivered from our
the "sofa," which turned out to be a bed-lounge, and store to a house at the edge of the town and I went
lifted out a yellow vessel with blue stripes and took with the truck. I saw my sporty caller open the
therefrom a long stocking. The stocking unrolled, front door and he patted my shoulder, as if an old
there fell from it a lot of gold coin. She counted out friend. I was horrified.
the piano's price in the coin and passing it to me A week later, to my utter amazement, the rival
asked for a receipted bill, which I was happy to piano dealer entered "our" store and talked, in low
voice, to my father. At the end he counted out the
give her.
Miss De Willis kept her word, and I sent home an price of the piano we had delivered, "less the dis-
count."
order for three more of our latest pianos.
And then I learned that the "sport" had won the
JULIUS W.
piano from the rival; the sport had called at our store
and, mistaking my father's store for that of his poker
THE MOON-EYED MARE.
victim, had ordered the piano delivered, as if an
cash purchase. And the real poker victim,
Lesson That Teaches the Wisdom of Inspect- ordinary
having finally been fully informed, had concluded
ing the Trade-in Horse's Eyes in Advance.
that the better way to settle his gambling debt,
I was doing business in a fair-sized city in Ohio. without fear of a scandal, had called and proposed to
A farmer called at the store to look at pianos. He buy the instrument from my father, as it stood—in
found what he wanted and proposed to buy if I the gambler's house.
would take a fine horse in part payment. It hap-
HENRY B.
pened that I wanted a horse and the trade was
made.
PIANO IN HAUNTED HUT.
When the handsome black mare drove up, the next
day, I was delighted and the farmer paid "the bal-
ance" in cash.
How Stingy Old Hubby Bought Instrument
I had asked carefully if the horse was all right.
to Save Himself from Musical Ghosts.
To be sure of her age, I had looked at her teeth
A
mile from Centerville, Ind., there is a settlement
by way of proof, and had examined her hoofs and
called Pin Hook. I was selling pianos for a Cincin-
tail to my perfect satisfaction. The next day I
hitched her to my cutter—it was dreary winter— nati house when, on a Pennsylvania train, the late
Ben Custer, famous dancing master and song-writer,
and started on a trial spin.
She was speedy—very speedy. But she didn't keep tipped me off to a prospect living near the settle-
to the road, however much I sawed on the bits. Fin- ment.
I found an old man, plainly in his dotage and
ally I lost control and was landed in a snow drift.
Then, after catching the run-a-way, it occurred to me feeble-minded, with a very young and somewhat giddy
that I had forgotten to inspect the "critter's" eyes. wife. The old man was rich but penurious. His wife
She was moon-eyed.
wanted a piano badly. But a full day's "interview"
I called on my customer and asked him what he would not modify his declaration that he would
(Continued on Page 12)
would do about it. He said he was perfectly satis-
Grand and
Reproducing
Grand Pianos
are the last word In
muaical perfection.
Lester Piano Co.
1806 Chestnut St.
Philadelphia
For a
Bigger and Better
Business
There is nothing to compare
with the complete line of
M. SCHULZ CO.
The Players are RIGHT in
everything t h a t means
money to the dealers and
satisfaction to the public
You will never do anything better
than when you get in touch with
M. SCHULZ CO,,
711 Milwaukee Avenue
CHICAGO
SOUTHERN BRANCH: 730 Candler Bldg., ATLANTA, GA.
tbt Heppe, Marcelius and Edouard julea PUo>
manufactured by the
HEPPE PIANO COMPANY
are tbe only pianos in the world with
Three Sounding Boards.
-iWnted In the United States, Great Britain*
France, Germany and Canada.
Liberal arrangements to responsible agents only*
Main Office, 1117 Chestsmt St.
PHILADELPHIA, &&.
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/
January 8, 1927.
PRESTO-TIMES
SOME STORIES OF
BEST PIANO SALES
fied with the piano. I asked him what I had better
do about it.
"Well," he said, "I wouldn't advise you to do much
driving, and the best way I can think of is to take
your mare out and shoot her!"
How Do Your Own Successes Measure Up
with These as Told by Veterans in
the Field of Prospect Seekers
and Closers?
A LUCKY NAME.
SOME RARE EXAMPLES
From the Rape of the Bed-Tick to the Story of the
Moon-Eyed Mare All Are
Good Ones.
THE POT OF GOLD.
Story of the Seemingly Hopeless Piano Pros-
pect that Turned Out a Cash Buyer.
BILLY T.
Coincidence That Appealed to the Bride's
Family Settled Preference.
My easiest piano sale was so very unusual that it
may create doubt, but I am ready to prove it on
special request.
I was working for a Milwaukee dealer, a good
many years ago. We had a request for prices from
a nearby stage town. (Did you know that travel was
made by stage from Milwaukee not so many years
ago?)
I found that the piano was wanted for a bridal
present. There had been many salesmen trying to
close the order and there were three instruments in
the house for sale when I arrived. I had only a lot
of catalogues.
After the preliminary talk, I had about concluded
that it was a hopeless case. For the wedding day
was near and prices already given in competition had
been pretty closely shaved. But I passed out my
catalogues and had but one more left to show.
I pulled out my winner. It was a Smith & Barnes
booklet. At once the two ladies present—the pros-
pective bride and her mother—cried out in evident
delight. My piano was "just the thing," aside from
any price or other consideration. And the why of
it, do you ask?
The groom's name was Smith, and the bride's name
was Barnes. Just a coincidence, but it won.
SAMMY H.
My most remarkable sale was made at Sedalia, Mo.,
a long time ago. I was traveling for the old Chase
Piano Co. and a Miss Irene De Willis was our agent
in the town named.
After the customary discussion, Miss De Willis said
she had too many pianos in stock, but challenged me
to close just one sale for her and she would give me
an order. She furnished the names of three pros-
pects and I got busy.
I drove far into the country to find that my first
prospect had died since he visited the store. My
second prospect had concluded to wait till after har-
vest and I couldn't budge him. My third prospect
had moved away.
I was a stranger and lost as to what to do. 1
started back to town and, as often happens, I stum-
bled into what I had searched far for, when I had
PIANO FOR GAMBLER'S DEBT.
about reached the end of my journey.
As I passed a cottage at the edge of the town I
Poker Player's Winnings Proved a Good
spied an elderl}' woman at the door bidding good bye
Sale for a Strict Church Member.
to a young man who had an open piano catalogue in
My father kept a music store in a city of less than
his hand, and had evidently been talking piano to
the woman. I slowed down and soon was at 'the ten thousand population. Two doors away was a rival
store, and the two competitors fought hard for busi-
cottage door. The woman asked me in and I led up
ness. Sales were not frequent, at that.
to the piano talk and found a willing listener.
I was only about fifteen years of age, but large
My prospect had a fixed notion of what she
wanted, but her rooms were far too small for the enough to "keep store" when Senior was out after
old-fashioned square piano which was still in vogue prospects.
Right across the street was a club at which—
in the South, and had been discussed by 'the sales-
man who had just left. I saw the condition at once though I didn't know it—a good deal of poker was
played. My father was a strict churchman and, of
and began to talk uprights. It fitted perfectly and
course, did not frequent the club, and that fact gives
within an hour I had a conditional order to deliver
point to my story.
a piano.
One afternoon, while I was alone in the store, a
When I returned to the store I was discouraged by
being told that the old lady was not financially fixed "sporty" individual blew in.
"Where's the old man?" he asked. I didn't know.
to buy a piano; that she had two daughters who were
expected home soon from boarding school. That "Well, you just tell him I want that piano I won
statement satisfied me that the prospect was a good of him last week! Tell him to send it out!"
My blood ran cold. I had made a terrible discov-
one and I took a piano to the cottage. Certainly
ery. I couldn't sleep that night. My father a gam-
things didn't look affluent, but the lady was intelligent
bler! I could hardly understand it. But I said noth-
and a good listener.
I made the sale, expecting a fair cash payment. ing to my shattered idol. A few days later, to make
What was my surprise when the old lady up-ended it worse, a piano was actually delivered from our
the "sofa," which turned out to be a bed-lounge, and store to a house at the edge of the town and I went
lifted out a yellow vessel with blue stripes and took with the truck. I saw my sporty caller open the
therefrom a long stocking. The stocking unrolled, front door and he patted my shoulder, as if an old
there fell from it a lot of gold coin. She counted out friend. I was horrified.
the piano's price in the coin and passing it to me A week later, to my utter amazement, the rival
asked for a receipted bill, which I was happy to piano dealer entered "our" store and talked, in low
voice, to my father. At the end he counted out the
give her.
Miss De Willis kept her word, and I sent home an price of the piano we had delivered, "less the dis-
count."
order for three more of our latest pianos.
And then I learned that the "sport" had won the
JULIUS W.
piano from the rival; the sport had called at our store
and, mistaking my father's store for that of his poker
THE MOON-EYED MARE.
victim, had ordered the piano delivered, as if an
cash purchase. And the real poker victim,
Lesson That Teaches the Wisdom of Inspect- ordinary
having finally been fully informed, had concluded
ing the Trade-in Horse's Eyes in Advance.
that the better way to settle his gambling debt,
I was doing business in a fair-sized city in Ohio. without fear of a scandal, had called and proposed to
A farmer called at the store to look at pianos. He buy the instrument from my father, as it stood—in
found what he wanted and proposed to buy if I the gambler's house.
would take a fine horse in part payment. It hap-
HENRY B.
pened that I wanted a horse and the trade was
made.
PIANO IN HAUNTED HUT.
When the handsome black mare drove up, the next
day, I was delighted and the farmer paid "the bal-
ance" in cash.
How Stingy Old Hubby Bought Instrument
I had asked carefully if the horse was all right.
to Save Himself from Musical Ghosts.
To be sure of her age, I had looked at her teeth
A
mile from Centerville, Ind., there is a settlement
by way of proof, and had examined her hoofs and
called Pin Hook. I was selling pianos for a Cincin-
tail to my perfect satisfaction. The next day I
hitched her to my cutter—it was dreary winter— nati house when, on a Pennsylvania train, the late
Ben Custer, famous dancing master and song-writer,
and started on a trial spin.
She was speedy—very speedy. But she didn't keep tipped me off to a prospect living near the settle-
to the road, however much I sawed on the bits. Fin- ment.
I found an old man, plainly in his dotage and
ally I lost control and was landed in a snow drift.
Then, after catching the run-a-way, it occurred to me feeble-minded, with a very young and somewhat giddy
that I had forgotten to inspect the "critter's" eyes. wife. The old man was rich but penurious. His wife
She was moon-eyed.
wanted a piano badly. But a full day's "interview"
I called on my customer and asked him what he would not modify his declaration that he would
(Continued on Page 12)
would do about it. He said he was perfectly satis-
Grand and
Reproducing
Grand Pianos
are the last word In
muaical perfection.
Lester Piano Co.
1806 Chestnut St.
Philadelphia
For a
Bigger and Better
Business
There is nothing to compare
with the complete line of
M. SCHULZ CO.
The Players are RIGHT in
everything t h a t means
money to the dealers and
satisfaction to the public
You will never do anything better
than when you get in touch with
M. SCHULZ CO,,
711 Milwaukee Avenue
CHICAGO
SOUTHERN BRANCH: 730 Candler Bldg., ATLANTA, GA.
tbt Heppe, Marcelius and Edouard julea PUo>
manufactured by the
HEPPE PIANO COMPANY
are tbe only pianos in the world with
Three Sounding Boards.
-iWnted In the United States, Great Britain*
France, Germany and Canada.
Liberal arrangements to responsible agents only*
Main Office, 1117 Chestsmt St.
PHILADELPHIA, &&.
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).