Presto
Issue: 1927 2158 - Page 11
December 10, 1927
11
PRESTO-TIMES
KNABE REMOVAL SALE
REVEALS ACTIVE MARKET
BALDWIN FOR RADIO STATION
Over $100,000 Worth of Pianos Sold on Open-
ing Day of Widely Advertised Event,
with Trend Toward Period Models.
"No better proof, we think, could be offered that
the piano market is far from dormant and that people
still want high-grade pianos despite the advent of
radios, phonographs, and other 'music making' de-
vices, than the remarkable success which has attended
the Knabe removal sale in New York," says Berthold
Neuer, vice-president of Wm. Knabe & Company.
"The new Knabe Tower at Fifth Avenue and 47th
Street is rapidly nearing completion," continued Mr.
Neuer, "and the warerooms of the Knabe company
will be installed there at the earliest possible moment.
In the meantime, however, we are confronted with
the problem of disposing of a million dollars' worth
of high-grade pianos, including a large number of
models used for demonstration purposes, pianos used
by artists from the Metropolitan Opera Company,
and a large number of pianos of various makes taken
in trade. We decided not to move a single piano
into our new quarters—and so announced in our
newspaper advertisements.
Exceeds Expectations.
"Although Knabe is the oldest piano store on Fifth
Avenue and its name is almost a household word in
Another triumph claimed by the Baldwin Piano
New York, the buying impetus on the part of the
public exceeded our expectations. On the opening Co. was recently achieved at Atlantic City. In addi-
day of the sale, November 23, sales amounted to tion to the Baldwins which are being used on the
$107,855, a figure w r hich so far as we have been able Pier, two Baldwin Grands have been selected for the
to determine, sets a new high mark in piano sales.
By the end of the first week total sales at the Fifth
Avenue store mounted to the quarter of a million they have had their hands full every day since the
mark.
sale began. Although period pianos were not stressed
"There has been considerable loose talk of late in our advertsiing, the increasing present day demand
about declining markets and the tendency on the part is well illustrated by the fact that 40 per cent of all
of the public to defer purchases. This sale of ours pianos thus far purchased during this sale were
would tend to prove quite the opposite, particularly periods. The pianos used by artists of the Metro-
when it is considered that the average purchase price politan Opera Company were especially sought for,
of the pianos was $1,000. One of the most interest- and the 15 that we had on hand were promptly sold
on the opening day. Another interesting sidelight
ing commentaries in connection with the sale—which
incidentally will continue until the stock of pianos to the removal sale is the fact that 30 per cent of all
at the temporary Fifth Avenue Knabe warerooms is sales were for cash.
exhausted—is the fact that an unusually high per-
Wide Advertising.
centage of sales were made to 'drop-ins.' Naturally,
"We used 10 metropolitan newspapers in advertis-
a great many sales also were made to prospects with ing the sale, our efforts in this direction beginning
whom we had been in touch for some time.
three days before the sale. Newspapers gave good
Good Salesmanship.
co-operation in their write-ups in their news columns.
"No high-pressure salesmanship was resorted to; In addition, we mailed a reprint of the initial adver-
customers bought because of the reputation of the tisement to our prospect list, which brought the re-
house and because of the unusual values offered. moval sale to the direct attention of a great number
of people who were logical prospects for new or
Fourteen salesmen were constantly on the floor and
slightly used pianos.
"Many of the pianos were purchased as Thanksgiv-
ing gifts and we were forced to augment our regular
delivery service to take care of the demands of those
Becker Bros.
Manufacturer* of
HIGH GRADE PIANOS
and PLAYER PIANOS
Factory and Wareroomb
767-769 Tenth Avenue, New York
radio station WPG at the Steel Pier. During the
summer they will broadcast from a glass enclosed
room on the Pier, where thousands of people watch
them broadcast in addition to the hundreds of thou-
sands who listen in.
who wanted pianos in their homes for Thanksgiving
Day. All those who purchased pianos either on Mon-
day, Tuesday or Wednesday—the opening days of
the sale—were able to enjoy the pianos in their homes
on Thanksgiving Day, all deliveries having been
completed Thanksgiving Eve."
GOOD PACKARD SALE.
W. B. Marshall, sales manager of the Packard Pian
Company, Fort Wayne, Ind., informs Presto-Times'
correspondent that the company has just sold a fine
Packard to the United States Indian Service, making
ten in all that the service has purchased in the last
few months. Mr. Marshall reports that business with
the Packard Piano Company has been quite satis-
factory this fall, and says that by dint of hard work
and proper presentation of good goods they are en-
joying a business to be quite proud of when consid-
ered with the general condition of piano trade.
Robert L. Hollingshead is the manager of the new
branch store in Watertown, N. Y., recently opened
by the Clark Music Company, Syracuse, X. Y.
THE JEWETT PIANOS
Reliable Grand, Upright and Player Pianos
JEWETT PIANO CO., Boston Factories: Leominster, Mass.
PRESTO BUYERS' GUIDE
GOLDSMITH
Price 50 Cents
Players and Pianos
PRESTO PUBLISHING CO.
Have Every Advantage in Quality and Results
to the Dealers
An Investigation Will Prove It
CHICAGO
GOLDSMITH PIANO COMPANY
1223-1227 Miller Street, CHICAGO
A QUALITY PRODUCT
FOR OVER
QUARTER OFA CENTURY
POQLE
BOSTON—
G R A N D AND UPRIGHT PIANOS
AND
PLAYER PIANOS
lnc.1917
cs:
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/
11
PRESTO-TIMES
KNABE REMOVAL SALE
REVEALS ACTIVE MARKET
BALDWIN FOR RADIO STATION
Over $100,000 Worth of Pianos Sold on Open-
ing Day of Widely Advertised Event,
with Trend Toward Period Models.
"No better proof, we think, could be offered that
the piano market is far from dormant and that people
still want high-grade pianos despite the advent of
radios, phonographs, and other 'music making' de-
vices, than the remarkable success which has attended
the Knabe removal sale in New York," says Berthold
Neuer, vice-president of Wm. Knabe & Company.
"The new Knabe Tower at Fifth Avenue and 47th
Street is rapidly nearing completion," continued Mr.
Neuer, "and the warerooms of the Knabe company
will be installed there at the earliest possible moment.
In the meantime, however, we are confronted with
the problem of disposing of a million dollars' worth
of high-grade pianos, including a large number of
models used for demonstration purposes, pianos used
by artists from the Metropolitan Opera Company,
and a large number of pianos of various makes taken
in trade. We decided not to move a single piano
into our new quarters—and so announced in our
newspaper advertisements.
Exceeds Expectations.
"Although Knabe is the oldest piano store on Fifth
Avenue and its name is almost a household word in
Another triumph claimed by the Baldwin Piano
New York, the buying impetus on the part of the
public exceeded our expectations. On the opening Co. was recently achieved at Atlantic City. In addi-
day of the sale, November 23, sales amounted to tion to the Baldwins which are being used on the
$107,855, a figure w r hich so far as we have been able Pier, two Baldwin Grands have been selected for the
to determine, sets a new high mark in piano sales.
By the end of the first week total sales at the Fifth
Avenue store mounted to the quarter of a million they have had their hands full every day since the
mark.
sale began. Although period pianos were not stressed
"There has been considerable loose talk of late in our advertsiing, the increasing present day demand
about declining markets and the tendency on the part is well illustrated by the fact that 40 per cent of all
of the public to defer purchases. This sale of ours pianos thus far purchased during this sale were
would tend to prove quite the opposite, particularly periods. The pianos used by artists of the Metro-
when it is considered that the average purchase price politan Opera Company were especially sought for,
of the pianos was $1,000. One of the most interest- and the 15 that we had on hand were promptly sold
on the opening day. Another interesting sidelight
ing commentaries in connection with the sale—which
incidentally will continue until the stock of pianos to the removal sale is the fact that 30 per cent of all
at the temporary Fifth Avenue Knabe warerooms is sales were for cash.
exhausted—is the fact that an unusually high per-
Wide Advertising.
centage of sales were made to 'drop-ins.' Naturally,
"We used 10 metropolitan newspapers in advertis-
a great many sales also were made to prospects with ing the sale, our efforts in this direction beginning
whom we had been in touch for some time.
three days before the sale. Newspapers gave good
Good Salesmanship.
co-operation in their write-ups in their news columns.
"No high-pressure salesmanship was resorted to; In addition, we mailed a reprint of the initial adver-
customers bought because of the reputation of the tisement to our prospect list, which brought the re-
house and because of the unusual values offered. moval sale to the direct attention of a great number
of people who were logical prospects for new or
Fourteen salesmen were constantly on the floor and
slightly used pianos.
"Many of the pianos were purchased as Thanksgiv-
ing gifts and we were forced to augment our regular
delivery service to take care of the demands of those
Becker Bros.
Manufacturer* of
HIGH GRADE PIANOS
and PLAYER PIANOS
Factory and Wareroomb
767-769 Tenth Avenue, New York
radio station WPG at the Steel Pier. During the
summer they will broadcast from a glass enclosed
room on the Pier, where thousands of people watch
them broadcast in addition to the hundreds of thou-
sands who listen in.
who wanted pianos in their homes for Thanksgiving
Day. All those who purchased pianos either on Mon-
day, Tuesday or Wednesday—the opening days of
the sale—were able to enjoy the pianos in their homes
on Thanksgiving Day, all deliveries having been
completed Thanksgiving Eve."
GOOD PACKARD SALE.
W. B. Marshall, sales manager of the Packard Pian
Company, Fort Wayne, Ind., informs Presto-Times'
correspondent that the company has just sold a fine
Packard to the United States Indian Service, making
ten in all that the service has purchased in the last
few months. Mr. Marshall reports that business with
the Packard Piano Company has been quite satis-
factory this fall, and says that by dint of hard work
and proper presentation of good goods they are en-
joying a business to be quite proud of when consid-
ered with the general condition of piano trade.
Robert L. Hollingshead is the manager of the new
branch store in Watertown, N. Y., recently opened
by the Clark Music Company, Syracuse, X. Y.
THE JEWETT PIANOS
Reliable Grand, Upright and Player Pianos
JEWETT PIANO CO., Boston Factories: Leominster, Mass.
PRESTO BUYERS' GUIDE
GOLDSMITH
Price 50 Cents
Players and Pianos
PRESTO PUBLISHING CO.
Have Every Advantage in Quality and Results
to the Dealers
An Investigation Will Prove It
CHICAGO
GOLDSMITH PIANO COMPANY
1223-1227 Miller Street, CHICAGO
A QUALITY PRODUCT
FOR OVER
QUARTER OFA CENTURY
POQLE
BOSTON—
G R A N D AND UPRIGHT PIANOS
AND
PLAYER PIANOS
lnc.1917
cs:
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).