Presto

December 31, 1927
PROGRESS OF MUSIC
MERCHANTS' ASS'N
PRESTO-TIMES
TRY THIS ON YOUR MEMORY
Satisfactory Condition of National Organiza-
tion and Increasing Interest in Purposes
of the Movement Result in a Steady
Increase in Membership.
RADIO AND PIANOS
Relation of One to the Other Now So Well Under-
stood That Question Is No Longer Considered
a Problem
By C. J. ROBERTS,
President National Association of Music Merchants.
It is a source of great pleasure to me that the
National Association of Music Merchants is making
such splendid progress. A deeper interest in the or-
ganization and its purposes is apparent in the trade
throughout the country. It is a practical interest,
too, that constantly increases the memhership. Our
state commissioners and our good friends among the
piano travelers aid in a most effective way in mak'ng
the association stronger numerically.
Tribute to Secretary Loomis.
The organization is fortunate in possessing such
an active and enthusiastic executive secretary as Mr.
Delbert L. Loomis, who has a most comprehensive
knowledge of the needs of our trade and of our asso-
ciation and is doing some splendid work. Necessar-
ily considerable time is consumed in planning activi-
ties that will also require time to be worked out.
Mr. Loomis is going to make a record in his position
that I am sure will delight everyone who is inter-
ested in the work of the association.
Radio and Pianos.
There are a great many problems confronting the
National Association of Music Merchants but the
attention of the association will solve them in time.
The relation of the music trade to radio used to be
considered in the nature of a problem. Radio in the
music store is no longer a matter for disturbing
thought to officials of the national association of the
music trade. But the music merchants are alert in
watching conditions as they develop. I myself have
diligently tried to ascertain from music merchants
what they most desire at the hands of the radio
manufacturers. And I have been equally interested
in learning the wishes of the radio manufacturers in
their relations to the music trade.
In an address December 16 before a meeting of the
Radio Manufacturers' Association I pointed out that
many prominent merchants appear to feel that job-
bers in the radio field are superfluous, reasoning that
the direct responsibility of the manufacturer to the
merchant and the merchant to the manufacturer is
logical and that such an arrangement will promote
the best interests of both and of the public. Of this,
personally, I am not at all sure, for I realize that
there are problems of primary distribution that the
retailer is not familiar with.
Jobber Who Retails
I think, however, that there is no difference of
opinion among merchants about the jobber-retailer.
This combination, so far as 1 have been able to learn,
is universally condemned. The fact that one leading
talking-machine manufacturer abolished that arrange-
ment because of the great dissatisfaction that it
caused when it existed is pointed to as an outstanding
example.
Radio Helps Piano.
The piano business, in recent years, has not ad-
vanced as rapidly as has some other businesses or
industries. The main cause of this is very clear to
anyone giving the matter any consideration. The
home life of American people has changed very rad-
ically. Automobiles, picture shows and other forms
of amusement taking people away from their homes
have made it less necessary to provide for home en-
tertainment. The piano has always been the center
of home entertainment. My point is that radio is
doing more right now than almost any other agency
to re-establish American home life. People do not
go out on lonely country lanes, nor to the city, to
hear radio concerts—they remain at home and invite
their friends to visit them for that purpose.
Home Entertainment Habit
When people again acquire the home entertainment
habit, then will more pianos be purchased. A radio
/ am still open-minded as to the sales value of
a contest among children in piano playing. As a
publicity getter or a stunt, it is splendid. But
whether it will sell a lot of pianos is still a ques-
tion in my mind.—E. C. Boykin, Piano Promo-
tion Committee.
Here is a historic picture snapped one day during
a convention of the National Piano Manufacturers'
Association. Perhaps a clue to the year may be
conveyed by the car, wh : ch has all the marks of a
remote period, speaking in the motor car sense. Col.
Edward S. Payson, at the wheel, looks as if he could
meet any thrilling incident of the drive with equanim-
ity. And right to his hand are the brakes and the
reliable squawk bulb.
His passengers, too, look calm, full of trust, and
unperturbed at the possibility of being rushed through
the streets and boulevards at a demoniacal speed of
20 miles an hour. The late Maj. Jonas M. Cleland
(first, counting from the left) seems to feel as secure
and composed as if seated in his easy desk chair at the
offices of The Cable Company, Chicago. Even H.
Paul Mehlin (sixth, counting from the left) seems
eager to step from the sidewalk to the car as soon
as the picture is taken.
Now you know the identity of three in the picture.
Think back and supply the names of the others. The
odd architecture of the building at the back may be
familiar enough for you to name it and the city in
which it still stands. To a great many the model of
the car w T i!l aid in fixing the year of a notable con-
vention of the National Piano Manufacturers' Asso-
ciation.
Try your memory in naming the year in which
this convention was held, the city where it was held,
and the place where this photograph was taken.
does not take the place of a piano and neither does a
piano take the place of a radio. As long as the
human hand, with its five fingers, retains its form; as
long as the natural musical scale, which never has
and never can be improved upon, appeals to the ear,
and as long as the keyboard invented to accommo-
date these creations of the Almighty exists, pianos
will be made. Thank God, there is no "static" in a
good piano, though some of the poor ones, or the
very old ones, when played upon emit sounds fright-
fully suggestive of the performances of a poor radio
set under most unfavorable conditions.
Both piano and radio are needed in American
homes and all manufacturers of musical instruments,
and merchants dealing in them, should cooperate in
re-establishing the American home life through mak-
ing it more attractive—mainly through music.
GOOD HOLIDAY MUSIC
TRADE IN BALTIMORE
GOOD WORDS FROM C. G. CHENEY.
The epigram from C. G. Cheney of Comstock,
Cheney & Co.. Ivoryton, Conn., which appears in
this issue of Presto-Times under the head of "Wise
Sayings," carries a prognostication worthy of notice
when he says the "return to normal will be slow but
sure." Mr. Cheney is a conservative man, careful
in all his statements, and his simple statement that
things are coming around again for new prosperity
is very encouraging.
E. W. FURBUSH RESIGNS.
E, W. Furbush has resigned his position as whole-
sale representative of the lladdorff Piano Company
at Chicago, his resignation to take effect at the close
of the year, December 31. Mr. Furbush has no plans
for the future to give the public at this writing, but
his headquarters will continue to be in the Fine Arts
Building, 410 South Michigan avenue, Chicago, where
lie may be addressed. He has been with the Had-
dorff Piano Company about eight years.
Originally the down state dealers felt that they
could get along without the Chicago trade, but
they have since found out that their interests are
the same and that better zvork can be accomplished
by the entire state working together as one unit.
—E. E. Hanger, ex-president of Illinois Music
Merchants' Association.
Big Percentage of Home-Owners in Maryland City
an Influence Favoring Sales.
Good holiday business in radios is reported by
Baltimore music stores and other stores which oper-
ate musical instrument departments as well as the
exclusive radio shops. Some of these musical ma-
chines are being purchased for gift purposes, others
represent Christmas-tide home investments. The
fact that all musical instrument shops and piano
stores, practically all the leading department stores
and a number of radio shops are featuring these
instruments, means that a large number of them are
being placed in the homes, sometimes to replace
older models.
Baltimore merchants have a good opportunity of
placing radios or other musical instruments in the
homes of Baltimoreans because of the fact that more
than 62 per cent of the occupants of upwards of
200,000 homes, own their own homes. A home owner
wants all the comforts he can possibly have and wants
to furnish it with cheerful and beautiful furniture,
and what is more beautiful and cheerful in a home
than a musical instrument of some kind, be it radio
or piano?
The special prices of good radio sets is helping
sales. The new electric models are being shown pref-
erence by those who care and can invest more than
•A hundred dollars in a radio. The lower priced tleKl
is not being neglected.
The Hobart M. Cable Company has obtained
prospects by sending a chart to school teachers
to fill in names of pupils and parents who are
without pianos. Here is a suggestion for a little
pep and go-getting on the part of dealers who are
making themselves miserable by the constant
iteration that the piano business has gone to hell
and pianos can not be sold any more because Tom
Jones got Honolulu on a radio last month.—How-
ard B. M or onus, LaPorte, Ind.
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