Presto

MUSICAL
TIMES
PRESTO
Established
1881
Established
1884
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
10 Cents a Copy
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1928
CHEERFUL VIEWS OF
INDIANAPOLIS TRADE
Many Facts About the Piano Business of the
City Evoke Optimistic Expectations
for 1929 by Dealers.
While the piano'business in Indianapolis has not
been what some dealers expected, the general muisc
merchandise business has been very good. The vol-
ume that was lacking to put the piano business ahead
of last year was short, it was made up in the sales
of small instruments such as phonographs, radiosfi
musical instruments, player rolls and talking machine
records. The business as a whole was very good
considering the amount of sickness in the city, and
the number of persons not employed. One thing
in particular was noticeable, the sales of better made
pianos, bigger and better down payments, and shorter
time credits.
The Carlin Music Company say that their small
goods department went over in good shape, with
phonographs and radios exceptionally good. Last
minute shopping was tremendous, especially Satur-
day and Mondoy. Phonographs and records espe-
cially sold very well, and the piano department came
in for its share of the Christmas business.
Good Pearson Report.
The Pearson Piano Company report business good,
especially the sales of Steinway & Son's grands. It
was reported that the sales of Steinway & Son's
grands w r as very satisfactory. Small insthuments.
radios and records were exceptionally good with the
respective departments. The employes of the com-
pany were all remembered with a cash Christmas
gift from the house, and all from the porters on up
received the remembrance.
Christena-Teague Piano Company say their busi-
ness was very good. The radio department cleaned
up entirely, and the piano department had an excel-
lent volume of business.
The Starr Piano Company have no complaint to
make, and pianos, records, player rolls and radios
came in for a good share of the Christmas business.
Wilking Music Co. Pleased.
The Wilking Music Company had a very good
business, according to. Mr. Stockdale, who said that
they had worked very hard and w r ere rewarded with a
good share of Christmas business.
The Marion Music Company are more than pleased
with their Christmas business, and the radio business
was exceptionally good.
Rapp & Lennox had a very good business. Mr.
Rapp reported some good piano sales and good radio
business. In commenting on the business he said:
"I don't believe that any of the houses had all the
business they expected, but I am sure that they
had a better business, and by that I mean they sold
better pianos, had better payments and better terms."
Mr. Rapp believes that there is plenty of good piano
business, but it is necessary to work and work hard in
order to get the business.
REPORT MERGER OF
VICTOR CO. AND R. C. A.
No Official Statement Yet Issued of Consoli-
dation of Victor Talking Machine Co.
and Radio Corp. of America.
The announcement of the deal merging the Victor
Talking Machine Company and the Radio Corpora-
tion of America suggests questions of great signifi-
cance to the radio and phonograph Industrie. The
details of the consolidation were discussed at a meet-
ing last week of the directors of both companies. It
is stated, too, that the merger has been effected on
a basis that will in a large measure preserve the
individuality of both companies and will place neither
one in the position of subsidiary. No official state-
ment, however, has yet been issued.
The properties concerned are valuned at $116,000,-
000. The market value of the securities of both com-
panies as of Monday of this week was in excess of
$550,000,000, those of the radio Corporation having a
market value of $426,345,655, and of Victor $139,-
771.372.
The Radio Corporation, which controls the Na-
tional Broadcasting Company, R. C. A. Photophone,
Inc., and is allied with the Radio-Keith Orpheum
Corporation, has been in close alliance with Victor
interests for several years, the latter company being
larged istributors of R. C. A. radio receiving ap-
paratus, and in turn making available the services for
broadcasting and for talking pictures of many of the
outstanding artists under Victor contract.
It is said that the financing plans for the consol-
idation will provide for an exchange of stock of the
two concerns on a basis still to be announced. In
anticipation of this both radio and Victor stock
showed heavy gains on the New York Stock Ex-
change during the current week.
MORE EXPERT PIANO
ACTION MEN REQUIRED
Fernando A. Wessell Expresses Firm Belief in
a Necessity of the Piano Trade Which
Concerns Piano Owners.
Fernando A. Wessell pf Wessell, Nickel & Gross,
the great New York "piano action industry, talked
on the subject of expert piano regulations to the
Presto-Times correspondent. Mr. Wessell said many
piano tuners have the habit of simply tuning the
piano and ignore any regulation of the piano action.
Many pianos, he said, are tuned once, twice or
maybe three times a year by tuners who, perhaps, do
not look at the actions; do not know how to adjust
them.
Air. Wessell believes there are opportunities for
tuning schools in New York and Chicago; first-class
tuning schools where students may learn to look after
not only the hammers and strings, but also the action.
This, he believes, would help to keep a great number
of pianos in these centers in shape and encourage a
critical public to retain their interest in and love for
their pianos.
FREDERICK ERION DIES
Frederick Erion, 78 years old, pioneer music dealer
of Buffalo, N. Y., and chairman of the board of direc-
tors of Fred Erion & Co., operators of two large
musical instrument shops, died recently in his home
in Linwood avenue after a year's illness. Mr. Erion
established the Erion Piano Company in 1902 on Wil-
liam street, and three years later opened a second
store on Broadway. Both stores grew rapidly until
they became leaders in the musical instrument field
in that section. Mr. Erion's four sons, Edward P.,
Arthur W., Walter C. and Fred J. Erion, joined their
father in his business enterprises as they became of
age, and for the past few years have relieved him of
much of the detail of the operation of thes tores. The
eldest son, Edward, has been president of the operat-
ing company for several years. Two daughters also
survive. The funeral was'" held on December 17 with
burial in Forest Lawn Cemetery.
R. H. L. LIKES HOROWITZ.
Richard Henry Little, who conducts the "Line 'O
Type or Two" column in the Chicago Tribune, con-
siders the piano playing of Vladimir Horowitz as a
special Christmas treat. This is what R. H. L.
thinks: "It may have been Christmas to you, but
it was only Wednesday's Line to us. Still, we heard
Vladimir Horowitz at the Christmas eve party, and
it is barely possible that angels make more beautiful
music than Mr. Horowitz does when he is seated at
the piano, but we doubt it."
ELMON ARMSTRONG A VISITOR.
Elmon Armstrong, who represents the Wolf Man-
ufacturing Industries, Kokomo, Ind , was a visitor
to Chicago this week. The company makes phono-
graphs and radios and is running a night shift in the
factory to keep up with orders.
$2 The Ye a i
OPTIMISTIC VIEWS
OF NEW YORK TRADE
And Cheerful Tone of Statements and Antici-
pations of Piano Manufacturers Is from
Causes Independent of Sales Activi-
ties During Holiday Season.
By HENRY MACMULLAIN
Apart from the expected activities of the closing
holiday season, the music business in New York is
in a cheering condition. The piano manufacturers and
dealers are optimistic and their anticipations for a
lively spring business are of a confident order. The
trend of favor for the various kinds of instruments
produced in piano factories, while marked in certain
respects, does not surprise piano dealers. The favor
for the hand-played upright models is well defined,
while the interest in the small grands seems un-
abated.
A fact reported by a prominent piano action maker
is significant and bears out the claims of piano trade
improvement reported from every section of the
country.
Great Action Concern Busy
Business has greatly improved in the player action
line, according to Arthur L. Wessell of Wessell, Nickel
& Gross, 45th street and 10th avenue, New York.
The Wessell, Nickel & Gross factory shows every
sign of activity. Here they are making actions for
every variety of piano that requires them. And the
success of these two brothers, Arthur L. and Fer-
nando A , is due to several factors, not the least of
which are the great care and skill used in manufac-
ture, the fine supervision of every detail of the work,
the desire to meet the full requirements of every
customer, and also the fine personnel of the men at
the head of the house and at the head of each and
every department.
Uprights in Demand.
I had a pleasant call at the Schmidt-Dauber Com-
pany, 406 West 14th street, where Robert Hirshman
was found in charge. Mr. Hirshman says that while
trade is not what it should be, the company is con-
tinuing to manufacture the Schmidt-Dauber and the
Newby & Evans pianos. The call for uprights is
steadily maintained.
Bacon Company Prosperity
W. P. H. Bacon, president of the Bacon Piano
Company, 601-611 West 50th street, New York,
called upon, s«id they were plugging along steadily
and that business was coming in pretty fair; at least
there was nothing to worry about.
Uprights Are Leading
In chatting with E. H. Vogel about the kinds of
pianos that were holding their own at the present
time and during 1928, Mr. Vogel said the upright
hand-played piano was the leading instrument in sales.
The grands and small grands had held their place very
well, while the player-piano was the one style that
had dropped off the most. However, there was still
a good deal of trade in player-pianos.
Sees Expert at Work.
While waiting in an outside room to see W. H.
Alfring on the fifteenth floor of the Aeolian Hall,
northeast corner of Fifth avenue and 54th street,
New 7 York, on Tuesday afternoon, Presto-Times cor-
respondent noted the expert work that was going on •
in the adjustment on the action of a fine reproducing
piano. The man in charge of this work was T. J.
Cheek, who is a past master in the mechanical artistry
of building or adjusting fine pianos. I asked him
what his brother, Milton Cheek, was now doing and
he said: "Milton is in business for himself." Milton
Cheek resides at 4344 Richardson avenue, New York.
Their brother, Roy Cheek, who went to Sarasota,
Fla., some two years ago for his health, is now very
low and is hardly expected to recover.
Aeolian Company Successful.
The Aeolian Company is not having the hard sled-
ding that some of its rivals seem to be up against.
This assurance T received from C. Alfred Wagner,
vice-president of the company, and piano man of
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