Presto

January 19, 1929
PRESTO-TIMES
The American Music Trade Weekly
Published Every Saturday at 417 South Dearborn
Street, Chicago, Illinois.
PRESTO P U B L I S H I N G CO., Publishers.
Editor
F R A N K D. A B B O T T
- - - - - - - - -
(C. A . D A N I ELL—1904-1927.)
J. FERGUS O'RYAN
_ _ _ _ _ Managing Editor
Telephones, Local and Long Distance, Harrison 0234.
Private Phones to all Departments. Cable Address (Com-
mercial Cable Co.'s Code), " P R E S T O , " Chicago.
Entered as second-class matter Jan. 29, 1896, at the
Post Office, Chicago, 111., under Act of March 3, 1879.
Subscription, $2 a year; 6 months, $1.25; Foreign, $4.
Payable in advance. No extra charge in United States
possessions, Cuba and Mexico. Rates for advertising on
application.
Items of news and other matter are solicited and if of
general interest to the music trade will be paid for at
space rates. Usually piano merchants or salesmen in the
smaller cities are the best occasional correspondents, and
their assistance is invited.
Payment is not accepted for matter printed in the edi-
torial or news columns of Presto-Times.
Where half-tones are made the actual cost of produc-
tion will be charged if of commercial character or* other
than strictly news interest.
When electrotypes ar"e sent for publication it is re-
quested that their subjects and senders be carefully indi-
cated.
along as a steady, conservative business, in
which inventions were mere improvements in
methods of manufacture; contrivances in-
creasing the output while reducing cost. One
day a man invented a time-saving machine.
The next week or year maybe another im-
proved a piano part. But the efforts of the
inventors resulted in no consternation in the
trade. The inventions were mere improve-
ments, some of them simple enough and others
potent in results. There was readjustment in
other piano factories all along the line and
everything went along smoothly.
But lo! one day a piano appeared that dif-
fered materially from all the pianos that had
gone before. The piano was a "sure enough"
piano but it was something more. By the aid
of a strip of paper stamped full of holes, this
piano played itself. It was a revolution.
MUSIC A NECESSITY
THIRTY-FIVE YEARS AGO
(From January 18, 1894.)
Mr. Napoleon J. Haines will accompany Madame
Patti on her visit to Chicago.
Mr. Fred Lohr, of Hardman, Peck & Co., is in
Chicago this week. He says his business is forging
ahead rapidly again and the indications are all for a
return of prosperity.
Mr. William H. Sherwood, the distinguished pian-
ist, is playing the Mason & Hamlin piano with great
success in the East. He plays this week in Utica and
West Chester, Pa.
Mr. Nahum Stetson, of Steinway & Sons, who
was in Chicago attending the funeral of Geo. W.
Lyon, was to return to New York last night. The
annual meeting of Lyon, Potter & Co. will be held
the first Monday in February.
Mr. H. D. Cable, President of the Chicago Cottage
Organ Co., had arranged to leave last night for Flor-
ida, and a trip to Cuba. He was compelled, however,
to postpone it until later. He will leave some day
this week for Jacksonville and will go from there to
Tampa, from which place he will proceed to Havana.
He will have a pleasure trip that no one would de-
spise.
The Starr Piano Co. is busy at work for the con-
struction of a new factory. Work will be pushed
as rapidly as possible and all who know the energy
of the leading spirits of the company will understand
what that means.
Mr. E. H. Story, of the Story & Clark Organ Co.,
left England for home on Saturday last by the S. S.
New York.
There is joy in the house of J. M. Hawxhurst.
Times are dull but an addition to his family was
eagerly welcomed.
Although not unexpected, the announcement of the
death of Geo. W. Lyon, on Friday afternoon, at
Jacksonville, Fla., came as a shock to the Chicago
music trade.
The music dealer should realize that music
is not a luxury but a necessity in the daily
lives of the people. The attitude of the public
is that music is something it must have. The
Forms close at noon on Thursday. Late news matter
automobile industry is selling transportation,
should be in not later than 11 o'clock on that day. Ad-
vertising copy should be in hand before Tuesday, 6 p. m.,
the radio industry is selling entertainment
to insure preferred position. Pull page display copy
should be in hand by Tuesday noon preceding publication
and
the music industry is selling the cultural
day. Want advertisements for current week, to insure
classification, should be in by Wednesday noon.
enjoyment that makes living more worth
Address all communications for the editorial or business
while. That is the basic thought on which all
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South
Dearborn Street, Chicago, III.
the slogans are founded.
The more forceful attitude of the music
SATURDAY, JANUARY 19, 1929.
goods advertiser shows that an old fallacy
which permeated the music industry is no
The last form of Presto-Times goes to press longer an influence. The music industry no
(From Presto, January 19, 1899)
at 11 a. m. Thursday. Any news transpiring
Mr.
J.
M.
Hawxhurst, manager of the Bradbury
longer
considers
itself
a
purveyor
of
luxuries
after that hour cannot be expected in the cur-
warerooms, is in St. Louis and Kansas City this
rent issue. Nothing received at the office that appreciable by a comparatively few. Today week on business in connection with the Bradbury
is not strictly news of importance can have everybody is the music dealer's prospect and houses in those cities.
attention after 9 a. m. on Thursday. If they the music goods advertiser's task is confined
Mr. Em:l E. Gabler, of the firm of Ernest Gabler
concern the interests of manufacturers or to talking for specific instruments.
& Bro. is receiving the congratulations of his friends
over his approaching marriage to a beautiful and
dealers such items will appear the week follow-
ing. Copy for advertising designed for the The musical instrument dealer in his adver- accomplished young lady of Brooklyn, N. Y. The
current issue must reach the office not later tising shows that there is a healthy demand on Presto adds its test wishes.
Mr. Dawson Blackmore, Sr., one of Cincinnati's
than Wednesday noon of each week.
the part of the public for musical instruments
best known business men and father of Mr. Dawson
and his attitude expresses the conviction that Blackmore, secretary-treasurer of the Krell Piano
musical instruments have no competition with Co., died at his home, No. 3132 Woodburn Avenue,
ALERT MANUFACTURERS
Hills, recently. Death was due to acute
automobiles, radios, clothing or any other line Walnut
dropsy.
The alert attitude of radio manufacturers
or commodity, because the desire for music
The Whitney & Currier Co. has purchased the en-
in looking out for new inventions and im-
exists evervwhere.
tire interest of the Toledo branch of the Kimball
provements in radio sets and parts recalls a
Piano Co., located at 311 Superior street.
similar feeling in piano manufacturers, fol-
Frield Miller, Danville, 111., will quit the piano busi-
lowing' the adoption of the playerpiano as a As a rule the piano customer today is keenly ness. He has been offered a position in New York
his brother-in-law that he will likely accept.
regular production. Then it was the unknown interested in the outward form of his piano with
M. L. Andrews, whose music store is one of the
inventors who kept the piano manufacturers purchase, as well as its merits of construction. ornaments of Bangor, Maine, says that he sold more
guessing. Even the playerpiano manufac- The name of the manufacturer assures him of pianos in 1898 than in any previous year.
Win, Knabe & Co. have recently secured a large
turers who were going along steadily making the desired tonal qualities and the character contract
to supply the New York public schools with
good things that commanded sale on their un- for endurance in the piano he considers most pianos. This is the third similar contract obtained
deniable merits had an ever ready ear and eye desirable, but it depends upon himself to add by this company.
for something that "goes the best one better." to these his ideal of case beauty. And never
THE FIRST BUYERS' GUIDE AD.
Today the.radio factory may be considered before have the refinements and elegancies of
;V The Buyers' Guide yc
well equipped with the latest machinery mak- art entered so much into the construction of
pianos.
ing the most up-to-date sample of receiving
* * *
set or accessory; orders are good and the
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
Simplified
practice
cuts out waste. Less
whole factory is running economically.
We have in course of preparation, For publication early to the present year,
waste
means
lower
cost.
Lower
costs
mean
Tomorrow an impecunious looking party
a work to be known as
lower
selling
prices.
Lower
prices
mean
larger
T h o R i i i u r c ' r i n i H o TO THB PIANO, ORGAN AND
with a gaze of concentration walks into the
As its title indicates, this new work will present, in unequivocal terms and
office and unfolds from an old newspaper sales. Larger sales mean more work for the
with the utmost fairness, the claims of the various instruments to which it will
wrapping a model of something that makes factory, continuous operation, continuous em-
be devoted.
ployment,
steady
earnings,
continued
buying,
It will not be an Advertising fledium.
the manufacturer feel dizzy with dismay. Then
No provision will be made for special advertising and there will be no cl,.,. ,.
again, it may only evoke a smile of pity. The and therefore more sales!
for the fair and impartial estimates placed upon the industries enumerated.
thing in the newspaper may be a valuable im-
Copies Free to Dealers.
One copy of the BUYERS' GUIDE will be supplied gratis to piano, organ and
Nearly every piano manufacturer now in-
provement or even a "sure enough new way,"
music dealers. SEND IN YOUR ADDRESS NOW, WITH STAMPS < 4c > FOR POST-
or it may be the worthless dream of some cludes period designs in his line. Some of the
AGE, AND IT WILL BE ENTERED FOR FREE COPY. Later copies will be sup-
plied for 15 cents per copy, or $1.50 per dozen by express. The hook will be ot
mere crank. Anyway, the unknown irrepres- makers are distinguished by the extent of
inestimable value in closing sales and in strengthening your pianos, if they are
reputable ones. Address:
sible inventing geniuses keep the known in- their period models and truth to types is
THE PRESTO COMPANY
pointed out as a feature to be proud of. The
ventors of the radio trade guessing.
324 Dearborn St.,
GMIGrtGO. ILLINOIS.
The piano man sees in the radio industry's selection of the forms involved keen study
trepidation an analogy to the circumstances of the furniture of the various periods, the
of the piano manufacturer not so very many services of the best designers and the most
J2T The Buyers' Guide JZ
years ago. The piano business was going expert carvers.
THIRTY YEARS AGO
i ne B u y e r s
u u i a e
GEM*AL MUSIC TRADK. X
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