Presto

September IS, 1929
THIRTY=FIVE YEARS AGO
(From The Presto, Sept. 13, 1894.)
An event in the Cincinnati trade was the formal
opening, on Saturday last, of the Hockett Bros. Pun-
tenney Co., whose elegant wareroom is at the corner
of Fourth and Elm streets.
Mr. George J. Dowling has resigned his position
with the Vose & Sons Company, and has joined the
forces of the Briggs Piano Company. Mr. Dowling
is an experienced and valuable man and will un-
doubtedly prove a valuable acquisition to the Briggs
staff of hustlers.
Mr. Frederick T. Steinway returned last week
from his European trip. He derived great benefit in
health from the months he spent abroad and looks
the picture of health.
E. E. Forbes, of Anniston,, Ala., a well-known
Chicago Cottage organ man, is just recovering from
a severe attack of typhoid fever.
Mr. John C. Freund, editor of "Music Trades," is
expected in Cincinnati today—Thursday.
Mr. Leo Heerwagen, of the Farrand & Votey Co.,
has returned from a Southern trip.
Mr. C. A. Daniell, a well-known trade paper man
and member of the music trade, has been with The
Presto for some time past and will continue with
this paper. Mr. Daniell has been traveling in the
East and has visited many important music trade
centers in the interest of The Presto.
In another part of this paper will be found an ex-
tract regarding the great exposition to be held in
Paris in 1900, which will undoubtedly prove of con-
siderable interest. While it is yet early for the music
trade to consider the advisability of participating in
that great fair, it will not be amiss to seriously con-
sider what the French people propose to offer and
to do. There is but little doubt that the American
muscal industries will be well represented at that
exposition, especially as between now and 1900 there
will be nothing to distract attention from that object,
that is, in the way of smaller and less important
affairs.
Things are wearing a busy appearance at D. H.
Baldwin & Co.'s, Cincinnati. Mr. Armstrong, who
"has the floor," is one of the most genial men in the
trade. He spoke enthusiastically of the progress of
the "Baldwin" piano, and is confident that a season
of brisk business for the retailers is near at hand.
In recording some of the impressions gathered by
the senior editor of this paper on his recent trip
abroad, The Presto, in a late issue referred to the
house of Broadwood and its quaint location in Great
Pulteney street, London. It was remarked that we
were fortunate in having as a guide through the his-
toric English piano warerooms so distinguished a gen-
tleman as Mr. Algernon S. Rose, F. S. A. There are
few connected with the piano trade in any part of the
world who have attained distinction in so many
branches of intellectual endeavor as Mr. Rose. He
is a many-sided man, and we can scarcely speak of
him in terms to satisfy our meed of admiration. Mr.
Rose is not only a skillful piano man and a litera-
teur, but a composer of very successful salon pieces,
also. One of his latest compositions is the "C'est
Moi" waltzes, published by Chappel, and which has
been accepted by the Queen. Mr. Rose is now writ-
ing a book of interest to musicians, entitled "Talks
with Bandsmen."
Richmond, Ind., "Register":
James M. Starr,
whose picture the "Register" presents today, is one
of Richmond's foremost citizens in point of industry,
enterprise, philanthropy and public spirit. He has
been an employer of men all his life; he has paid out
hundreds of thousands of dollars in wages, and yet
in his long and useful career he has never had any
serious trouble with his men.
Mathushek & Son have opened a very handsome
branch store in New Brunswick, N. J., under the
management of Mr. James A. Nichols, who has had
a succeessful career as a salesman.
Sohmer & Company sold four grand pianos in one
day this veek. They were two "babies," one bijou
and one concert. The baby grands were sold to
New Yorkers, while the bijou and concert grand went
to Passaic and Yonkers.
There was a great deal of enjoyment in meeting
the American music trade men across the water. One
would find them almost everywhere, and the hearty
hand clasp was never more fervently given. It
would not be surprising if the American colony in
Europe is largely increased next year by trade men.
Everyone who knows Mr. Melville Clark, of the
Story & Clark Organ Company, knows that he is
one of the politest men living, especially where ladies
are concerned. Mr. Clark, although he has often vis-
ited England, has now become reconciled to the
average British contempt for the comforts of the
fair sex, and on one occasion, at least, his indigna-
tion was effectual in preserving some ladies from,
annoyance. While traveling from Hyde Park to Lon-
don he saw a husky Briton blowing smoke into the
faces of two ladies, to their great disgust and dis-
comfort. Mr. Clark politely asked the fellow to stop,
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but the only reply was that the carriage they were
in was a "smoker" and he would smoke if he wanted
to. Mr. Clark was not disposed to give up tamely
and gently intimated that it was a case of quit smok-
ing or get thrown out. The Briton did not relish
either prospect but, after sizing Mr. Clark up, he
concluded that another car would do as well to smoke
in and went out as peacefully as a lamb. And again
was American gallantry demonstrated.
(From The Presto, Sept. 20, 1894.)
The Presto is now located at Suite 705 Monon
Building, 324 Dearborn street, in new and commo-
dious quarters. A hearty invitation is extended to
all to visit us.
Mr. Nahum Stetson, of Steinway & Sons, did not
honor Chicago with a very long visit. His stay was
limited, as he arrived in the city on Saturday morn-
ing and left on Saturday night. He tells us that the
Sienway business in New York is simply booming
and that Steinway representatives the country over
send in the most encouraging reports and substan-
tial orders as well. Mr. Stetson went from here to
St. Louis.
Mr. James E. Healy, who looked after Lyon &
Healy's interests at the Antwerp Exposition, is now
visiting Italy and will return to America after he has
taken a holiday in the most important cities of that
land. His two brothers who were also at Antwerp
were, at last accounts, enjoying themselves in South-
ern Germany.
Louisville, too, is blessed with some of the "refin-
ing influence" in the trade. On Market street the
cign over the door of a pretty music store reads "The
Peterson Sisters." And the ladies are doing a good
business.
We know of a reliable piano maker in New York
who would like to make arrangements to transfer his
plant to the West, Chicago preferred. The p'ano is a
well-known one, and has had a long and honorable
career and should prove a good investment if modern
budners methods are employed in placing it before
the trade and public. Here is a chance for capitalists
desiring to enter the piano business. Confidential in-
formation can be secured through this paper.
Qu'etly, without even so much as a trumpet blast
in the music trade papers, the W. W. Kimball Co.'s
magnificent Louisville house was opened on the first
of th"s month. It is at 648 Fourth Avenue, nearly
opposite the new Government building and postoffice
and next to the Smith & Nixon warerooms.
J. H. Wagoner, of Rochester, Minn., generally man-
ages to let the people of his town know that he is
awake and doing business. He had a procession of
h's own the other day, consisting of four drays loaded
with pianos and organs, which attracted much atten-
tion.
One passing down the corner of State and Monroe
streets cannot help contrasting the present appearance
of the old Lyon & Healy premises with that when
they were in occupancy. Then it was trim and neat
and the tastefully dressed windows were a delight
to passers-by. Now it is sadly down at the heels,
is unkempt and shabby and wears the Cheap John
bargain store appearance. I only make mention of
this to show that even as men are as their thoughts
co are stores as their tenants.
The well known house of Freyer & Bradley,
Atlanta, Ga.. held their "Fall Opening," Sept. 11, and
their spacious warerooms were thronged with a de-
lighted audience that listened appreciatively to the fine
musical program presented and admired the beautiful
ctock of instruments on view.
C. R. Stone, dealer of Fargo, N. D., has copy-
righted a new chord chart, which enables a child, or
anyone without knowledge of music to play any
major or minor chord on the piano or organ.
GETTING INTO T H E STEINWAY CLASS.
P I A N O S ; NOT A TOUGH GAME
F O R STEINWAY.
The Continental Radio Corporation, Ft. Wayne,
Tnd., sets forth the good merits of its own product
and its selling advantages in the following announce-
ment over the signature of Carl D. Boyd, president.
In the circular headed "Pianos—Not a Tough Game
for Steinway," Mr. Boyd says:
"You know Steinway. We all do. Thirty years
before the first 'gas buggy' clattered down the street,
Steinway set out to build the world's best piano—•
and is st'll at it. Well, here's a fact about Steinway
that's significant to radio men. Steinway has just
completed a tremendously successful year—in the
face of the stiffest competition that the piano indus-
try has ever met. Maybe we do shower dimes on
Woolworth. But, with the other hand we buy the
Steinway class of goods for the pleasure and the
pride-of-ownership they bring. And there's the op-
portunity for the radio industry—an opportunity to
side step the melee of mass production—when six
million 'price type' radios try to crowd in where only
three million went before. Indeed, we have no desire
to compete in the melee of mass production. For
mass production can't compete with the quality of
Star-Raider performance and appearance."
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...and here's the
latest style of
the triumphant
Oh. KAIDDO
THE 629
write for prices and
the Jesse French
merchandising plan.
Radio Division
Jesse French & Sons Piano Co.
NewCastle, Indiana
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