Presto

P R E S T O-T I M E S
12
November, 1930
Dollars and Sense in Piano Business
How Leading Houses Attract Trade and Bring in
Business and Dollars
BALDWIN
The Lee Thagard Music Co., Oklahoma City, in
announcing their appointment as Baldwin distributor
say: The music loving public of this city is cordially
invited to inspect these triumphs of piano craftsman-
ship. You will be well repaid by a personal examina-
tion and trial—We will be glad to have you in.
the world's finest piano, now only slightly costlier than
any other piano made. Mason & Hamlin, a name that
carries real pride of ownership."
STEINWAY.
C. C. Mellor Co., 604 Wood street, Wheeling, W.
Va.—"If you are thinking of a piano, why not get the
best? For more than 67 years Steinway piano has en-
joyed international fame for its extraordinary beauty
CHICKERING.
San Antonio Music Co., 316 West Commerce street. of tone."
The Thearle Music Co., A. D. LaMotte, president,
Fort Worth, Tex., speaks of the Chickering as "Chick-
cring, America's oldest piano is now its handsomest." 640 Broadway, San Diego, Calif., quotes Earnest
Hutchinson as follows: "In our opinion the Steinway
GULBRANSEN.
Of the Gulbransen Grand the Song Shop at Liv- is quite without equal, not only in its beauty and
grandeur of tone, but in its remarkable qualities of
ingston, Mont., says: "The piano you will eventually
endurance.
We have never in our experience had any-
want in your home, built by piano builders of the old
school, of the finest materials possible to buy, and thing but praise for its performance."
The Anderson-Newcomb Co., Huntingdon, W. Va.,
carrying the Gulbransen five-year guarantee.
says: "Few things today are really built to last. But
KRAKAUER
the Steinway is a notable exception. It is made like
The Birkel Music Co., 446 S. Broadway, Los An- a watch, inside and out. Only the finest workman-
geles, Calif., speak of one of their leaders, the Kra- ship and materials enter into it. For 30, 40 or 50
kauer in the follow terms: For more than 60 years years and more it will continue to bring delight and
Krakauer name has stood for all that is good and entertainment to your family. You need never buy
desirable in piano tone and piano construction. Made another piano. Such durability as this spells real
by a family of musicians, the Krakauer meets the economy."
requirements of the critical. The schools of New
Jenkins Music Co., 313 North Penn street, Inde-
York city have several hundred Krakauer pianos in pendence, Kan., is handling the Steinway pianos, of
daily use and there are hundreds of them in use in which it says in the Independence Daily Reporter:
other conservatories, schools and homes throughout "Steinway, most famous, because no other has a tone
the United States.
of such loveliness. It is the choice of practically every
leading pianist. Most famous, because no other com-
KURTZMANN.
Of the Kurtzmann piano, manufactured by C. pares with it in durability—30, 40 and even 50 years
Kurtzmann & Co., Buffalo, N. Y., the Birkel Music of service finds the Steinway still a source of musical
Co., 446-448 South Broadway, Los Angeles, Calif., joy and satisfaction."
Walter D. Moses & Co., 103 Fast Broad street,
says: "The Kurtzmann is as well loved as it is well
Richmond, Ya., which claims to be the oldest music
built. Craftsmen have fashioned a truly superior
house in Virginia and North Carolina, says: "We are
piano. Beauty of tone within is rivaled by beauty
sole Steinway representatives in this section. The
of design without. Here is an instrument to grace
Steinway piano is for those who desire the best the
the home, the studio or conservatory."
world affords in a piano. Every visitor to a Steinway
KIMBALL.
piano owner's home will pay tribute to the good taste
Fitzgerald Music House, Los Angeles, Calif., bring
of the owner. Steinway prices are moderate and
out the Kimball pianos in this manner: "Before Lin- credit terms convenient."
coln was nationally known Kimball pianos were fa-
mous for tone and favorites in homes. Present-day
Kimball prestige is rooted deep in the soil of seventy
years of proven superiority."
Frederickson-Kroh Music Co., 407 West Main
In a former letter I recited the condition of the
street,'Oklahoma City, Okla., is handling the Kimball piano business at Warren and mentioned that T an-
and speaks of it as follows: "Kimball pianos—your
ticipated running an auction sale for used pianos.
assurance of true value, beautiful tone, artistic design, This auction sale netted $800 worth of business—of
superior workmanship. Backed by a policy that has course this was all used pianos and players. At pri-
commanded the confidence and admiration of the vate sale, as result of the auction publicity, for one
nation's piano buyers for three generations."
week following I sold in the neighborhood of fifteen
KNABE.
pianos at regular prices. There will be many a doubt-
The Robelen Piano Co., 710 Market street, Wil- ing Thomas, but it is nevertheless a fact that since
mington, Del., makes these statements: "The Knabe about August 8 and up to the present writing I have
piano has long been known as the ideal small grand
sold sixty-six pianos out of this store. A third of
for the home. Captivating beauty of tone."
that number have been used pianos, and the balance
Lehman Piano Co., St. Louis, Mo., declares: "You new ones. This business is accounted for by two
who contemplate purchasing a new piano, one that is reasons—the fact that I have been running a sale by
in accord with the finer things in life, have but to newspaper campaign, and also the fact that the public
play and hear the Knabe, Its fame has spread to schools of this county are now teaching piano. I
every civilized corner of the world where culture pre- could scarcely believe that times are hard, since it
vails. It is a mark of distinction to own a Knabe." is true that I have sold at least twelve pianos for spot
cash during the past month.
STARR.
W. P. HARE.
M. F. Shea, 242 Fifth avenue, N., Nashville, Tenn.,
Warren, Ohio, Oct. 18, 1930.
says: "If you're thinking of buying a new piano, come
here and look at a Starr grand. No matter how much
VOGUE PIANO IS GAINING.
you pay, you'll find no better value than this wonder-
H. B. Morenus, whose business is at La Porte, In-
ful instrument. It has true beauty of tone."
diana, and started the early part of this year, says
Knabe
that his business has been growing steadily, and inci-
Jenkins Music Co., 223 West Main street, Oklahoma dentally Presto-Times knows of a considerable num-
City, in offering the latest model Baby Grand Starr
ber of dealers that not only gave an initial order to
piano, declare that it is "a new Starr Grand of typical
Mr. Morenus, but have continued their orders and are
superior construction and tonal qualities."
finding the Morenus product, the Vogue piano, a good
seller. He says further that things "look very bright,
MASON & HAMLIN.
indeed, for the future and my business is growing
The Cable Piano Co., 301 South Wabash avenue
stronger every day."
at Jackson boulevard, Chicago, with branch stores in
18 other Illinois cities, rejoices by saying the Mason
& Hamlin pianoforte is now "at home at Cable's ready
RADIO'S WIDE USE IN U. S. A.
to greet old friends and meet new ones! For three-
Radio receiving sets in use in the United States on
quarters of a century the Mason & Hamlin has been
July 1 were estimated by the commerce department
the beloved associate of great musicians, the chosen
at 13,478,000. New York state, with 1,752,000. had
instrument in homes of culture. On this, our fiftieth
the largest number. California was second with 1,-
anniversary, we are particularly proud to display the
470,000 sets, or more than several states which ex-
piano which is musically the most beautiful the world
ceeded it in population. Other state totals were: Illi-
has ever known."
nois 1,060,000, Pennsylvania 977,000. Ohio 845.000,
Massachusetts 656,000. Michigan 627,000, and New
C. C. Miller, 510-512 Throckmorton street, Fort
fersev 453,000.
Worth, Tex., says of his leader: "Mason & Hamlin,
HARE SOLD SIXTYSIX PIANOS
TRADE REVIVAL IS
MANIFEST AT DENVER
While no one will flatly deny that "times are hard"
because of much unemployment, some of the best-
posted men are of the opinion that the business reces-
sion has tired itself out and that normal conditions
are really on the way; in fact, arrived in some sections,
and Denver is given credit as one place where a revival
is manifest.
Knight-Campbell Music Co. is offering 100 new
grand pianos at $485 each, the first payment $25 and
$25 per month. A full newspaper page was used to
herald the event, and it was illlastrated with the pic-
ture of a young lady and it was stated: "There is
no thrill to match her glow of pride when first she
sees her living room touched with the glory of a
grand piano," and the way she is pictured, she asserts
the truth of the statement. Then there is a large
illustration of the room with the piano prominently
displayed. Photographs of the pianos and full de-
scription is sent to all who are interested, no obliga-
tion.
The Chas. E. Wells Music Co. announces the ar-
rival of a carload of Gulbransen pianos, 24 models,
honest value, prices and terms to suit. Wells slogan
is: "Everything in music." In addition to a large
copyrighted advertisement in the newspapers, Wells
ran a small ad in the papers reading: "See our window
showing of the popular Gulbransen piano styles."
This small ad was scattered throughout the news
pages where all who read the paper will perforce see
it. A real good idea.
The radio is increasing in favor and if the conversa-
tions heard mean what they say, there will be a big
sale of these instruments as Christmas gifts, and this
conclusion is based upon facts and not guess work.
NEW YORK PIANO MEN ARE
LIVENING UP FALL TRADE
October and November days have seen the New
York piano merchants going back into newspaper
advertising in a way that is bound to stir up public
interest. The Aeolian Co. recently closed a widely
advertised clearance sale. Steinway & Sons and the
American Piano Corporation are keeping their names
and the merits of their fine pianos consistently before
the Manhattan public. Kranich & Bach have also
been doing some fine advertising stressing quality and
Sohmer & Co. have been advertising their Primrose
Grand and also have announced several special sales
through the newspapers.
The Aeolian Co. continues to hustle after business
both at retail and wholesale. Mr. Fink, manager of
the Aeolian wholesale department, is making a trip
through the far west, which will keep him away from
the city for another month at least. Mr. Addams
has just started on an extensive southern trip and Mr.
Pritchett is making visits to the Aeolian representa-
tives in the middle west.
BIG SUCCESS SELLING BALDWINS.
The Melody Music Shop. Billings, Mont., is owned
by Peter A. D'Amico and Angelo A. D'Amico, Jr.
These men recently wrote to the Baldwin Piano Co.:
"We started in the piano business December 1, 1927,
without any knowledge whatever of the business.
One of the present owners, Peter, was in the drug
business and the other, Angelo. Jr., was a crane
operator. We had heard enough about the Baldwin
to feel that everyone knew what the word Baldwin
meant and we have since found out that we can call
on customers fifty miles inland and away from any
railroad, yet when we mention Baldwin they know
what it is all about. We had to learn our methods.
But it's not hard to sell pianos that you know have
a reliable manufacturer behind them and you feel
yourself that the pianos you sell made by the House
of Baldwin will make you a friend who will swear by
you. To date we have sold 225 pianos and the results
show that we are on the right track."
Captain Sparks of the Sparks-Withington Co.. Jack-
son, Mich., returned from Europe on the S.S. Levia-
than on November 3. He attended several radio
shows and exhibitions in Europe.
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