Presto
Issue: 1931 2257 - Page 7
April, 1931
PRESTO-TIMES
A GREAT SIGN TELLING OF
ROLL EXPERTNESS IN
HEATON'S MUSIC STORE'S
THE PIANO BUSINESS
NEW LOCATION, COLUMBUS The music roll business is now so limited in the
number of firms engaged in it that it might be said
One must draw a long breath before trying to give, this is the day of the "survival of the fittest," which
in one sentence, all the official titles that belong to is just about telling the exact truth. And truth is
Otto Heaton of Columbus, Ohio.
stranger than fiction, more surprising and exciting
For Mr. Heaton is vice-chairman of the American to the curiosity than any other anomaly found in the
Citizenship Foundation, president of the National As- minds and affairs of men. The number of firms
sociation of Music Merchants, a director of the Na- manufacturing music rolls in this country has been
tional Bureau for the Advancement of Music and the whittled down until today there are somewhere about
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce, as well as half a dozen still engaged in it.
past president of the Ampico Art Society and the But there is one firm that is up to the eyes in the
Piano and Radio Merchants Association of Ohio. roll-making business, and that unit is the Clark
Also president of the board of the Neil Avenue United Orchestra Roll Co., of DeKalb, 111. Now, why is
Presbyterian church, a Knight Templar, Shriner, that firm so busy and why are its rolls in such uni-
Rotarian, member of the Metropolitan Park Commit- versal demand? The answer is a double one. First,
tee, Chamber of Commerce, Columbus Country Club, continuing through thick and thin in welldoing; sec-
Buckeye Lake Yacht Club, Harbor Hills Golf Club, ondly, because it is headed by Ernest G. Clark, the
"Hole in One Club" and the American Federation of
most expert of roll manufacturers.
Musicians. He lives at the Deshler-Wallick Hotel,
Mr. Clark was in at the birth of the roll business.
Columbus.
For many years he was superintendent of the QRS
His music store has changed its location twice Music Roll Co.'s great plants in Chicago—a concern
since he established it in 1910. Last month it was founded by his brother, the late Melville Clark. Ernest
Clark built up this business from the day of small
beginnings when it had a comparatively small plant
on West Madison street, Chicago, and later was su-
perintendent of it at a time when it had a mammoth
factory at South Kedzie avenue and West 48th place
—a plant which Thomas Pletcher declared was "a
$3,000,000 plant."
Later Mr. Clark started his own business at DeKalb,
111., where it has grown steadily, surely, and counts
its customers in many lands and in many tongues.
Mr. Clark foresees no loss to the music roll industry
for the future, for the passive condition of the auto-
matic music making machines is over and is now re-
placed by activity in demand. The expert roll maker
is in a position to do much for the cause of the auto-
matics and the combination instruments and Mr.
moved into its new location at 78 North High street, Clark is heading this list of doers.
as was stated in the March issue of Presto-Times.
The accompanying picture shows one of the great
signs announcing the new location and the pianos
that the company is selling as its leaders.
Otto C. Zimpfer, grand piano salesman de luxe, has
been associated with Otto B. Heaton in Columbus,
Ohio, for more than 20 years. At the age of 21 he
It is high time that music dealers stop and consider
became a member of the United States Army Band. a bit what is happening in the industry, and those
Studied at the New England Conservatory of Music, manufacturers who seem to believe that "pride of
became an artist tuner and piano technician in one of ownership" and other motives which have always
the famous old Boston piano factories. He returned helped sell QUALITY over cheapness have disap-
to his home town in 1911 to "join up" with Heaton's peared entirely off the face of the earth. They are
Music Store. Here he has remained ever since. He most terrifically mistaken in their belief that price
is a member of the Civitan Club, assistant director of and price only will sell instruments. Price and price
the Aladdin Shrine Band, composer and all 'round only will sell them if manufacturers and dealers keep
good fellow. Much interested in the musical welfare on harping on just this one subject, cutting down and
of Columbus people. His brother, Fred Zimpfer, eventually eliminating entirely all their profits in order
almost elected mayor, has been re-elected several to get business just on price.
times to the city council. As a result of Mr. Zimp-
People have heard enough about price, and it's high
fer's active participation in musical activities, and time for dealers and manufacturers to put a check on
continuous piano selling for one house over a period the "buy the cheapest instrument" tendency which
of so many years, he has a host of followers. The their competitive activities have aroused. If it's not
ideal combination for success. Mr. Zimpfer is doing checked and if united effort is not made right soon to
a highly satisfactory business even in these depressed more than ever convince the public that good instru-
days. He is quite enthusiastic about the future of the ments are the more economical in the long run and
industry. With his wife and two daughters he resides the best to buy, even now, the business will rapidly
in a beautiful home at 591 Bulen avenue.
deteriorate to such an extent that it will not be worth
while to anyone. A GOOD INSTRUMENT CAN-
NOT BE BUILT TO SELL CHEAP.
COAST-TO-COAST PLANE SERVICE
Why encourage this sort of thing any longer? Tell
Chicago is now the heart of the nation's first the fellow who offers a cheaper instrument that this
coast-to-coast night and day passenger plane service, cut-throat business has gone far enough and you're
which began April 1 when planes departed simultan- willing, if necessary, to work a bit harder to sell
eously from Chicago for the Statue of Liberty on the "good" instruments, thereby giving your customers
east and the Golden Gate on the west. The new serv- instruments on which they can really play and which
ice means much to Chicago manufacturing and whole- will be a help to them and a credit to you.
sale firms and business in general. There are two
T H E MARTIN BAND INSTRUMENT CO.,
passenger planes to New York daily and three to
O. P. Bassett, President.
San Francisco and Los Angeles. It is possible to
Elkhart, Ind.
leave New York at 9 a. m., have a late lunch in Chi-
cago and reach San Francisco or Los Angeles the
following noon. The schedules call for a 28-hour
flight from California to New York; 20 hours to Chi-
cago from California, and 8 hours between New York
and Chicago. The service, flown with tri-motored
transports carrying mail, express and passengers, en-
In private life, the "Happiness Man" is Leon M.
ables business men in Chicago to reach practically any Lang, director of the division for the advancement of
point in the west within one day. Cities served are: music, at Lyon & Healy. For thirty years Mr. Lang
New York, Cleveland, Toledo, Chicago, Iowa City, was associated with a prominent music house on the
Des Moines, Omaha, Lincoln, Cheyenne, Denver, Salt Pacific coast.
Lake City, Reno, Sacramento, Oakland, San Fran-
Then he resigned to go into welfare work, resolved,
cisco, Los Angeles, Portland, Tacoma, Seattle and as he said, "to give back to the world some of the
Spokane.
happiness, joy and satisfaction I have taken from it."
He toured the country giving his musical story before
Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, civic and service clubs. Grad-
PEARSON BACK FROM THE SOUTH
ually he has earned for himself the name of "Happi-
George C. Pearson, of the Pearson Piano Co., In- ness Man" and as such Mr. Lang has won wide
dianapolis, has returned from the South where he popularity on the air.
spent several months' vacation. He is in the best of
Steinway & Sons wired all their dealers to listen
health and takes an active part in the affairs of the in to Mr. Lang's broadcasts one evening last month
company.
over WGN and WMAQ.
WHERE IS THIS "PRICE"
BUSINESS TAKING US?
"THE HAPPINESS MAN"
OF LYON & HEALY
There are Many Reasons Why the
M. SCHULZ CO.
Line of Pianos
GRANDS, UPRIGHTS
PLAYERS
Are Easy Sellers
They Combine Quality
with Appearance in a
Most Remarkable
Manner.
—A Line That Gives
Satisfaction to the Pub-
lic and Is a Money-
Maker for the Dealer.
Their G R A N D S Are
W o n d e r f u l . Their
UPRIGHTS Are Stand-
ards of Excellence.
M. SCHULZ CO.
711 Milwaukee Avenue
CHICAGO
WHEN TONE
IS DESIRED THE
F. RADLE
FULFILS THE
REQUIREMENTS
The piano is the result of long ex-
perience and ambition to attain a
position of eminence.
CLEAR, BEAUTIFUL TONE
is a distinctive feature of F. Radle
Pianos and the case designs are
always original.
F. RADLE, Inc.
ESTABLISHED MO
609-611 W. 30TH STREET
NEW YORK, U. S. A.
Pianos When Equipped with
A. C. Cheney Actions
are capable of giving forth their
best musical qualities.
An A. C. Cheney Action is the sort
of intermediate mechanical agency
without the help of which good
piano music cannot be produced.
Order directly from the
A. C. CHENEY PIANO
ACTION COMPANY
CASTLETON, N. Y.
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/
PRESTO-TIMES
A GREAT SIGN TELLING OF
ROLL EXPERTNESS IN
HEATON'S MUSIC STORE'S
THE PIANO BUSINESS
NEW LOCATION, COLUMBUS The music roll business is now so limited in the
number of firms engaged in it that it might be said
One must draw a long breath before trying to give, this is the day of the "survival of the fittest," which
in one sentence, all the official titles that belong to is just about telling the exact truth. And truth is
Otto Heaton of Columbus, Ohio.
stranger than fiction, more surprising and exciting
For Mr. Heaton is vice-chairman of the American to the curiosity than any other anomaly found in the
Citizenship Foundation, president of the National As- minds and affairs of men. The number of firms
sociation of Music Merchants, a director of the Na- manufacturing music rolls in this country has been
tional Bureau for the Advancement of Music and the whittled down until today there are somewhere about
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce, as well as half a dozen still engaged in it.
past president of the Ampico Art Society and the But there is one firm that is up to the eyes in the
Piano and Radio Merchants Association of Ohio. roll-making business, and that unit is the Clark
Also president of the board of the Neil Avenue United Orchestra Roll Co., of DeKalb, 111. Now, why is
Presbyterian church, a Knight Templar, Shriner, that firm so busy and why are its rolls in such uni-
Rotarian, member of the Metropolitan Park Commit- versal demand? The answer is a double one. First,
tee, Chamber of Commerce, Columbus Country Club, continuing through thick and thin in welldoing; sec-
Buckeye Lake Yacht Club, Harbor Hills Golf Club, ondly, because it is headed by Ernest G. Clark, the
"Hole in One Club" and the American Federation of
most expert of roll manufacturers.
Musicians. He lives at the Deshler-Wallick Hotel,
Mr. Clark was in at the birth of the roll business.
Columbus.
For many years he was superintendent of the QRS
His music store has changed its location twice Music Roll Co.'s great plants in Chicago—a concern
since he established it in 1910. Last month it was founded by his brother, the late Melville Clark. Ernest
Clark built up this business from the day of small
beginnings when it had a comparatively small plant
on West Madison street, Chicago, and later was su-
perintendent of it at a time when it had a mammoth
factory at South Kedzie avenue and West 48th place
—a plant which Thomas Pletcher declared was "a
$3,000,000 plant."
Later Mr. Clark started his own business at DeKalb,
111., where it has grown steadily, surely, and counts
its customers in many lands and in many tongues.
Mr. Clark foresees no loss to the music roll industry
for the future, for the passive condition of the auto-
matic music making machines is over and is now re-
placed by activity in demand. The expert roll maker
is in a position to do much for the cause of the auto-
matics and the combination instruments and Mr.
moved into its new location at 78 North High street, Clark is heading this list of doers.
as was stated in the March issue of Presto-Times.
The accompanying picture shows one of the great
signs announcing the new location and the pianos
that the company is selling as its leaders.
Otto C. Zimpfer, grand piano salesman de luxe, has
been associated with Otto B. Heaton in Columbus,
Ohio, for more than 20 years. At the age of 21 he
It is high time that music dealers stop and consider
became a member of the United States Army Band. a bit what is happening in the industry, and those
Studied at the New England Conservatory of Music, manufacturers who seem to believe that "pride of
became an artist tuner and piano technician in one of ownership" and other motives which have always
the famous old Boston piano factories. He returned helped sell QUALITY over cheapness have disap-
to his home town in 1911 to "join up" with Heaton's peared entirely off the face of the earth. They are
Music Store. Here he has remained ever since. He most terrifically mistaken in their belief that price
is a member of the Civitan Club, assistant director of and price only will sell instruments. Price and price
the Aladdin Shrine Band, composer and all 'round only will sell them if manufacturers and dealers keep
good fellow. Much interested in the musical welfare on harping on just this one subject, cutting down and
of Columbus people. His brother, Fred Zimpfer, eventually eliminating entirely all their profits in order
almost elected mayor, has been re-elected several to get business just on price.
times to the city council. As a result of Mr. Zimp-
People have heard enough about price, and it's high
fer's active participation in musical activities, and time for dealers and manufacturers to put a check on
continuous piano selling for one house over a period the "buy the cheapest instrument" tendency which
of so many years, he has a host of followers. The their competitive activities have aroused. If it's not
ideal combination for success. Mr. Zimpfer is doing checked and if united effort is not made right soon to
a highly satisfactory business even in these depressed more than ever convince the public that good instru-
days. He is quite enthusiastic about the future of the ments are the more economical in the long run and
industry. With his wife and two daughters he resides the best to buy, even now, the business will rapidly
in a beautiful home at 591 Bulen avenue.
deteriorate to such an extent that it will not be worth
while to anyone. A GOOD INSTRUMENT CAN-
NOT BE BUILT TO SELL CHEAP.
COAST-TO-COAST PLANE SERVICE
Why encourage this sort of thing any longer? Tell
Chicago is now the heart of the nation's first the fellow who offers a cheaper instrument that this
coast-to-coast night and day passenger plane service, cut-throat business has gone far enough and you're
which began April 1 when planes departed simultan- willing, if necessary, to work a bit harder to sell
eously from Chicago for the Statue of Liberty on the "good" instruments, thereby giving your customers
east and the Golden Gate on the west. The new serv- instruments on which they can really play and which
ice means much to Chicago manufacturing and whole- will be a help to them and a credit to you.
sale firms and business in general. There are two
T H E MARTIN BAND INSTRUMENT CO.,
passenger planes to New York daily and three to
O. P. Bassett, President.
San Francisco and Los Angeles. It is possible to
Elkhart, Ind.
leave New York at 9 a. m., have a late lunch in Chi-
cago and reach San Francisco or Los Angeles the
following noon. The schedules call for a 28-hour
flight from California to New York; 20 hours to Chi-
cago from California, and 8 hours between New York
and Chicago. The service, flown with tri-motored
transports carrying mail, express and passengers, en-
In private life, the "Happiness Man" is Leon M.
ables business men in Chicago to reach practically any Lang, director of the division for the advancement of
point in the west within one day. Cities served are: music, at Lyon & Healy. For thirty years Mr. Lang
New York, Cleveland, Toledo, Chicago, Iowa City, was associated with a prominent music house on the
Des Moines, Omaha, Lincoln, Cheyenne, Denver, Salt Pacific coast.
Lake City, Reno, Sacramento, Oakland, San Fran-
Then he resigned to go into welfare work, resolved,
cisco, Los Angeles, Portland, Tacoma, Seattle and as he said, "to give back to the world some of the
Spokane.
happiness, joy and satisfaction I have taken from it."
He toured the country giving his musical story before
Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, civic and service clubs. Grad-
PEARSON BACK FROM THE SOUTH
ually he has earned for himself the name of "Happi-
George C. Pearson, of the Pearson Piano Co., In- ness Man" and as such Mr. Lang has won wide
dianapolis, has returned from the South where he popularity on the air.
spent several months' vacation. He is in the best of
Steinway & Sons wired all their dealers to listen
health and takes an active part in the affairs of the in to Mr. Lang's broadcasts one evening last month
company.
over WGN and WMAQ.
WHERE IS THIS "PRICE"
BUSINESS TAKING US?
"THE HAPPINESS MAN"
OF LYON & HEALY
There are Many Reasons Why the
M. SCHULZ CO.
Line of Pianos
GRANDS, UPRIGHTS
PLAYERS
Are Easy Sellers
They Combine Quality
with Appearance in a
Most Remarkable
Manner.
—A Line That Gives
Satisfaction to the Pub-
lic and Is a Money-
Maker for the Dealer.
Their G R A N D S Are
W o n d e r f u l . Their
UPRIGHTS Are Stand-
ards of Excellence.
M. SCHULZ CO.
711 Milwaukee Avenue
CHICAGO
WHEN TONE
IS DESIRED THE
F. RADLE
FULFILS THE
REQUIREMENTS
The piano is the result of long ex-
perience and ambition to attain a
position of eminence.
CLEAR, BEAUTIFUL TONE
is a distinctive feature of F. Radle
Pianos and the case designs are
always original.
F. RADLE, Inc.
ESTABLISHED MO
609-611 W. 30TH STREET
NEW YORK, U. S. A.
Pianos When Equipped with
A. C. Cheney Actions
are capable of giving forth their
best musical qualities.
An A. C. Cheney Action is the sort
of intermediate mechanical agency
without the help of which good
piano music cannot be produced.
Order directly from the
A. C. CHENEY PIANO
ACTION COMPANY
CASTLETON, N. Y.
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).