Presto
Issue: 1932 2267 - Page 7
September-October, 1932
PRESTO-TIMES
not doing, but I can say that we have a standing
rule in our store that the first person who talks de-
pression gets his pay check at the office."
The second letter was from a well-known and suc-
cessful salesman connected with an important South
Dakota music house from which we make this brief
extract:
"I have sold pianos continually for eight years with
average success and for the past three months have
consistently averaged two pianos weekly."
The first reply from a piano manufacturer reads, in
part, as follows:
"* * * \ y e have been receiving at this office many
encouraging letters from dealers throughout the
country and.some of them are referring to the prep-
arations that are being made by piano teachers in their
territory; referring to having received reports from
these teachers that their piano classes promise to be
much larger this season than they were a year ago
and that more interest is being taken in the piano.
Many of these teachers add to their letters that they
have prospects for sales and the dealers say that
they are getting many prospects, making a few sales
now and have reasons to believe that many more
will result from this piano class teaching. The writer
feels that there is going to be a satisfactory piano
business this fall."
These letters and others have been read by re-
cent visitors to Presto-Times offices and they may
be seen by anyone who desires to read them as well
as all of the Prosperity Correspondence referred to
in this article.
By the way, a lot of Gulbransen dealers have re-
ported not only marked successes with the Gulbran-
sen line of pianos but excellent volume of trade.
Hugh A. Stewart, sales manager of the piano depart-
ment of this organization, keeps a file containing
important letters received from his dealers and they
are "sure some letters." Mr. Stewart, although he
would not permit any of this correspondence to be
printed or the writers quoted without their permis-
sion, does allow persons he "has faith in" to read
them. Wonderful letters they are as showing faith
and enthusiasm in business, and piano selling activ-
ities.
Most of the interviewed piano manufacturers have
written letters, more or less optimistic, some, how-
ever guarded in their prognostications and only a few
really pessimistic communications received. Here are
a few quotations from letters:
The Baldwin Piano Company reiterated a state-
ment made in a circular letter to their dealers that the
sales of the Baldwin retail stores in August and Sep-
tember clearly show that business is on the upgrade.
Sales in dollars exceeded this same period in 1931 and
twice as many Baldwins were sold in August this
year as in August, 1931, while the sales of all pianos
exceeded August, 1931. by 15 per cent. They com-
ment further as follows: "Piano sales can be made.
Alert salesmen, and there are many in our organiza-
tion, are materially increasing their income. Failure
to produce can no longer be attributed to economic
conditions but to a salesman's own lack of ability."
The Wurlitzer Grand Piano Company, under date
of September 18 say that their sales for August this
year were equal to June and July put together and
that "September sales will be very much greater than
we had anticipated; in fact, we believe that from the
responses from our dealers to a recent circular letter
that it is not at all an impossibility for a situation to
develop under which there will actually be a shortage
of pianos before the first of the coming year."
The Haddorff Piano Company, per Mr. Mason,
vice-president, under date of September 17, writes:
"There is no doubt that there is an accumulated
demand for new pianos and some day it will break
loose."
Story & Clark Piano Company write: "In every
section of the country there are always some families
who have money, even in these times, to buy the
things they want for their home, so let us appeal to
them and especially to those who have children or
some one in the family who plays, or would like to
learn to play the piano. Let us seize this, our oppor-
tunity, to supply every good home with a new mod-
ern piano—a little upright or a grand. Prices are
low, in many cases far below pre-war figures, witli
discontinued models selling at lots less than the actual
factory cost. We all know that as soon as the gen-
eral economic conditions improve, prices are going up
with increased demand.
E. B. Jones, president of the Schiller Piano Com-
pany, Oregon, 111., says: "People in general are just
as much (if not more) interested in piano music as
ever. Piano merchants will be most happily surprised
with a good volume of piano sales for the remainder
of this year, provided they are fortunate enough to
get their orders filled. W T e are urging every dealer
having only a few instruments to increase his inven-
tory this month. Conditions warrant this policy. We
are not so sure that we can take care of all the busi-
ness that will be offered us in November and Decem-
ber. The gradual trend of business is upward."
SPECIAL FEATURING OF ESTEY
PIANO
The Estey piano is prominently featured in a fiftieth
anniversary announcement of the C. A. House Com-
pany, Wheeling, W. Va., with the following sentences
leading up to the Estey baby grand ofTer:
"How often you have wished for a beautiful baby
grand . . . How intensely you have hoped some day
a fine grand piano would grace your home—that day
is here NOW. The Estey piano meets every re-
quirement."
COLORADO MUSIC HOUSE FINDS SILVER-
MARSHALL LINE GREAT SELLERS
The J. L. Hatch Music House, Colorado Springs,
which concern took on the Silver-Marshall line of
radios a few weeks ago when one of the members
of the firm spent some time at the Silver-Marshall
works at West 65th street, Chicago, Since taking
the S.-M. agency repeated orders, some of them by
"hurry up" telegraph messages, have been sent in,
particularly for two of the special models known as
"Music Trade Models."
SUPER CHROMONICA
HOLDERS
THE PLAYER STILL HAS MANY FRIENDS
An admirer of the player and the reproducing piano
and one who gets much satisfaction in playing this
model of piano writes to the Will A. Watkin Music
Company, Dallas, Tex., from whom she purchased
her instrument several years ago, as follows: "I was
delighted and astonished at the performance of the
Ampico and I am inclined to agree with the late Dr.
Frank Crane that the minutest detail of musical ex-
pression is recorded in the rolls made by your favorite
artist to be played when you want it, and as many
times as you want it, in your own home."
The Will A. Watkin Company says in a recent
statement that the Ampico is used in Dallas homes as
an accompaniment for singing, and as a model for
the playing of young amateurs, as well as for pure
enjoyment of listening and for the development of
music appreciation.
FIRST CHICAGO P. AND O. MEETING OF
THE SEASON
The regular monthly meeting of the Chicago Piano
and Organ Association is scheduled for Thursday,
September 29, at the Auditorium Hotel at 12:15
o'clock. This was announced by Adam Schneider
upon his return to Chicago from his summer home at
Lake Beulah, Wis. This is the first meeting of the
fall and winter season of 1932-33 and a large attend-
ance is hoped for and expected.
ANSWER TO A CORRESPONDENT
Yes, there is a similarity in the features and "gen-
eral looks" of George J. D. and Musical Director
Paul W. and they are of about the same weight, height
and geniality.
By the way, and not an "answer to a correspondent,"
the same may apply to Gordon Laughead and Ben
Bernie, especially with cigar in the mouth, character-
istic of each of these two notable individuals.
The Hallbauer Manufacturing Co.
1535 Wellston Avenue,
St. Louis, Mo.
bring to the attention of the profession and
music trade their
Super Chromonica Holders
Adapted for harmonicas, all sizes from two to
eight inches long, in combination with guitar,
banjo, ukelele or other instruments of this kind.
Used in connection with all string musical
instruments.
The Super Chromonica Holders are practical,
positive, sturdy and substantial.
Retail dealers may apply to jobbers of musi-
cal instruments or write direct to the manu-
facturers.
HALLBAUER MFG. CO.
1535 Wellston Ave.
St. Louis, Mo.
THE SETTERGREN GRAND PIANOS
For 1932
ARE MODELS OF
ELEGANCE AND EXCELLENCE
Investigate the Settergren Proposition
Bluffton,
B. K. SETTERGREN CO.
Indiana
U. S, A.
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
not doing, but I can say that we have a standing
rule in our store that the first person who talks de-
pression gets his pay check at the office."
The second letter was from a well-known and suc-
cessful salesman connected with an important South
Dakota music house from which we make this brief
extract:
"I have sold pianos continually for eight years with
average success and for the past three months have
consistently averaged two pianos weekly."
The first reply from a piano manufacturer reads, in
part, as follows:
"* * * \ y e have been receiving at this office many
encouraging letters from dealers throughout the
country and.some of them are referring to the prep-
arations that are being made by piano teachers in their
territory; referring to having received reports from
these teachers that their piano classes promise to be
much larger this season than they were a year ago
and that more interest is being taken in the piano.
Many of these teachers add to their letters that they
have prospects for sales and the dealers say that
they are getting many prospects, making a few sales
now and have reasons to believe that many more
will result from this piano class teaching. The writer
feels that there is going to be a satisfactory piano
business this fall."
These letters and others have been read by re-
cent visitors to Presto-Times offices and they may
be seen by anyone who desires to read them as well
as all of the Prosperity Correspondence referred to
in this article.
By the way, a lot of Gulbransen dealers have re-
ported not only marked successes with the Gulbran-
sen line of pianos but excellent volume of trade.
Hugh A. Stewart, sales manager of the piano depart-
ment of this organization, keeps a file containing
important letters received from his dealers and they
are "sure some letters." Mr. Stewart, although he
would not permit any of this correspondence to be
printed or the writers quoted without their permis-
sion, does allow persons he "has faith in" to read
them. Wonderful letters they are as showing faith
and enthusiasm in business, and piano selling activ-
ities.
Most of the interviewed piano manufacturers have
written letters, more or less optimistic, some, how-
ever guarded in their prognostications and only a few
really pessimistic communications received. Here are
a few quotations from letters:
The Baldwin Piano Company reiterated a state-
ment made in a circular letter to their dealers that the
sales of the Baldwin retail stores in August and Sep-
tember clearly show that business is on the upgrade.
Sales in dollars exceeded this same period in 1931 and
twice as many Baldwins were sold in August this
year as in August, 1931, while the sales of all pianos
exceeded August, 1931. by 15 per cent. They com-
ment further as follows: "Piano sales can be made.
Alert salesmen, and there are many in our organiza-
tion, are materially increasing their income. Failure
to produce can no longer be attributed to economic
conditions but to a salesman's own lack of ability."
The Wurlitzer Grand Piano Company, under date
of September 18 say that their sales for August this
year were equal to June and July put together and
that "September sales will be very much greater than
we had anticipated; in fact, we believe that from the
responses from our dealers to a recent circular letter
that it is not at all an impossibility for a situation to
develop under which there will actually be a shortage
of pianos before the first of the coming year."
The Haddorff Piano Company, per Mr. Mason,
vice-president, under date of September 17, writes:
"There is no doubt that there is an accumulated
demand for new pianos and some day it will break
loose."
Story & Clark Piano Company write: "In every
section of the country there are always some families
who have money, even in these times, to buy the
things they want for their home, so let us appeal to
them and especially to those who have children or
some one in the family who plays, or would like to
learn to play the piano. Let us seize this, our oppor-
tunity, to supply every good home with a new mod-
ern piano—a little upright or a grand. Prices are
low, in many cases far below pre-war figures, witli
discontinued models selling at lots less than the actual
factory cost. We all know that as soon as the gen-
eral economic conditions improve, prices are going up
with increased demand.
E. B. Jones, president of the Schiller Piano Com-
pany, Oregon, 111., says: "People in general are just
as much (if not more) interested in piano music as
ever. Piano merchants will be most happily surprised
with a good volume of piano sales for the remainder
of this year, provided they are fortunate enough to
get their orders filled. W T e are urging every dealer
having only a few instruments to increase his inven-
tory this month. Conditions warrant this policy. We
are not so sure that we can take care of all the busi-
ness that will be offered us in November and Decem-
ber. The gradual trend of business is upward."
SPECIAL FEATURING OF ESTEY
PIANO
The Estey piano is prominently featured in a fiftieth
anniversary announcement of the C. A. House Com-
pany, Wheeling, W. Va., with the following sentences
leading up to the Estey baby grand ofTer:
"How often you have wished for a beautiful baby
grand . . . How intensely you have hoped some day
a fine grand piano would grace your home—that day
is here NOW. The Estey piano meets every re-
quirement."
COLORADO MUSIC HOUSE FINDS SILVER-
MARSHALL LINE GREAT SELLERS
The J. L. Hatch Music House, Colorado Springs,
which concern took on the Silver-Marshall line of
radios a few weeks ago when one of the members
of the firm spent some time at the Silver-Marshall
works at West 65th street, Chicago, Since taking
the S.-M. agency repeated orders, some of them by
"hurry up" telegraph messages, have been sent in,
particularly for two of the special models known as
"Music Trade Models."
SUPER CHROMONICA
HOLDERS
THE PLAYER STILL HAS MANY FRIENDS
An admirer of the player and the reproducing piano
and one who gets much satisfaction in playing this
model of piano writes to the Will A. Watkin Music
Company, Dallas, Tex., from whom she purchased
her instrument several years ago, as follows: "I was
delighted and astonished at the performance of the
Ampico and I am inclined to agree with the late Dr.
Frank Crane that the minutest detail of musical ex-
pression is recorded in the rolls made by your favorite
artist to be played when you want it, and as many
times as you want it, in your own home."
The Will A. Watkin Company says in a recent
statement that the Ampico is used in Dallas homes as
an accompaniment for singing, and as a model for
the playing of young amateurs, as well as for pure
enjoyment of listening and for the development of
music appreciation.
FIRST CHICAGO P. AND O. MEETING OF
THE SEASON
The regular monthly meeting of the Chicago Piano
and Organ Association is scheduled for Thursday,
September 29, at the Auditorium Hotel at 12:15
o'clock. This was announced by Adam Schneider
upon his return to Chicago from his summer home at
Lake Beulah, Wis. This is the first meeting of the
fall and winter season of 1932-33 and a large attend-
ance is hoped for and expected.
ANSWER TO A CORRESPONDENT
Yes, there is a similarity in the features and "gen-
eral looks" of George J. D. and Musical Director
Paul W. and they are of about the same weight, height
and geniality.
By the way, and not an "answer to a correspondent,"
the same may apply to Gordon Laughead and Ben
Bernie, especially with cigar in the mouth, character-
istic of each of these two notable individuals.
The Hallbauer Manufacturing Co.
1535 Wellston Avenue,
St. Louis, Mo.
bring to the attention of the profession and
music trade their
Super Chromonica Holders
Adapted for harmonicas, all sizes from two to
eight inches long, in combination with guitar,
banjo, ukelele or other instruments of this kind.
Used in connection with all string musical
instruments.
The Super Chromonica Holders are practical,
positive, sturdy and substantial.
Retail dealers may apply to jobbers of musi-
cal instruments or write direct to the manu-
facturers.
HALLBAUER MFG. CO.
1535 Wellston Ave.
St. Louis, Mo.
THE SETTERGREN GRAND PIANOS
For 1932
ARE MODELS OF
ELEGANCE AND EXCELLENCE
Investigate the Settergren Proposition
Bluffton,
B. K. SETTERGREN CO.
Indiana
U. S, A.
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).