Presto

PRESTO-TIMES
and another Baldwin grand to the Madison (N. D.)
high school. Broadcasting Station KSTP, St. Paul,
buys five Baldwin-made pianos and WRHM, Minne-
apolis, two Baldwin grands.
And so proceeds Mr. Wylie's activities and who in
the course of conversation with a Presto-Times corre-
spondent, remarking on the peculiarities of trade and
trade conditions, said that this past October was one
of the best months he has ever had in business,
"largely," as he says, "because we have always con-
centrated on colleges, schools, county, state and fed-
eral employees, and have continued to reap a great re-
ward out of this business." Mr. Wylie is optimistic and
incidentally remarks that he has "more prospects that
can be changed over to customers as soon as condi-
tions adjust themselves than I have ever had in my
seventeen years of piano experience."
"Pianos are being sold today by Baldwin dealers,"
says Mr. Wylie, "on the prairies of the Dakotas, the
hills and vales of Wisconsin and everywhere that
music prevails. Just see the activity of the Swenson
Piano Company, at Aberdeen, S. D., a firm doing
business for the last twenty-five years and have sold
over 1,300 pianos and 1932 has been one of the best
years they have ever had. They now have a good
average of Baldwin-line pianos a month. Milwaukee
is doing a good business through T. R. Houston, who
runs the Baldwin store at that city and has a steady
weekly average of sales, mostly grands. Oh, I can
give you a lot of good and encouraging news," said
Mr. Wylie as he bade good-bye to the Presto-Times
correspondent.
And with other Baldwin agencies and other Bald-
win representatives similar records are being made.
For instance the Western Kentucky State Teachers'
College at Bowling Green, Ky., have recently pur-
chased a Baldwin concert grand and the supervisor of
music of the Kansas City public schools is a pur-
chaser of a Baldwin grand. Mr. L. C. Wagner, man-
ager of the Chicago Baldwin store recently sold a
Bladwin concert grand to Broadcasting Station
WIBO, and one to Station WBBM, and an upright
to Station WJJD, all of Chicago.
MR. KAVANAGH'S GOOD REASONS FOR
OPTIMISM
A sharp increase in activity at the East Rochester
(N. Y.) factories of the Aeolian American Corpora-
tion, which began about the first of August, has kept
up with a nearly full quota of workmen, as of August.
This information is gathered from Gardner C. Kav-
anagh, vice-president and in charge of factory output,
with the further statement that about the same num-
ber of men are working at the Boston plant as at
East Rochester.
While Mr. Kavanagh refused to do any crystal gaz-
ing into the future he stated the sale of pianos during
the past few months was reassuring; that prospects
now are encouraging. "There have been no large indi-
vidual orders to account for our increased activity,"
Mr. Kavanagh said. "Rather there has been a steady
demand from dealers whose stocks I find are down to
rock bottom."
Mr. Kavanagh explained his optimism in the future
of the piano industry as based upon the belief that
parents are directing the education of their children
into the finer arts. "Business from the cultural-
minded class w r ill always continue to expand," he
contended, "if properly fostered."
Nov.-Dec, 1932
THE BALDWIN PIANO COMPANY
HAS ATTRACTIVE PROPOSI-
TION FOR COOPERATION
IN ADVERTISING AND
PUBLICITY
LJALITY, Selling Points, Attractive
Prices, Bargains are attributes which,
of themselves alone, do not produce
activity in the music dealer's sales.
To get results adequate for carrying
on even an ordinary sized business
they must be supplemented by pub-
licity, that mythical something classifiable with the ex-
pression so often used by the French in their wonder-
ful and attractive publicity, the word reclame.
So far as the music business of this country is con-
cerned there has never been a time when co-operation
between manufacturer and dealer has been more urg-
ently desired; more necessary for proper and profit-
able functioning at both ends; service to dealer that
MATT MAKING GOOD IN NEW LINE
will stimulate activity and a return service by the
Under the heading, "From Grand Pianos to Band- dealer which tenders his best energies toward promot-
ages," the C. R. D. A. News of recent date thus brings ing their cointerest.
Matt J. Kennedy to the attention of its readers. As
This leads up to a special service now being ex-
the story goes, Mr. Kennedy is now doing a "land
office" business with his line of specialties and has tended by the Baldwin Piano Company for furthering
many representatives distributed throughout this ter- sales and for advertising and publicity of the Bald-
ritory. Matt was a distinguished and cherished mem- win line of instruments and at the same time giving
ber of the music trade fraternity and his return some prominence and publicity to the dealers selling Bald-
wins.
day to his first love is hoped for.
On another page in this issue of Presto-Times is
shown several reproductions of advertisements made
"KEEP A-GOIN'!
ready for their dealers of single and double column
I.
electrotypes for use by the dealer in his local news-
If you strike a thorn or rose,
papers consistently and regularly for a period of time.
Keep a-goin'!
If it hails or if it snows,
In offering these ready-prepared advertisements the
Keep a-goin'!
Baldwin Company says: "Pretended distress merchan-
'Taint no use to sit and whine
dising; Sacrifice Sales with ridiculous price quotations
When the fish aint on your line;
to deceive the purchaser, have lost their appeal and
SPLENDID NEWS FROM STEINWAY HALL
Bait your hook and keep on tryin'!!
are rapidly passing out of the picture."
Keep a-goin'!
A press telegram from New York, published in the
And, further: "The public is buying again and, most
daily papers throughout the country, read: "Steinway
II.
noteworthy of all, there is a definite tendency every-
When the weather kills your crop,
& Sons reported an increase of more than 10 per cent
where to buy better quality in merchandise."
Keep a-goin'!
in piano sales this month, compared with the same
When you tumble from the top,
period in 1931."
"Now is the time," they say, "to plan ahead for to-
Keep a-goin'!
morrow's sales by using Baldwin Newspaper Adver-
As Presto-Times is advised from New York, prac-
'Spose you're out of every dime,
tising for the New Baldwin Masterpiece Pianos."
tically the same condition prevails at the time of the
Gettin' broke aint any crime;
publication of this issue of Presto-Times as given in
It is seen by glancing at the announcement accom-
Tell the world you're feelin' fine,—
the dispatch above quoted. And, further than this,
Keep a-goin'!
panying the page of illustrations in this issue that the
Mr. Frederick Reidemeister, treasurer of Steinway &
texts apply to present day needs and requirements, the
III.
Sons, said to a Presto-Times representative recently
theme of the advertisements being: Baldwin Tone, the
When it looks like all is up,
that retail sales at Steinway Hall are very satisfactory
New Masterpiece Models, Their Recognition by the
Keep a-goin'!
at the present time. "Only last Saturday," he says,
Drain the sweetness from the cup,
Foremost Musical Authorities, Their Reception by the
"we sold fourteen pianos at retail in Steinway Hall
Keep a-goin'!
Public, Baldwin Facilities, Financial Responsibility,
salesroom, which I consider is an especially good
See the wild birds on the wing!
Leadership.
Hear the bells that sweetly ring—
showing now and would be an excellent showing in
In making this announcement, this statement of
When you feel like sighin'—sing
normal times."
their advertising policy and proposition, the Baldwin
Keep a-goin'!
Some time ago a correspondent wrote to Presto-
Company close a communication to their dealers in
Times that he was told that Steinway & Sons had on
these words:
A
HAPPY
INDEPENDENT
hand only a comparatively small number of grand
"The advertisements, in all sizes, are ready; the
H. A. Stewart, general piano sales manager of the
pianos and that certainly they would have to increase
capacity output at the factory to keep up their quota Gulbransen Company, being an independent in poli- campaign is already under way; start today to build
tics, was not at all displeased at the election of Gover- for the future."
of "readv to deliver instruments. 1 '
nor Roosevelt but on the contrary, he must have been
The Baldwin Publicity Department, Cincinnati, will
delighted for it made good the contingent order given gladly assist dealers to plan an intelligent campaign
PROGRESS OF T H E MUSICAL ARTS
to him by Eugene Redewell, the prominent Arizona for strengthening and adding to their business.
INVENTIONS
music dealer,, for a carload of twenty-five Gulbransen
The Musical Arts Laboratories, Inc., at the head of
pianos for shipment in November, if Roosevelt was
which organization is Chester L. Beach, formerly of
CORRECTION ON LANSFORD
elected, or, as Mr. Redewell put it, "If Hoover is re-
Bush & Lane Piano Company, is making rapid prog- elected this order is automatically cancelled."
Presto-Times
made notice that J. C. Lansford, 718
ress in getting the line of electrically toned string
The pianos have gone forth and Mr. Redewell's fur-
musical instruments developed and ready for the mar- ther proposition to again become active in the piano Cherry street, Knoxville, Tenn., had moved and left
ket. Praise of some of the greatest artists who ex- business on the election of a Democratic president no address. The error in this statement is found in
amined the inventions has been accorded, among them will be good news to many others in the music indus- the fact that Mr. J. C. Lansford, who is the head of
Percy Grainger, the eminent pianist who recently tries for this "Arizona music man" is a very "live the Lansford Piano Company, is located at Chatta-
nooga, Tenn., instead of Knoxville. The Lansford
visited the laboratories at Grand Rapids. Success of
w r ire" when in action.
Piano Company is the representative of the Baldwin
the new enterprise seems to be assured and Mr. Beach
line of pianos at Chattanooga. Presto-Times regrets
will soon be ready to announce to the trade and pro-
this error and now makes amends to the best of its
TURNS TO HIS FIRST LOVE
fession that his company is ready to supply the de-
For some time past Mr. A. G. Gulbransen, of the ability by giving correct address of this well-known
mand for this important invention.
Gulbransen Company, has spent considerable time representative music house, which, by the way, has
in the development of a reed organ, one that would been established for many years and today, to quote
HONORS TO WILL A. WATKIN
not be too expensive and would meet the requirements Mr. Lansford, "The piano business looks great to us."
Will A. Watkin. head of the Will A. Watkin Music of the old-time cottage organ or, as often styled, the
Another interview with Mr. Lansford and which
Company, Dallas, Texas, who has been confined to parlor organ. The result of this work has been a took place only a few days ago confirms the above
his home for some weeks past was given a greeting creation which they style the Spinet Organ, an in- statement of the activities of the Lansford Piano Com-
and celebration by his musical friends recently. Mr. strument of one full set of reeds, organ octave coupler, pany, for in this interview Mr. Lansford says: "The
Watkin started in music early, having been a choir and a compass of the ordinary reed, 5 octaves. Mr. piano business not only iooks great but it is even
boy when nine years old at his former home in Ken- Gulbransen's early life in the music industries was as better now and looks much more favorable than it
tucky and later was organist in a church in Louis- tuner in a reed organ factory and his present experi- did a month ago. Only last week a fine grand was
ville. On this occasion Mr. Arthur Everts gave ment along the line of reed organ construction is sold to the Signal Mountain Inn, near Chattanooga.
a nlk on "Will A. Watkin as a Citizen" and Mr. much like a "return to his first love."
Just lately others to our Chattanooga High School,
Lawrence Miller, speaking of Mr. Watkin's life-
the Brainard Junior High School, the John A. Patten
work, discussed on the subject, "The Art of Music
School, the Anna B. Lacey School, the Girls' Prepara-
A BALDWIN DEALER FOR MANY YEARS
in a Community." Mr. Watkin located in Dallas in
tory School, the Howard Junior High School and
For
upwards
of
fourteen
years
the
Vossler
Music
1882.
House, at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., has sold the Baldwin VVDOD, Chattanooga broadcasting station. These were
pianos and the Baldwin made pianos, and therefore, all Baldwins and Baldwin-made pianos and most of
W. D. Bunch, formerly of the Jenkins Music Com- Mr. G. A. Vossler, head of this house and a veteran of
them grands," says Mr. Lansford. "Aside from these
pany, has opened business at 210 Dewey avenue, Bar- American music merchants, considers that he may well special sales we have had our share of the regular
tlesville, Okla.
be named as among the early Baldwin representatives. residential and home sales."
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/