Presto

PRESTO-TIMES
ture and suggested a playing contest similar and based
on plans in general use for prize winning contests.
The Tribune's plan eliminated the donation of prizes
by miscellaneous donors; all awards for superiority
in performances to be supplied by the Tribune itself.
Through the Chicago Piano & Organ Association's
efforts six, at least, pianos were donated by as many
manufacturers to be given as awards for superior
piano performances; three grand pianos, three vertical-
consoles, all of which would have been available with
the Chicago Times' or any other acceptable plan.
Although indications at this writing are that, rather
than have a piano tournament take place in a big
open field or even partly enclosed, such as the Trib-
une might do in connection with its own music fes-
tival, would not be a safe and proper setting for fine
and expert piano playing which would be given in the
form of contests and prize winning performances,
evertheless there is still a possibility that the original
proposition of the Chicago Times may yet be taken
up and something satisfactory developed from the
proposition set forth by that paper.
The association has numerous favors to hand out
as host to the ones in attendance at the convention,
aside from its duty of sponsoring the big opening day
luncheon festivities and the incidentals which come
along associated with this annual event. So multi-
tudinous are these duties and the occasion so oppor-
tune to let the trade and the public know that the
Chicago Piano & Organ Association is doing its part,
a new committee was named; the publicity commit-
tee and the music trade press honored by one of its
members, R. E. Waite, being appointed the chairman.
There will be many chapters of good data to give out
on what is going on in the Chicago Piano & Organ
Association's part in making the Chicago convention
in July the big success it is destined to be. The ex-
ecutive committee did the right thing in doing its part
toward having a publicity committee.
He Came, He Saw, He Was
Conquered
A Notable Guest at Boutell's
Among other notable guests at the Boutell store
celebration, Minneapolis, taking over the Steinway
piano agency for the Minneapolis territory, was Theo-
dore Davis Steinway, eldest son of the president of
Steinwav & Sons.
March-April, 1936
ing home rule for Scotland, in the United States and
Canada, as well as the British Isles.
For several years Mr. Thomson has worked hard to
bring various of the Home Rule associations, all with
similar aims to one united whole but not until the end
of the World War period did he succeed when the Na-
tional Party of Scotland was formed. Three times Bailie
Thomson had been commissioned to go to the United
States and Canada on behalf of the National Party and
he is as well known amongst the Scots on.this side of the
water as he is throughout Great Britain. However, Mr.
Thomson has been coming to this country for many, many
years and has numerous friends over here. His business
has handled many American musical instruments and for
years sold thousands and thousands of American-made
organs. Since then various other lines of American-made
instruments. Mr. Thomson has crossed the Atlantic about
one hundred times. His one son is now carrying on most
of the business but Bailie Thomson keeps a watchful eye
and firm hand on his music trade affairs.
Schiller Management Philosophy and
Schiller Piano Quality
Theodore Davis Steinway
George W. Morris, known all around Marietta,
Ohio, his home and business location, as "Uncle
George Morris, the Marietta music man," came up to
Chicago a while ago to investigate what he styles the
"little cut-down upright"; the new console-vertical
type, and see if he could find any varieties or models
of the new instrument that would please his clientele
better than the Story & Clark console that he'd seen
pictures of. As soon as he had landed in Chicago he
went over the field very thoroughly and returning to
Story & Clark headquarters, 175 N. Michigan Blvd..
placed his order for all the consoles "in sight" in the
showrooms where they were displayed, or, as he re-
marked to a Presto-Times representative, "as soon
as I stepped into the Story & Clark display room I
'fell' for the entire lot of six on display for immediate
shipment."
Mr. Morris has been a Story & Clark dealer from
reed organ days and he is mighty glad to find that the
Story & Clark console pianos fill the bill in every
way for, he says, he is practically starting his piano
business all over again with these new Story & Clark
creations.
Since Mr. Morris' return home he writes that he is
still "raving" over his new find for piano sales pos-
sibilities and expects to clean up nice and good for this
year in his piano department. Mr. Morris concludes
a letter to a friend in Chicago like this: "Anything
I really like in pianos helps to make the business of
selling them a fascinating occupation and good busi-
ness follows. This is my present experience with
the Story & Clark consoles, of which I have already
sold several of the Windsor and Chippendale models,
which styles go well in this territory."
That Mr. Morris' popularity and amiability prevail
in his home town as well as away is shown by the fol-
lowing clipping from the Marietta (Ohio) Times:
No one enjoys life any more than he, though he is
well past his "three score and ten." In the face of
serious handicaps and troubles a-plenty he is always
the same, kindly, genial neighbor and loyal friend.
It is a pleasure to come in contact with his optimistic
personality.
This is what the Mayfield Music Company, Hutch-
inson, Kans., says of their success with Gulbransen
pianos and particularly with the Gulbransen vertical
grands, the Vogue and Patrician models. The busi-
ness of which L. M. Mayfield is at the head is progres-
sive, representative and successful. This house is
always up to the times. For instance, here is what
they say of the advantages of a musical education,
which is "that music teachers receive greater pay than
any other teachers and their work is more pleasant.
Do you know that musicians receive larger pay than
any craft or line of work? Do you know that musi-
cal artists earn more money than the President of
the United States or captains of industry?"
The late E. C. Wilson settled in Goshen, Ind., six-
ty-four years ago, and had continued in business since
locating there in 1871. Mr. Wilson was born in Ohio
in 1847.
The Story-Morgan M,. ic (Jo. has been capitalized
for $10,000 to carry on business at Oklahoma City,
Okla. The incorporators ure Tames Story, Parthenia
Morgan and Elva Klein, all of Oklahoma City.
This young man, just approaching one year past
his twenty-first birthday, takes a keen interest in
Steinway activities everywhere and in all branches.
His main "job" at the present time is at a workbench
in the Steinway factory out on Long Island, and in
this way he is carrying out the traditions of the
Steinway family to serve apprenticeship before enter-
ing any other official duties of the organization. This
rule has been carried out from the foundation of the
house by Henry Engelhard Steinway, and followed
religiously by his successors and followers, and now
by his great-grandson, last in line of succession.
Mr. Steinway, along with his technical and practical
studies, gave due regard to his studies in the liberal
arts and graduated from Harvard University in the
class of 1935 and before entering Harvard in 1931 he
attended several noted schools of preparatory edu-
cation. Thus we find in Theodore Davis Steinway
an able and capable scion of the Steinway family, well
prepared to carry on such important duties as may fall
to his lot to do.
Wonderful Luck Selling the Gulbran-
sen Vogue and Patrician Models
The Schiller was among the first of the several of
the console-vertical type of piano the manufacture of
which started in an aggressive manner more than u
year ago. The Schiller factory was not far behind in
getting its first model to the attention of the public
and to Schiller dealers. The Schiller people were con-
servative about the model they were bringing out,
and sent only one style for exhibition to the music
trade convention in June but followed this with an-
another a little later on. Not only how would the in-
strument please as to appearance and convenience but
how would it hold up mechanically; this is what Edgar
Jones, the Schiller president and mainly responsible
for success or failure wanted to know.
Before any further work was done toward produc-
ing any new design or new construction, the manufac-
turers desired to get reaction from the trade on the
two models they had already produced. It was not
only desired to know how the instruments pleased as
to appearance and convenience but how would they
hold up mechanically. This is what Mr. Jones wanted
to know.
It was soon shown that the Schiller vertical, chris-
tened the Vertical Grand, was just about as near cor-
rect and entirely satisfactory as an instrument of the
vertical scale could be and that, bringing to the aid of
this vertical scale the Schiller Patented Suspension
Construction used in the Schiller grand piano an instru-
ment possessing the musical qualities of the horizontal
grand would result; "which it did," says Mr. Jones.
And now comes the third Schiller vertical of the
grand piano type, that is to say, a piano embracing
the essential qualities of tone of the horizontal grand,
embodying in its manufacture the Schiller Patented
Suspended Construction.
This new instrument from the factory at Oregon,
from whence "nothing but good comes forth," is
illustrated on page six, the page facing the first edi-
torial page, in this issue of Presto-Times. Aside from
these two dominating vertical grands illustrated on
this advertising page, the reading contents of the
page; the text of the advertisement, is a peculiarly
worthwhile piano manufacturer's announcement.
Please read it.
E. H. JONES SAYS PIANO OUTLOOK IS GOOD
E. H. Jones, proprietor of the Jones Piano Com-
pany, Sioux City, Iowa, commenting on piano trade
conditions, in the Sioux City Journal, says: "The out-
look for this year in the piano business is the best
it has been for several years past. Mr. Jones says
that having abiding faith in the future of the piano
business he recently purchased large supplies of,
mainly, remodelled uprights. Mr. Jones concluded
his interview in the newspaper by advising that paper
to remember that: "The piano being the fundamental
musical instrument of every home, we are making
this offer so that every home may have this necessity."
H. A. Henderson, who was the advertising man-
ager of Grinnell Bros, for a long time, resigned his
position with the Grinnell house and is now living in
Florida. Mr. Henderson is succeeded by A. E. Brown-
ing, a young man of marked abilities in this line of
work and who was assistant advertising manager
when Mr. Henderson was in charge of that depart-
ment.
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/