Presto
Issue: 1936 2279 - Page 6
June-July, 1936
PR E S T O - T I M E S
Continuing a Family Tradition: Selling Pianos
The Messrs. Billings, Fred R. Billings I, his sons
and grandsons, a jj exclusively piano men, every one
of them now living, and all "know their keys and
keyboards," as the intel-
ligent, wide-awake man
knows his *'p's and q's,"
constitute a unique fig-
ure in the annals of
piano trade history of
this generation. Fred R.
Billings, who had ended
his schooling in piano
tuning at Macon, Mo.,
came north about the
days of the World's Co-
lumbian Exposition. He
became widely known
as a learned piano tech-
nician, action and player
piano expert and inven-
tor. He was joined in
his business operations
by his three sons, who
have continued in piano
activities; one of them,
Earl Billings, Jr.
Earl, now traveling for
Winter & Co. through the Pacific Coast territory, and
whose son, Earl, Jr., the subject of this sketch', now
holds a responsible position in the Gulbransen or-
ganization. The three uncles of Earl, Jr., have been
associated with the retail end of the piano business
for the past twenty-five years.
^ It is of this young member of the Billings family,
Earl, Jr., that we now speak of more particularly be-
cause of his present work with Gulbransen and espe-
cially of the varied duties which have fallen to him
in the work of preparing installations of the Gulbran-
sen exhibit for the forthcoming Music Trade Conven-
tion, exhibits which are spoken of in another column
of this issue.
During Mr. Billings 1 association with the Gulbran-
seii Company, he has been directing sales promotion,
handling publicity and some of their advertising and
doing extensive traveling in the middle west, the west,
and southwest, and now, later, handling convention
preparations for the Gulbransen exhibit at the Stevens
hotel, where, as already announced, Gulbransen have
acquired the entire two floors of the tower of the
Stevens hotel.
DAD COMES HOME TO A WEDDING
Charles E. Howe—''Charley" to his host of friends
—met a delightful month-end "homecoming'* at his
Lombard residence (20-mile Chicago suburb) when he
arrived on an afternoon two or three weeks ago. It was
the day of the wedding of his daughter, Ruth, to Elmer
C. Miner of Chicago. Miss Ruth, always the delight
of her "dad." is a reigning beauty of Lombard, a two-
time winner of the famous Lombard lilac beauty con-
test and a favorite in her circle of friends. For several
vears she has been identified with the work of the
Illinois Emergency Relief and was one of the first
persons identified with the establishment of the com-
mission for l)u Page county. Mr. Howe's duties with
Frank Wilking at Indianapolis in his giant operations
in piano promotion over the state of Indiana do not
permit long stays at Lombard, but nothing is ever
denied his little family of three charming daughters.
Middle C and the Stehnray Name
In a special demonstration of class piano instruc-
tion, the pupils, nearly all of them never having taken
a piano lesson before, were told the position of Middle
C on the keyboard of the piano and asked to mem-
orize the name on the fallboard just above the middle
C, after which the instructor asked the class to name
aloud the name they had read. He then requested the
class to speak the name several times all in unison,
and facetiously remarked: "This is a good name to
remember; you will hear it often in the music world."
The class then repeated several times in unison the
name as they had read it on the fallboard of the in-
strument. ".Steinway, Steinway, Steinway."
"A" There's a Story &
G. C. FULLENWIDER WANTED
G. C. Fullenwider, who has been connected with
various music houses, is wanted at Springfield, Mo.
He is tall, slender, dark complexion, prominent nose,
and deliberate in his movements and manner generally.
Communicate with Martin Brothers Piano Company,
Springfield, Mo., or wire county sheriff, Springfield,
Mo.
Roy P. Lindberg has engaged in business at 815
South 63rd street, Philadelphia, Pa., under the name
of Lindberg Piano Co.. representing the Weaver Piano
Co.. of York, Pa.
Clark Piano to completely satisfy
every desire of today's awak-
ened market.
A distinguished 80
year reputation for
tonal excellence and
fine craftsmanship
STORY & CLARK
P I A N O
C O M P A N Y
GENERAL OFFICES: 175 NORTH M I C H I G A N A V E N U E , C H I C A G O , ILLINOIS
See the
at the
CONVENTION!
Rooms 602-A, 603-A, Stevens Hotel
You will see Schiller pianos of new beauty of design
and tone; the famous Schiller grands with the Pat-
ented Suspended Construction, Vertical Grands with
the Patented Suspended Construction and a sensa-
tional new Console, 3 feet 3 inches in height. Pianos
of captivating charm in design, woods and finish,
with tone quality that "the musician can't forget."
In the Schiller Patented Suspended Construction the sound
board is supported at scientifically positioned intervals instead
of being "frozen" in the rim or lining of back. This construction
greatly increases board responsiveness and amplifying re-
sources. Its merits are obvious—and demonstrable by salesmen.
SCHILLER
DIVISION
SCHILLER-CABLE PIANO MFG. CO.
Factories and general offices, Oregon, 111.
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/
PR E S T O - T I M E S
Continuing a Family Tradition: Selling Pianos
The Messrs. Billings, Fred R. Billings I, his sons
and grandsons, a jj exclusively piano men, every one
of them now living, and all "know their keys and
keyboards," as the intel-
ligent, wide-awake man
knows his *'p's and q's,"
constitute a unique fig-
ure in the annals of
piano trade history of
this generation. Fred R.
Billings, who had ended
his schooling in piano
tuning at Macon, Mo.,
came north about the
days of the World's Co-
lumbian Exposition. He
became widely known
as a learned piano tech-
nician, action and player
piano expert and inven-
tor. He was joined in
his business operations
by his three sons, who
have continued in piano
activities; one of them,
Earl Billings, Jr.
Earl, now traveling for
Winter & Co. through the Pacific Coast territory, and
whose son, Earl, Jr., the subject of this sketch', now
holds a responsible position in the Gulbransen or-
ganization. The three uncles of Earl, Jr., have been
associated with the retail end of the piano business
for the past twenty-five years.
^ It is of this young member of the Billings family,
Earl, Jr., that we now speak of more particularly be-
cause of his present work with Gulbransen and espe-
cially of the varied duties which have fallen to him
in the work of preparing installations of the Gulbran-
sen exhibit for the forthcoming Music Trade Conven-
tion, exhibits which are spoken of in another column
of this issue.
During Mr. Billings 1 association with the Gulbran-
seii Company, he has been directing sales promotion,
handling publicity and some of their advertising and
doing extensive traveling in the middle west, the west,
and southwest, and now, later, handling convention
preparations for the Gulbransen exhibit at the Stevens
hotel, where, as already announced, Gulbransen have
acquired the entire two floors of the tower of the
Stevens hotel.
DAD COMES HOME TO A WEDDING
Charles E. Howe—''Charley" to his host of friends
—met a delightful month-end "homecoming'* at his
Lombard residence (20-mile Chicago suburb) when he
arrived on an afternoon two or three weeks ago. It was
the day of the wedding of his daughter, Ruth, to Elmer
C. Miner of Chicago. Miss Ruth, always the delight
of her "dad." is a reigning beauty of Lombard, a two-
time winner of the famous Lombard lilac beauty con-
test and a favorite in her circle of friends. For several
vears she has been identified with the work of the
Illinois Emergency Relief and was one of the first
persons identified with the establishment of the com-
mission for l)u Page county. Mr. Howe's duties with
Frank Wilking at Indianapolis in his giant operations
in piano promotion over the state of Indiana do not
permit long stays at Lombard, but nothing is ever
denied his little family of three charming daughters.
Middle C and the Stehnray Name
In a special demonstration of class piano instruc-
tion, the pupils, nearly all of them never having taken
a piano lesson before, were told the position of Middle
C on the keyboard of the piano and asked to mem-
orize the name on the fallboard just above the middle
C, after which the instructor asked the class to name
aloud the name they had read. He then requested the
class to speak the name several times all in unison,
and facetiously remarked: "This is a good name to
remember; you will hear it often in the music world."
The class then repeated several times in unison the
name as they had read it on the fallboard of the in-
strument. ".Steinway, Steinway, Steinway."
"A" There's a Story &
G. C. FULLENWIDER WANTED
G. C. Fullenwider, who has been connected with
various music houses, is wanted at Springfield, Mo.
He is tall, slender, dark complexion, prominent nose,
and deliberate in his movements and manner generally.
Communicate with Martin Brothers Piano Company,
Springfield, Mo., or wire county sheriff, Springfield,
Mo.
Roy P. Lindberg has engaged in business at 815
South 63rd street, Philadelphia, Pa., under the name
of Lindberg Piano Co.. representing the Weaver Piano
Co.. of York, Pa.
Clark Piano to completely satisfy
every desire of today's awak-
ened market.
A distinguished 80
year reputation for
tonal excellence and
fine craftsmanship
STORY & CLARK
P I A N O
C O M P A N Y
GENERAL OFFICES: 175 NORTH M I C H I G A N A V E N U E , C H I C A G O , ILLINOIS
See the
at the
CONVENTION!
Rooms 602-A, 603-A, Stevens Hotel
You will see Schiller pianos of new beauty of design
and tone; the famous Schiller grands with the Pat-
ented Suspended Construction, Vertical Grands with
the Patented Suspended Construction and a sensa-
tional new Console, 3 feet 3 inches in height. Pianos
of captivating charm in design, woods and finish,
with tone quality that "the musician can't forget."
In the Schiller Patented Suspended Construction the sound
board is supported at scientifically positioned intervals instead
of being "frozen" in the rim or lining of back. This construction
greatly increases board responsiveness and amplifying re-
sources. Its merits are obvious—and demonstrable by salesmen.
SCHILLER
DIVISION
SCHILLER-CABLE PIANO MFG. CO.
Factories and general offices, Oregon, 111.
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).