Presto

Jan.-Feb., 1937
PRESTO-TIMES
13
SALES MGR. HUGH STEWART
HAS A MESSAGE OF IMPORT
Mr. Hugh Stewart, vice-president and sales, manager
of the Piano Division of The Rudolph Wurlitzer Com-
pany, De Kalb, 111., in a letter addressed to his trade,
says : "Most of you have heard of the new talent which
has become associated with the house of Wurlitzer dur-
ing the past eighteen months; individuals with National
reputations for extraordinary efficiency in their work.
These men and others—with Wurlitzer facilities and
support—have not only benefited Wurlitzer, but the en-
tire piano industry, through their constructive, aggressive
comprehension of substantial business developments."
Mr. Stewart refers, of course, to the new talent
Mr. R. E. Durham, president of Lyon & Healy, is brought to operation at the new additional Wurlitzer fac-
now on the high seas on his customary winter vaca- tories, recently completed; notable piano technicians,
tion trip. This year it is the noted and interesting Car- designers, draftsmen, artists, not to mention notable
ribean voyage sailing from Boston and which touches talent in other departments of Wurlitzer industries.
ports along the north coast of South America, thence
Mr. Stewart's letter to his trade then goes on to par-
along Central America and through the Panama Canal ticularize on the new Wurlitzer style 240 as being a
to Los Angeles.
"noteworthy development in grand piano building."
"Wurlitzer technicians and craftsmen," he says, "have
YV. W. Smith of the J. W. Greene Company, Toledo,
writing to a friend, refers to the generally improved given this 4-foot, 7-inch grand piano the rich quality of
piano business like this: "There appears to be a tone so highly desired by musicians. By an innovation in
similarity to the old-time interest in piano buying and rim shape, the designer has not only added grace and
I believe business is going to continue to be good and beauty to the piano's appearance, but has also consider-
ably increased the sounding board area without adding
to increase."
materially to the length of the instrument." Mr. Stewart
Mr. Smith regrets his inability to have been in goes on further to elucidate the remarkable achievements
attendance at the music merchants mid-winter confer- in Wurlitzer piano production today and closes his let-
ence in Chicago, January 15.
ter with this paragraph:
The accustomed mid-winter vacation tour of Hugh
"Notable technicians and musicians have already ap-
Stewart, Sales Manager of the Rudolph Wurlitzer proved this piano; and many more will probably have
piano division, took in Mexico this year and from done so before you have seen it, but it is unlikely that
that land of sunshine and happiness, as the New Year anyone can, or will, be more critical than the men through
approached, sent cards to his friends with the cheery whose hands it must pass, immediately before being
message, "Feliz Ano Nueva"; "Happy New Year." shipped to you."
Hugh liked Mexico City; thought Cuernavaca a beau-
Later on, speaking of the Wurlitzer piano advertising
tiful spot and Guadalajara a beautiful city but Vera in the great monthlies of the country, he mentions the
Cruz with its flies, mosquitos and steaming heat, he Good Housekeeping magazine December space for win-
had no use for except as a port of entry and of dow display and furnished dealers with "stand-up" card
for counter or window attraction. These and other
departure.
Paul Moiiig, president of Chas. A. Tonk & Bro. similar cards from the Wurlitzer advertising department
Co., Chicago, sailed from New York City for a brief are found in Wurlitzer stores or Wurlitzer agencies
European trip Jan, 22. Mr. Monig goes first to everywhere. "All this Wurlitzer publicity is furnished
France then over to Markneuirchen, in the Vogt- to help dealers in their campaign for Wurlitzer piano
land. He is going to rush shipments and expects to sales," says Mr. Stewart. "Your Wurlitzer advertising
and window display attractions will indicate the conveni-
get back to Chicago by the 25th of February.
ence with which people may see, hear and play the Wur-
litzer pianos, of which they have read in the magazines,"
MR. AND MRS. EARL J. BILLINGS, IF YOU he says.
PLEASE.
LEE ROBERTS MAKES A BRIEF CALL
Earl J. Billings, Jr., expert promotion and publicity
At the close of the forenoon session of the Board
man of Gulbranson Company, has been a married
man since the heart of the holiday season, about of Control meeting and during the half hour interval
Christmas time. The event took place at the home until President Wells' luncheon was served. Lee
Roberts and a friend stepped into parlor A, the con-
of the bride, Macon, Mo., which incidentally is the
ancestral town of the Billings, where the grandfather, ference room. Grasping the hand of one of his
Fred C. Billings, of brass flange fame, started his friends when he was a Chicagoan he remarked: "And
career first as a piano tuner and from where he located you don't remember me?" "Step back and let me
get a good look at you for your features are perfectly
in Chicago more than forty years ago.
The bride was Miss Elizabeth Miller, daughter of familiar," said the Chicago friend. Doing this, Lee's
Dr. and Mrs. E. J. Miller of Macon. An interesting face beamed with a smile that all who know him
incident in connection with the marriage ceremonies remember and in two seconds' time the Chicago
was music furnished by the father of the bridegroom, friend started Jn a subdued tenor voice the first
Earl Billings, Sr., who played piano selections and eight measures of "Smiles":
who also played the music at the wedding of Dr. and
"There are smiles that make us happy
Mrs. Miller when they were married.
There are smiles that make us blue";
The Chicago friend insisted upon asking that the
Following the wedding the party motored to Chi-
meeting be recalled for a moment to introduce the
cago where they are to reside.
composer of the most famous of modern songs—the
So many of this family of Billings being noted as
one that is more generally heard over the radio and
piano men it seems natural for his friends to throw
on festive occasions and gatherings than any other
out little inuendoes as to what the future has in store
song of the day. But Lee, like his ever insisting
on perpetuating the distinction.
modesty, would not listen to it and the crowd soon
headed for the dininu room.
RE TWO STORY & CLARK OFFICIALS
Of two Story & Clark Piano Co. officials, President
PIANO CHAIRS AND BENCHES
F. F. Story and Mrs. Story have been the past several
The
Wisconsin
Chair Company of Port Washing-
days on the high seas en route from Honolulu to a
port in Australia, where they are expected to land by ton, Wis.. which manufacture an exceedingly attrac-
the first days of February. Vice-President L. P. Bull, tive and salable line of chairs and benches for-pianos,
who has been making a southern and Pacific coast have recently issued a catalog showing descriptions,
business trip, is expected back in Chicago by Feb- sizes, etc., of their entire product. The Wisconsin
Chair Company, which is one of the largest furniture
ruary 5.
manufacturing concerns of the country, entered the
piano field with a determination to supply the music
AGAIN IN THE FLOOD
In one of the photos sent out by a newspaper syn- trade and manufacturers with a line of piano benches
dicate the store entrance of the Morris Music Store, and chairs that would attract their attention in the
Marietta, Ohio, is clearly shown, where the water matter of appearance, quality and price, and they are
covered about everything in sight. This is an expe- succeeding to a great degree in this accomplishment.
rience similar to that of last year, when the first Mr. Frank J. Bamberg is in charge of the music and
piano supply division of this industry.
floor of this store was completely inundated.
Glances and Observations
Charles E. Howe (more often "Charley" Howe)
got away from incessant activities at the Wilking
Music House, Indianapolis, Ind.. long enough to
have Christmas dinner and the "trimmings" with his
two married daughters who reside near Chicago. The
Howe residence at Lombard has been vacated several
months and is. in fact, for sale. It is a beautiful and
attractive home. Mr. Howe says that the Wilking
Piano House is one of marked activity these days.
Their trade has been excellent and even at this early
day arrangements are preparing for another great
Piano Festival at Indianapolis during the coming sum-
mer, Mr. Howe says, "Frank Wilking is going to
make the 1937 Piano Festival the most outstanding
piano event of the year."
In one week in November, Otto B. Heaton. former
president of the National Music Merchants Associa-
tion and well known in the industry, related when in
Chicago recently how he encountered several interest-
ing family events. First he saw his first grandchild
for the first time and subsequently saw his younger
daughter married.
Newspaper society pages of the Columbus Dispatch
have kept the editor informed, the major portion of
the society page of each of two issues being devoted
to large pictures of the Heaton girls.
Mrs. Ralph Shannon Bush brought her son Burt to
Columbus so that Mr. and Mrs. Heaton might be-
come acquainted with their grandchild before the
wedding ceremony. Later Mr. Bush came down from
New York.
On November 5, Merry June Heaton was married
to Rowland S. Wilson in the Little Chapel of the
First Congregational Church of Columbus. After a
wedding breakfast, the newlyweds left for New York
to board ship for a European honeymoon.
Mrs. Bush acted as her sister's matron of honor,
while Mr. Bush was best man for the groom. The
breakfast party was held in the Deshler Wallick hotel,
where the Heatons reside.
The new address of J. C. Henderson, Eastern rep-
resentative of Gulbransen Company, is 128 S. Park-
way, East Orange, N. J. Mr. Henderson formerly re-
sided at 205 Hoffman Boulevard, East Orange.
The delayed visit of R. B. Oslund of Spokane,
Wash., who had been expected in Chicago for sev-
eral weeks, finally materialized and resulted in pur-
chase by him of several carloads of pianos from
manufacturers in the Chicago area; a telephone order
to New York to ship 50 by water to Tacoma, port of
Washington, providing the marine strike on the Pa-
cific Coast will permit delivery in January. Be-
side his orders for pianos, Mr. Oslund contracted
for radios by the dozens and scores, gave orders to
four different manufacturers of phono-amplifying ma-
chines and a replenishment of other instruments in
which he has established a trade with restaurants,
amusement halls and various places of entertainment.
Mr. Oslund was hustling every hour of his stay in
Chicago and when he left said that he was now going
to settle down for a twenty-four hour rest on board a
streamline coach preparatory to an activity that will
require eighteen hours of work against six of sleep in
his selling campaigns till the midwinter season is past.
Gordon Laughead, sales manager of Story & Clark
Piano Company, who was on the Pacific Coast for
some two weeks just before the holidays, says that
the piano and general trades all along the coast terri-
tory has been seriously affected because of the gradual
paralysis ol the entire community by the maritime
strike. Mr. Laughead says: "Dealers in San Fran-
cisco and Oakland first felt the effects of the strike
after which it began to take hold at Los Angeles.
But don't forget," he added, "our dynamic consoles
and dynamic upright are gaining daily in popularity
and it really surprised us to see the great demand for
our new style 38."
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