Presto

20
PRESTO-TIMES
William Thomson, Music Merchant and
Importer of Scotland, Visits
Us Again
June-July, 1937
at the station were his son-in-law and several other
metropolitan city of that island, being somewhat
Scotch folks. At Salt Lake Mr. Thomson met another
ahead in population of Wellington, the capital city.
old-time friend, and, all in all, his journey to Van-
"Take a copy of the International Music Trade
couver was "broken" in a very delightful way.
Director}- that the Presto Company published years
ago." he remarked, "and you will realize that a great
number of firms have gone out of business." He
MR. STANLEY WATERS OF AUKLAND, N. Z.,
named
such firms as T. H. Webb & Co., H. L.
REFERS TO THE MANY CHANGES IN
Hoffmann, the London & Berlin Piano Co.. Richard-
THE MUSIC BUSINESS OF THAT CITY
son & Co.. and two or three others, "all of them active
When Mr. Stanley Waters of Aukland, New Zea- when my business was started." Mr. Waters was
much pleased with his reception in music trade circles
land, visited Chicago a few weeks ago his attention
in the L T nited States and says that he will surely visit
was called to the various changes that have taken
place in the music business of Aukland, which is the us again within a year or two.
A distinguished gentleman among- the music mer-
chants of Scotland, Bailee William Thomson of the
old established music house of Glasgow, spent several
weeks on this side of the Atlantic. He visited several
of our music industries and was with his daughter
for a delightful visit at Vancouver, Canada.
For several days in New York before the return
home Bailee Thomson was much in the company of
his good friend, Sir Harry Lauder, and they were
companions on the Anchor Line steamship Cam-
interior as well as in a room of strictly modern fur-
A New Piano by Steinway
meronia bound for Glasgow. The day after they
nishings.
sailed (Saturday) Mr. Thomson wirelessed back to
"In order to justify production on a modern piano
a friend: "Sir Harry joins in regards and best
The Cfise Created by Donald Deskey
case, the whole movement of modern design in Amer-
wishes."
ica has been carefully studied. The acceptance of
At Chicago he became much interested in the Gul-
the modern style has developed in a unique way—
A
new
piano,
in
modern
design,
the
case
created
bransen Spinet reed organ and expects to sell a con-
contrary to the usual growth. In the history of
siderable number of these instruments through his by Donald Deskey, and procurable in ten different
widely extended trade activities. "This instrument wood finishes, has just been announced by Theodore traditional styles, interior decoration has usually
E. Steinway, president. Steinway & Sons. First in- followed architecture. But in the contemporary move-
with the certain modifications in case construction I
have suggested," said Mr. Thomson, "will bring about strument in the new design made in bleached walnut. ment, modern interiors become established first—
more or less renewed activity in the small reed organ
business in our country." Up to a little over a dozen
years ago the Thomson Company was still selling
a good many reed organs. This house has long been
representatives of various lines of American musical
instruments, phonographs, radios and various lines of
musical merchandise. At one time they carried on
a good trade in the Gulbransen products in self-play-
ing piano mechanism.
Mr. Thomson found in Vice-President George Mc-
Dermott and Earl Billings, Jr., of the Gulbransen
publicity department two congenial individuals—Glas-
gow being the birthplace of Mr. McDermotts father,
and Dumphries, or near that point, the birthplace of
Mr. Billings' great-grandmother. Mr. McDermott is
promised the use of one of Mr. Thomsons automo-
biles for his father on that geatlemans visit to Glas-
gow, anticipated for the latter part of this year, the
only condition being, as Mr. Thomson puts it: "Boot
ye'll have to buy the petrol and dinna ferget aboot
the stearing wheel on the right side of the motor, and
be sure to turn to the left when you meet a car."
1 his is Bailee Thomson's fiftieth crossing of the
Atlantic—almost every alternate year for the last
forty years or more and several years one or two
crossings. When he boarded the steamer Caledonia
at Glasgow this itme the newspapers gave him a God-
speed and bon voyage on his fiftieth Atlantic cross-
ing.
Mr. Thomson has long been closely identified with
musical matters, national and local, professional and
trade, in Scotland and has given much time to devel-
opment along these lines. About a year ago he
became interested in radio broadcasting and his ad-
vice was sought concerning programs for general
broadcasting. He was invited to put on a program
along the line of his suggestions and conceived the
idea of reproducing an old-time common people event
known as the "busts," or sometimes called the
"bursts." These "busts" consisted of week-end gather-
ings of congenial spirits for an evening of good cheer
and happiness. The entrance fee was about a six-
pence (12 cents U. S. A.), which entitled one to a
sandwich and coffee and a paper bag of confections.
The bag was sealed and it opened with a big pop or
burst, hence the name Every attendant was expected
to do his stunt—a song, dance, speech, anything.
It was at "bust" nights like this that Harry Lauder
made his first efforts at stage mimicry and song. So
Mr. Thomson put on a broadcasting program based
on the songs and speeches and comicalities heard on
'"bust" nights. The effort was so successful that
"busts" were kept on the air for about a year and
Bailee Thomson was made executive chairman and
The new Steinway model; design of Donald Deskey, shown at Paris Exposition this year
was usually the "em cee" at each program. These
broadcasts were heard far and wide and brought many has been shipped for exhibition at the Paris Interna- modern fabrics, rugs, furniture and accessories. These
were often housed in buildings that could not be ade-
fan letters from every part of the world. One came tional Exposition.
from Denver. Colo., from a Mr. Cameron, a man 80
"In making a modern piano," said Mr. Deskey, "we quately remodeled.
years of age, who became so interested in Mr. Thom- have endeavored to secure a design which is funda-
"But now, at last, we are building modern houses,
son's broadcasting talk that when it was announced
mentally sound and hence will grow old gracefully. and modern architecture is taking an upward curve
that Mr. Thomson was about to make another trip
in every section of the country. So we will probably
We realize that the buying of a piano is a major
to America and cross the United States to Vancouver,
see a geometric progression of increase during the
investment,
which
neither
the
maker
nor
the
pur-
he wrote to Glasgow requesting that Bailee Thomson
next five years. This means an increased market for
chaser can permit to become obsolete through the modern homefurnishings—including the piano."
stop off at Denver on his way across the country for
a visit with him. Hence when Bailee Thomson left element of passing styles. Stiaightforward modern,
The new piano will be priced at $1,350 and will be
Chicago his first stopping ticket was Denver, where with no compromise, is the basis of the new design. available in ten different finishes, including bleached
r
he spent a day with this unknown and unseen ad- As a matter of fact the proportions conform so closely walnut, bleached mahogany, two-tone mahogany-,
mirer, whom he found to be an exceptionally interest- to those of the traditional piano that the instrument, bleached maple, ebony, American walnut, and walnut
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).
ing and valuable
new-found friend. With Mr. Cameron
piece from
of NAMM
furniture,
will be at Music
home
in a Association
period (www.namm.org).
with black lacquer.
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- The International
Products
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