Presto

ECHOES FROM THE MUSIC INDUSTRIES
FIFTY YEARS IN BUSINESS
NEW ORGAN ATTRACTS ATTENTION
Sterchi Bros. Stores, Inc., Atlanta Ga., the piano department
of which is in charge of H. S. Deal, celebrated throughout last
year, the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the business :
1888-1938.
The new organ product of the Gulbransen factory known as
the Gulbransen Magnatone Organ now developed to a high
degree of perfection in organs of medium size, that is to say
not of the grand pipe organ scope and capacity, is meeting
with a remarkable degree of success with dealers who have
examined it, and many of them have made sales of the new
instrument. "The fact of the matter is," says sales manager
E. P. Williams, "we are unable to supply these instruments
quite as fast as we receive orders."
The manufacture of an entirely successful and satisfactory
organ of an electric-power pneumatic type with proper ampli-
fication system cannot be hastened but must be worked out
carefully. However, orders are being filled with a reasonable
degree of promptness so that, all in all, this department of
Gulbransen is in a remarkably satisfying condition.
It must be understood that the Gulbransen Magnatone
Organs are made on an entirely new principle in reed organ
construction. This principle makes the Gulbransen instru-
ment as fast in its attack and as responsive in expression as
the modern pipe organ ; no bellows, reservoir, tubing, rubber
cloth, leather, or any of the usual units of reed organ mech-
anism and materials are used in the construction of the Gul-
bransen Magnatone. Tone is accomplished by air pressure
produced by electric motor. There are no belts, pumps, or
other similar devices used and the blower is directly connected
to the wind chest of the organ, and operates noiselessly.
MR. McDERMOrrS PULLMAN CAR VISIT WITH
AN UNKNOWN CUSTOMER FROM AUSTRALIA
George A. McDermott, Vice-President and Secretary of
Gulbransen Company journeyed out to Denver, Colo., a while
back. En route home he formed a Pullman Car casual ac-
quaintance with a clergyman, of Sydney, Australia, who was
on his way to New York to take passage for England. Upon
learning that his new-formed acquaintance, Mr. McDermott,
resided in Chicago was in the piano business, the clergyman
remarked, "Then you must know of the Gulbransen piano?"
He was surprised and pleased to learn of Mr. McDermott's
connection with Gulbransen, and told him that his church, one
of the most prominent in Sydney, had had and constantly
used a Gulbransen for several years. "And it is a gloriously
fine piano," he added. "One of my commissions in the United
States is to look up Gulbransen and negotiate for another
piano of the same make." Thus ended, super-happily, Mr.
McDermott's trip to Denver, "combining business with
pleasure."
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
In celebrating its 68th anniversary Sherman Clay & Co.'s
Seattle branch store made a rather unique and interesting dis-
play. One of the features was a brand new piano called the
"68th Birthday Piano," a custom made instrument produced
for the occasion by Winter & Co., New York. This instru-
ment attracted much attention and was a real novelty as a
birthday device. Other lines of promotion such as window
displays and facade banners added to the attraction of the
store on Fourth Avenue.
"The house of Sherman-Clay was established in 1870," says
Presto-Music Times' correspondent, "and it is, therefore, 68
years old and nearing 69, or, rather 68 years young because
Sherman-Clay has never become old in the sense of old age."
The Seattle store under the official management of Carl Mar-
shall has been entirely rejuvenated and modernized. It is
redecorated throughout and beautified in a handsome manner
with salon and sales parlors for the various instruments han-
dled by the concern. The Seattle house was opened in 1889
on Second Avenue; then it moved to Third Avenue, and
finally to Fourth Avenue which has been the Sherman-Clay
home in Seattle for the past fourteen years.
All in all the Seattle birthday celebration was a great suc-
cess and was sufficiently prominent to be featured in the daily
papers and in pictures and song.
T
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E
THREE GOOD MOVES
The Blakkestad Music Company of Minneapolis, heretofore
located at 23 S. Eighth Street, which moved into its new head-
quarters sometime ago, known as the Blakkestad Music Build-
ing, 1018 LaSalle Avenue, now has facilities three or four
times greater than those at the former store. The Blakkestad
Music House was established in 1893 and this is the third
move from one store to another in the last sixteen years, each
time outgrowing the space formerly used.
BALDWIN STRONG IN THE NORTH STAR STATE
The long-established, famous and popular Nicollet Hotel, at
Minneapolis, owned and controlled by the National Hotel
Company, has been going Baldwin way in the matter of pianos
purchased during the past few months. First they placed a
Baldwin grand, style "B," a 5 ft. 6 in. instrument in the main
dining room, known as the Minnesota Room. This was fol-
lowed by an Acrosonic in the Ball Room, and a Howard
grand in the new Nordic Room, a suite trimmed in ivory and
gold at an estimated cost to the hotel of $8,000.00.
Another outstanding sale is a Baldwin grand to Carleton
College at Northfield, Minn., and one to St. Olaf College,
whence comes the famous St. Olaf Glee Club which College
has purchased four Baldwin grands. McAllister College at
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