Presto

14 PRESTO-TIMES OREGON, ILL, FAME IN SCHILLER PIANOS Historical Account of the Rise and Progress of the Manufacture of Schiller Pianos Makes Interesting Reading. esses of building up to the lines of perfection that animated its founder, has enabled the Schiller Piano Company to advance steadily to a position which is at the forefront in the piano field. Four Additions. "The original Schiller plant comprised a tloor space of approximately 35,000 square feet, to which has been added four additions, making the total floor space 175,000 square feet. "The product is sold by the highest type of dealers from coast to coast, and is also held in the highest esteem in Australia, South America, Mexico and Italy, where shipments have been made successively throughout the year. "The piano is recognized as the fundamental instrument. There can hardly be a musical performance without a piano. It is the most sensitively organized musical instrument of the present day, yet it is true that pianos generally have not kept pace with this present era in the development of tone. "The fact that the Schiller Piano Company has continued to operate steadily without shut-downs, may be attributed to the inventive genius of an old December 1, 1929 EMIL W. WOLFF ELECTED PRESIDENT OF M. SCHULZ CO. World Traveler Chosen to Succeed the Late Otto Schulz as Corporation Head. At a meeting of the hoard of directors of the M. Schulz Company, piano manufacturers, 711 Milwaukee avenue. Chicago, Emil VV. Wolff was elected president to fill the vacancy caused by the death in July of Otto Schulz. In an article in the Rockford Register-Gazette, Mr. Wolff, who is a brother-in-law of the late presiknown as the "Rock River Prosperity Edition," the dent of the company, has been vice-president for a following record of the rise and progress of the number of years. He has promoted the interests of Schiller Piano Company, of Oregon, 111., was given: the company in California and other parts of the "Among the Rock River Valley industries it is country and has been one of its larger stockholders significant that there is found one of the oldest manufor years. facturers of high grade pianosthe Schiller Piano Mr. Wolff is an ardent automobilist and has travCompany of Oregon, 111. eled extensively in this country in his machine. His "The first Schiller piano was built nearly half a wife accompanied him on a trip by auto from Los century ago and since that time more than 80,000 Angeles to Chicago last summer. Schiller pianos have been made and sold, the sales Mr. and Mrs. Wolff have traveled extensively during the last few years all over the world. For many years Mr. Wolff supervised the construction of Schulz instruments in the Schulz factories, and personally attended to the purchase of supplies. That experience has given him a detailed knowledge of the high standards of construction and the superior quality of the materials employed by the M. Schulz Company. He has been actively engaged in the activities of the M. Schulz Company since 1902. "I see no reason why there should not be a good year ahead for the piano industry," was Emil W. Wolff's forecast for the trade on the occasion of his taking over the reins of the M. Schulz Company, Chicago Mr. Wolff's optimism lacked the hollow sound of so many who breathe optimism merely because that is expected of them; for back of his rosy outlook for the future, there is sound reasons for his opinion. Mr. Wolff is firmly convinced that the expansion being pledged by business leaders in response to President Hoover's appeal will be a boon to the piano industry. "Surely," said Mr. Wolff, "the expenditure of the immense sums being devoted to the cause of booming American industry should result in the bettering of trade conditions in all lines of business. That boom necessarily will be reflected in the fortunes of the piano trade. SCHILLER PIANO CO "Add to this," Mr. Wolff continued, "the fact that OREGON, ILLINOIS the elimination of a number of piano manufacturers MANUFACTURERS OF GRAND. during the past year will mean increased business for UPRIGHT and PLAYER PIANOS the survivors. The distress stocks which flooded the market as a result of those crashes, are now nearly disposed of, and there should exist, from now on, an opportunity to sell quality merchandise at prices warlVKn PIANO CO. FACTORY AT OREGON. ILL. ranted by manufacturing costs." Under the leadership of Mr. Wolff the M. Schulz coming almost entirely through the enthusiastic rec- master workman, who has developed a distinctive Company will keep up its aggressive fight all over ommendation of Schiller owners. construction in the Schiller grand, in which the vi- the nation to make sure- that the Schulz organization "This inspiring business was established by the late brating section of the sounding board and back are receives an ever increasing proportion of the counF. G. Jones, who was succeeded by his sons and independent of the case. try's piano business. grandsons, and is now headed by E. B. Jones, presi"This results in a liberated tone of marvelous depth dent, B. F. Shelly, secretary, R. B. Jones, assistant and almost unbelievable singing quality. It is this secretary, and C. F. Jones, treasurer. distinctive feature which has made the Schiller one Master Craftsmen. of the most talked of pianos in the best musical cir"The Schiller organization consists of old master cles." workmen, men who have devoted the greater part of "Schillerville." their lifetime at what might be considered more than When a representative of Presto-Times approached Leaders in the Industry Co-operating in Industrial a trade, as the building of a high grade piano is truly Program. an art. Many of these workmen have been with the the Schiller Piano Company offices in Oregon one day last week he remembered an anecdote of years ago. Schiller Piano Company for more than 35 years. Radio sales now are increasing steadily after a. "These men seem to have developed an additional It was about the answer given by a man who was temporary recession, it is stated by President H. B. sense in relation to their craft and they choose each driving toward Oregon and who, when asked where piece with an inspired fidelity to purpose and work it he was headed for, said "Schillerville"meaning Ore- Richmond of the Radio Manufacturers' Association, into shape with a faith that motivated the guildsmen gon, of course. Anyway, if ever the name of the in announcing a call for a meeting of the assoprogressive little city should be changed, it would be ciation's board of directors December 6 and 7, at of an earlier day. Briarcliff Lodge, New York. The directors' meeting "Thus the same idealism that has kept the busi- natural to call it Schillerville, or some other name is incident to the industrial conferences initiated by ness in the hands of one family and has kept the proc- suggestive of its leading industry. President Hoover to stabilize and stimulate business conditions. The radio industry leaders will consider An interesting feature of his report called attention measures to co-operate in the industrial program of to the announced purpose of the Interstate Commerce the President and will be represented at a meeting Commerce Commission to readjust, pursuant to the Hoch-Smith called by the United States Chamber of 1 resolution, the transportation rates and charges so at Washington just prior to the meeting of the association's board of directors. that t'.ie maintenance of the transportation systems of the country will be borne in greater measure by the E. A. Leveille, of Traffic Committee, Makes products of industry and in lesser measure by the E. P. JOHNSON PLANT BUSY. products of agriculture. E. P. Johnson, of the K. P. Johnson Piano ComTransportation Report at Chicago Piano The Trans-Continental Lines have had several pro- pany, is having what may be called an excellent trade. Manufacturers' Association Meeting. posals affecting the rates on pianos which were re- A large number of grand pianos are being built and an unusually attractive lot of orders are on his books. At a meeting of the Chicago Piano Manufacturers' viewed by Mr. Leveille. Attention was called to the manifold provisions of In other words, the E. P. Johnson factory at Elgin, Association at the Great Northern Hotel, Chicago, Rule 34 of the classification and the way it may be 111., is one of the busy piano factories of the country. November 13, the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: Frederick P. Bassett, president; operated and has been operated to the detriment of The E. P. Johnson Piano Company are now owners John H. Parnham, vice-president; W. E. Guylee, sec- the p'auo shipperstogether with suggestions on how of the old Foley & Williams and the Burdett names, which names are utilized in the products of their retary; E. A. Leveille, assistant secretary; Adam to best meet this situation. The matter of minimum weights came in for con- factories. Schneider, treasurer. For the Executive Committee the following gen- siderable discussion due to the popularity of smaller Princeton University, Princeton, N. J., opened its tlemen were selected: H. C. Dickinson, Geo. J. and lighter types and to the consequent difficulty Dowling. E. R. Jacobson. C N. Kimball, F. F. Story. in making the present minimum weight. These mat- music season on the night of November 19 with a reOn behalf of the traffic committee Mr. Leveille ters are receiving active consideration in the interest cital in McCosh Hall by the Aguilar Lute Quartet. made an informal but extended report on the recent of the members of the Chicago Association and in the During the winter 13 concert- and recitals will be given. developments and current trends in transportation. interests of the trade at large. RADIO SALES NOW ON THE INCREASE MANUFACTURERS ELECT F. P. BASSETT PRESIDENT 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/