PRESXO10 March 4, 1920.

WHERE DOUBTS ARE DISPELLEDUnder This Head Presto Will Answer Any Question Pertaining to Pianos, or

Other Subjects of Direct Interest to the Trade and Musical Public

of securing complete data from the local gentlemen,we will be glad to serve you.

• * *THE "KENSINGTON" ELECTRIC.

Clovis, New Mexico, March 1, 1920. -Editor Presto: I have a coin-operating electric a

"Kensington" piano I took in on a deal and cannot *get music rolls for same.

Can you tell me who makes the "Kensington" andwhere I can obtain rolls for some, 65-note?

Yours truly,G. C. FALKNER.

According to our records the "Kensington" wasmanufactured here in Chicago by an industry which,some time back, changed hands. If instrumentsbearing that name are still made we have no knowl-edge of the fact. Presumably, the instrument aboutwhich you ask is an old one.

As without doubt you know, there are very few65-note music rolls now manufactured. We sug-gest, however, that you apply to the OperatorsPiano Co., 16 S. Peoria street, Chicago, which re-liable industry, some time ago, bought the old estab-lished Kibbey Mfg. Co., which had been making65-note player music. There is also a house at Co-lumbus, Ohio, which is, we understand, making aspecialty of 65-note music. You might write thereto Mr. C. C. Baker.

• • •THE ATWOOD LOADER.

Montgomery, Mich, Feb. 2, 1920.Editor Presto: Will you kindly advise who it is

that makes a piano truck which can load the pianofrom the ground to auto truck. We saw an add inthe Presto about six months ago of a truck of thiskind, and wish you would advise us where it is made,if possible.

Yours very truly,'MINER & CO.

In our judgment the best device of this kind ismanufactured by the Atwood Piano Loader Co.,Cedar Rapids, la.

We believe that you will find that article just whatyou want for speedy and safe delivery of instru-ments. The Atwood Loader is quickly attached toa Ford car and with very little trouble it may beequally well affixed to other automobiles.

Inquiries must bear the signature and address ofwriter in order to receive attention. Answers thoughtto be of general trade interest will be published. If ananswer is not of general interest it will be mailed pro-vided stamp is inclosed.

Operators Player Company makes any of thosetypes of instruments. We thought perhaps youknew the name of the manufacturer of that type ofinstrument, or if you would be willing to procurethis information foi us.

We have a prospect who wants one of this kindof instrument, and we will appreciate your promptattention in giving us this information as quickly aspossible.

Yours very truly,S. E. MURPHY MUSIC CO.

We suggest that if you will address the Mills Nov-elty Co., Jackson boulevard and Green street, Chi-cago, you will be put in the way of securing justwhat you want. The concern named is making aviolin-piano and other special combination instru-ments for amusement and other public places.

The Organola Company, Auditorium Building,Chicago, makes a remarkable instrument for amuse-ment places also.

* * *NICKEL-IN-THE-SLOT PIANOS.

Elkwood, Va., Feb. 28, 1920.Editor Presto: Would you please mail me one

of your Presto Piano Buyers' Guide for 1920.Please also send me the address of some electric

playerpiano company who wants to sell two auto-matic nickel-in-the-slot pianos.

Very respectfully,M. R. CLEMENTS.

About electric playerpianos, we suggest that ifyou will write to any of the following reliable in-dustries you will be put in line with what you require:Operators Piano Co., 16 S. Peoria St., Chicago; J.P. Seeburg Piano Co., 419 W. Erie St., Chicago;Price & Teeple Piano Co., 218 S. Wabash Ave.,Chicago.

* * *ELECTRIC PLAYERPIANO.

Monticello, Ind., March 1, 1920.Editor Presto: Please send me Presto Buyers'

Guide for 1920, and enter my subscription to Prestofor one year.

Please give me list of piano manufacturers whomake an electric playerpiano for home use.

Respectfully,J. L. ACKERMAN.

We suggest that good electric players are manu-factured by the following reliable industries: Price& Teeple Piano Co., Chicago; American Piano Co.,New York; Kohler Industries, Inc., New York; Oper-ators Piano Co., Chicago; J. P. Seeburg Piano Co.,Chicago.

There are also a number of other reliable and dis-tinguished industries in the same line. Wre wouldsuggest that you will find all of them described inPresto Buyers' Guide, and .should you write any ofthe industries which we have herein named, you willbe certain to receive satisfactory replies.

* • *A NEW PLAYER ACTION.

New York, Feb. 28, 1920.Editor Presto: In your August 28, 1919, issue,

you had an article to the effect that patent rightsunder No. 1,307,052 were granted to Alfred A. John-son, A. C. Swanson and A. H. Utterburg, of Chi-cago, 111., for an Automatic Playing Attachment forPianos.

We are very anxious to find out what this inven-tion consists of, and particularly who the manufac-turers are, in order that we may get in touch withthem concerning the possibility of doing businesswith them in the country of Spain. If you can turnthis information over to them in Chicago we wouldcertainly appreciate it very much, and in the mean-time hope to hear from you concerning the matter.

Our home office is a subscriber to your magazine,and that is the reason why this information is re-quested from you.

Yours very truly,CATALINA TRADING COMPANY,

J. R. KORBET.We have investigated this matter about which you

write, and find that the gentlemen are all workers inlocal industries. Mr. Johnson resides at Lemont,and we have tried to find him personally, but with-out success.

It is certain, however, that the automatic attach-ment is not being made unless by some local indus-try in which one or more of the gentlemen are em-ployed.

We suggest, however, that if you will address JohnA. Saul, Fendall BJdg., Washington, D. C, you cansecure complete description of the player action, andif we can then be of any further assistance, by way

SEE PRESTO BUYERS' GUIDE.Bienville, La., Feb. 26, 1920.

Editor Presto: You state that there is no firm inNew York City by the name of Becker & Sons,who manufacture and distribute pianos.

I purchased the piano through a traveling sales-man, who claimed to sell the instrument at a bargainin order to place one in every town, for the purposeof advertisement. He shipped the piano fromShreveport, La., through a piano company. He alsogave me the name and address of the piano firmwho made the instrument, but, unfortunately, I mis-placed it. Anyway, it was made in New York City.I feel sure that it is what is known as a "stencil."instrument. I believe that if I could see the makers'name I would recognize it. If I am not mistaken,the Shreveport firm was Woods Piano Co.

I wish to say that the instrument is a nice fin-ished, well constructed, good tone, playerpiano. Andit gave satisfaction for three years. The only thingwrong now is the rotary valves leak, causing theplayer music to skip. I now want to know whatnext to do.

Yours very respectfully,N. A. CULBERTSON.

Of course, as we have already said, there is noway for us to know anything about the instrumentuntil we know who made it. If you think that youcan recognize the name of the maker of the pianowhen you see it, we would suggest that you lookthrough the complete list as it appears in PrestoBuyers' Guide.

If you are a subscriber to Presto you probablyhave a copy also of Presto Buyers' Guide. In Part3 of that book you will find all of the leading manu-facturers of pianos fully described. The last sectionof the book contains a complete list of all the manu-facturers in this country.

* * *THE FRANCIS BACON. __

Morgantown, Ky., March 1, 1920.Editor Presto: Could you tell me where I can get

information in regard to playerpianos? You see Iam just beginning to sell them and I want to knowall about them now.

I am going to sell Francis Bacon player. I havewritten to the Bacon Piano Co. for information, butthey seem to be so busy making pianos that theyhaven't time to tell me how their players are made,so if you can help me let me know.

Yours respectfully,MAUDE EHERMAN.

About playerpianos, we suggest that they are alldescribed in Presto Buyers' Guide, a copy of whichyou probably have.

Regarding the Francis Bacon playerpiano, we as-sure you that it is a thoroughly representative, reli-able and desirable instrument. We feel certain thatthere must be some mistake about any lack of atten-tion to your letters, for the Francis Bacon Piano Co.has a reputation for promptness and efficiency. Webelieve that if you will write to the company againyou will receive descriptive catalogues and other in-formation.

* * *NEW YORK MUSIC EXCHANGE.

Mansfield, O., Feb. 24, 1920.Editor Presto: I am writing you in regard to the

New York Music Exchange, 145 West 45th street,New York City. As I have had some dealings withthis company, I am anxious to know if they are areliable firm or not.

Thanking you for any information you may beable to give me, I beg to remain,

Sincerely yours,DON R. YARNELL.

At the present time we have no knowledge of thathouse. There is such a concern and we understandit is credible. Presto's New York representativewill report fully.

* * * " * " " " •

AUTOMATIC PIANOS FOR CAFES.St. Cloud, Minn., Feb. 29, 1920.

Editor Presto: Will you please tell us whomakes an electric playerpiano for use in ice creamparlors, cafes, etc., and make them with a real violinand bow exposed to view, showing the instrumentplaying?

We don't believe that Wurlitzer, Seeburg or the

OLD "CON" ACTIVITIESRECALLED BY PIANO MEN

Arrest in Chicago of Alleged Swindler Brings toMind Other Regrettable Instances.

Peter Noor, 1852 Ogden avenue, Chicago, was ar-rested last week on a charge of operating a confi-dence game preferred by J. Wagner of the CentralPiano Company, 212 South Wabash avenue. Wag-ner claims Noor purchased a $450 piano and dis-posed of it after making a small cash deposit. Thearrest recalled the depredations of "con" artists whodisturbed piano sales managers in Chicago at variousperiods. The offense alleged against Noor is as oldas the piano installment plan and in its operationmany ingenious plots against the ingenious pianoman have been set and successfully hatched.

The police have been seeking Noor, who is de-scribed as a mechanical engineer, for nearly a yearand have received many complaints regarding simi-lar operations. During that period, it is alleged, hehas repeatedly changed his address, and had justmoved into the Ogden avenue house when arrested.

PROMOTION FOR WM. P. WALSH.William P. Walsh is now manager of the city

sales department of the piano section of Lyon &Healy, having been promoted to the position madevacant by the recent resignation of Fred. Firestone,who became manager of sales at the Smith PianoCompany, Chicago. Mr. Walsh, who is an experi-enced salesman, has been for seventeen years inLyon & Healy's city sales department; so his pro-motion is an earned one. The Lyon & Healy citysales department is the city selling outside—that isin Chicago and its immediate suburbs.

EMPLOYES PUBLISH PAPER.The Price & Teeple Piano Company employes are

now publishing a paper called the SymphonolaNews. The publication, which is neatly printed,contains items about the employes and also thedealers in Price & Teeple pianos and Symphonolas.It is used as a connecting link between the makersand the users of the instruments of Price & Teeple.

F. S. Spofford, retail manager of the Chicagobranch of Hardman, Peck & Co., New York pianomanufacturers, has returned from a five-weeks' mid-winter vacation which he spent at his farm and cit-rus grove at Sarasota, Fla.

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