(Source document copies courtesy of John Perschbacher.)

This auxiliary page represents but one side of an original but poor condition 4-column foldout that was Xerox copied by John H. Perschbacher during one of his visits to the Automatic Musical Instrument Company factory in Grand Rapids, Michigan, circa the 1980s. The foldout was originally published by the National Automatic Music Company, circa 1912. Only the foldout side directly relating to National Automatic Pianos is shown. The piano used for the photograph near the end of this article—which has been inserted between the exact same paragraphs as in the source material—has a 32-note mid-section, consistent with early National pianos that were fitted with Simplex stacks. The rectangular "fallboard" decal reads: "National Automatic Music Company."Click here to view the complete foldout (both sides) in PDF format.

One of the great infant industries in point of age, is the exhibiting of

MOVING PICTURES

The estimates of the vast returns of this business vary. Some statisticians have states that during 1912 more than six billion nickels (6,380,000.00 to be exact) were paid in by the American public. One authority states, however, during these investigations that “we know of no way in which you can secure accurate figures except by undertaking a very expensive campaign of statistical compilation on the subject, and we are inclined to believe that any figures that you may see published from time to time are mostly guesswork. It is said that these are somewhere around seven hundred (700) moving pictures in Chicago and the estimate of moving pictures in the United States runs all the way from twelve thousand (12,000) or fourteen thousand (14,000) to twenty thousand (20,000) or over. Even these figures are largely guesses.”

Another method by which the American public spends its nickels is in

INDUSTRIAL INSURANCE

Twenty-five million (25,000,000) Americans hold Industrial Insurance policies in 1912, and the amount of money they literally poured into the insurance coffers as premiums is estimated at two billion five hundred million (2,500,000,000) nickels. It is interesting to note in comparison that this sum was in excess of the total value of merchandise imported from France during the year 1911.

Americans are noted as prodigal spenders, especially in the matter of

TRANSPORTATION

In the City of New York alone, during the year ending June 30, 1912, the conductors and ticket sellers on the Rapid Transit and surface car lines gathered in a tremendous horde of nickels, estimated at over one and two-thirds billions (1,673,695,980 to be exact). This sum exceeds the sum New York and Massachusetts paid in expenditures for public schools in 1910.

There is an industry which has become an almost necessary adjunct to modern American civilization and is unobtrusively reaping a fortune. It is the

BOOTBLACK

One authority in this phase of industry has stated that approximately four hundred million nickels are donated by Americans each year to have their shoes polished, or that about 1% of the whole United States population gives itself into the hands of the bootblack in one year to shine nearly five million (5,000,000) shoes. Another authority states: “As the trade in the boot-blacks manufacture their own liquids and pastes, it is impossible to judge how much is spent for the ‘shoe shines’ in the United States.”

MUSIC

Music is one of the most important and most widely used products in the world. More than twice as much money is spent in the United States for music than the combined cost of the Navy, Army and Pension list. Chicago alone spends over thirty million a year for the rendition of music.

AUTOMATIC PIANOS

Orchestrions and the like take in thousands of nickels in cafes and other public places. The development of the player piano has greatly increased the earnings of the piano, but not until the National Automatic Music Company’s piano was placed upon the market. MUSIC did not always follow the “dropping of a nickel” in coin pianos, as many of the instruments were crude, often out of repair, nearly always out of tune, and when in condition to play at all, the loud mechanical noise produced resembled the drumming sound of a tin pan more than real music.

Of all the devices operated with this little worker (the nimble nickel), none, perhaps, has taken the study, time and money, ever reached the perfection of the National Automatic Piano, owned and controlled by the National Automatic Music Company of Grand Rapids.

In studying the subject out experts found that of all the coin-controlled devices offered to the public the piano was the only one that continued in favor after the novelty wore off, which was due largely to the fact that other devices did not possess the lasting qualities to make them continuous profit earners.

The Britannica Encyclopedia says:

“The Piano may be styled the voice of the musician, the only means whereby unaided he can give complete utterance to his thoughts, the only vehicle for the communication of musical ideas in their entirety.”

The National Automatic Music Company has placed upon the market something entirely new in the way of A COIN OPERATED PIANO, which is universally acknowledged to be the MARVEL OF THE AGE—a triumph in mechanism, construction and quality which the Company is willing to stand back of and guarantee in every way, thus placing within the reach of every lover of good music, without a dollar of cost to them, an instrument always to be depended upon, beautiful in design and style, rich in tone, capable of producing the widest possible range of music from ragtime to the classics, producing with absolute accuracy the soul of the music.

Every objection commonly urged against coin-operated instruments has been met and overcome; no more large outlay of money from $500 to $5000 purchase price—not one dollar for repairs, music or cost of operation, and with a new and complete change of program each week comprising 32 to 40 of the latest and most popular selections every month.

It is not our purpose to enter upon a detailed description of the National Automatic piano in this little folder, as our catalogue gives a fully illustrated and very clear exposition of its many points of superiority over all other coin-operated instruments.

We will, however, call attention to the selective device, the operation of which requires no practice or skill but is so simple that any person, even a child, may select the number upon the program wanted and know absolutely that that particular piece desired will be rendered for them, and, in a masterly manner.

There are eight music rolls to each program—each roll operates entirely independent of the others. When you want to hear ragtime you do not have to listen to some classical selection and when you want a waltz or two-step a march will not answer your purpose.

While a complete change of program is furnished every week without cost, upon request any of the eight selections which have been particularly popular can be retained on the roll or drum and the remaining pieces changed without in any way interfering with its operations. This is the only coin-operated piano in the world where this result can be accomplished.

If you have not as yet read our catalog, SEND NOW, it will interest you.

National Automatic Music Company

(Source document copies courtesy of John Perschbacher.)