Status of Vestal Press
By Bob Conant
In a message dated 96-08-10 01:12:55 EDT, a question came up about the Vestal Press:
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> BOOKS
>
> The Player Piano Co.
> 704 East Douglas
> Wichita, KS 67202
> Purchased most of the remaining book stock from Vestal Press
This probably came up in one of the digest posts that I didn't get
around to reading (yet), but has there been some trouble with Vestal
Press? I ask because I have had on order for >6 months now the Bowers
encyclopedia, through a local music book store. No luck so far....
If I should redirect them to The P.P. Co., just say the word....
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I am not affiliated with the Vestal Press but have been friends with Harvey and Marion Roehl for many years. Although Harvey is not actively managing the Vestal Press anymore, he is in daily contact with them and is providing input to it's management. I am not at liberty to disclose all of their business dealings but would like to set the record straight on a couple of items.
The material that they sold several years ago to the Player Piano Co. in Wichita was primarily the reprints. That is, the reprinted service manuals for various player pianos and other items like wiring diagrams etc. The Vestal Press also distributed materials published by other companies. They have issued a "Resource Book" which was intended to tell everyone where the Vestal Press had obtained various books and materials and where the public could now obtain them. The Vestal Press retained all the business of distributing books that they themselves publish. This includes the Bowers Encyclopedia, the Reblitz piano and player restoration books and others published by them.
I don't know specifically the status of the encyclopedia but, in general, books are printed in batches. When the batch runs out, it must be reprinted. It takes a big capital investment to print a book like the encyclopedia and the Vestal Press is, after all, a small business. Currently the business is undergoing some restructuring but they are still very much in business. I would suggest that a phone call or a note to them would tell anyone whether the material is currently in print or what its reprint status is. They do still have a catalog but it does list only the books they publish. For all the other stuff they used to carry, get a copy of their resource book. For reprints of technical manuals, to directly to Player Piano Co.
I hope this clears up the mystery.
Bob Conant
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(Message sent Sat 17 Aug 1996, 03:06:03 GMT, from time zone GMT-0400.) |
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