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