The Edison phonograph monthly (Mar 1903-Feb 1904)

Record Details:

Something wrong or inaccurate about this page? Let us Know!

Thanks for helping us continually improve the quality of the Lantern search engine for all of our users! We have millions of scanned pages, so user reports are incredibly helpful for us to identify places where we can improve and update the metadata.

Please describe the issue below, and click "Submit" to send your comments to our team! If you'd prefer, you can also send us an email to mhdl@commarts.wisc.edu with your comments.




We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.

Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.

EDISON PHONOGRAPH MONTHLY. properties of a theatre, for here the indelible record is made that time cannot wither. It is marvelous how this great department is kept busy to supply the world with something new for every hour of the day. Years ago the new piece of sheet music was purchased after its popularity was assured; now it is the new record that takes up the main burden of the distribution of popular airs. The new records are of much darker color than formerly, and are much more loud and distinct. A contrast of records recently made and those made a year ago, showed a marked improvement, and with Mr. Edison's watchful eye on the lookout for further advancement, one feels that the Edison will remain the standard phonograph of the times. The records are now electrotyped in gold, so that they are all virtually and actually "originals," instead of reproductions, as formerly. The whole process is so simple when once understood as to be startling, and, as Mr. Edison remarked, " It's strange that it was not made a practical success before." Scattered through the various departments, from X-ray to machine lathe room, are those rough pencil drafts, made by Mr. Edison. His drawings have nothing of the polished finish and exactness of the blue print in the drafting room, but they have the vitality of the great and yet simple idea. These drafts are made oft-times to show the impossibility as well as possibility of a project. And in all the range of ideas from the first tin-foil record to the perfected wax record of 1903, Thomas A. Edison has surpassed even his own expectations in the phonograph. It is the one predominating hobby of his life, and with a phonograph in the home, every American home has a souvenir remembrance and reminder of what Thomas A. Edison considers the greatest achievement of his life. ABOUT LOCAL ADVERTISING. Occasionally a Dealer asks to have this Company do some advertising in his field for his special advantage. We are compelled by our policy to refuse such requests. If but a few Dealers were selling our goods we should take pleasure in making an advertising appropriation for the benefit of each, and we could afford to do the same for all. With over 5,000 Dealers in Edison Phonographs and Records the situation is very different. Our system does not permit one Dealer to have the slightest advantage over any other in selling our goods, and to be consistent we cannot show a few Dealers favors and deny them to the remainder. The utmost care* is taken to see that no one is discriminated against in shipping goods or sending out printed matter. An appropriation of $50 for advertising each Dealer locally would be as small as could be used to advantage, but even that amount to each Dealer would mean an additional expenditure yearly of over $250,000 — an expenditure quite out of the question. We think that Dealers will see the question in the same light as we do, and will realize that when we refuse to do local advertising it is because of a desire to maintain a consistent policy, and not because of the small amount that individual cases would involve. MORE ABOUT THE COMMERCIAL PHONOGRAPH. A private exhibition of the perfected Edison Commercial Phonograph was made in April before Mr. Edison, President William E. Gilmore, and the heads of our various departments. It was given a thorough trial and pronounced by all to be perfect. It must not be inferred from this, however, that the Commercial Phonograph is ready for the market. Such will not be the case for some months. Before even another machine can be made it will be necessary to build special machinery to manufacture a number of special parts. A sufficient number of the machines will then be made to equip all the departments of the National Phonograph Company. This will furnish a demonstration of the complete success of the Edison Commercial Phonograph. Just as soon as it can properly be done the machine and its methods of operation will be fully described in these columns. APPROVES THE MARCH SELECTIONS. Under date of May 4 the PardeeEllenberger Co., Jobbers in Edison Phonographs and Records at New Haven, wrote : The March selections came duly to hand and they seem to have met with very general approval with the trade, if our orders are any indication. We have heard only good words for the list and want to compliment you on the quality of the^goods and the character of the selections. Several of them, such as " Sweet and Low," " Monkey Shines on the Mobile Levee " and the " Symphia Waltzes " are particularly fine. If this high standard is maintained there is no chance of Edison goods losing the prestige they already hold. THE TRIUMPH A TRIUMPH INDEED. T. W. Betker, a Dealer at Rushville, Ind., in a letter to his Jobber, Kipp Bros. Co., Indianapolis, Ind., said: The Triumph Phonograph is certainly well deserving of its name, for it is certainly a triumph in the reproduction of music. The maker should certainly triumph over his achievements, and the possessor cannot help the triumphal feeling, which the Triumph Phonograph is bound to inspire in him when it plays. Long may the Edison lead.