The Edison phonograph monthly (Jan-Dec 1912)

10 Edison Phonograph Monthly, April, 1912 Hustling Some A short time ago we had occasion to refer a retail inquiry to John L. Shanley, an Edison Dealer in Winooski, Vt. Shortly after receiving the reference he wrote us announcing a $40.00 sale, and we take pleasure in reproducing part of his letter: "One of our clerks signified his willingness to brave the storm and cold 'only 22 below in UnderhilP and try his luck, as he expressed it. Arriving at the station, he was obliged to drive about three miles up in the mountains, and after playing several Records, and making a Record of the young lady of the house playing the organ, he closed the deal, leaving the outfit with them." No wonder this man left the outfit with the prospect! He was able to effect the sale because he made the most of his goods. Many Dealers seem to think that because it's a Phonograph people ought to break their necks to get it, so they sit around and make no particular effort to develop the real selling points of the machine. The Home Recording device is one of the great feaures in the Edison, for the reason that everybody can hear a talking machine play — in fact, there are few who haven't. But comparatively few people have ever heard a Record made — or better yet, made one themselves; and the fascination of hearing one's own efforts reproduced by the Phonograph will often sell a machine where the mere playing of a few selections would fail to arouse interest. Commends "B" Amberola The Ball-Fintze Co., Edison Jobbers at Newark, Ohio, recently forwarded the following letter received from John Arnold, an Edison Dealer in Cincinnati: "Received new type Amberola yesterday and was greatly pleased with the new features. Think the direct spiral drive and balance wheel make it the most perfect motor ever placed in a talking machine. "The placing of the governor on the top tends to take all motor noise out of the reproduction. I was not much in favor of risking the Amberola in stock, the fact that I have to-day sold the one received yesterday shows I was mistaken. My impression is there are a good many Dealers like myself to whom if these new features were explained would take the new Amberola on to their advantage. "You may ship me at once a duplicate, same type and finish Amberola." How many other Dealers are there in the country who, like Mr. Arnold, are waiting to be convinced ? Lighting Stores The manner in which a store is lighted is a strong advertising point — good or bad, according to the degree of attractiveness attained. One instinctively avoids a dark, dingy store — due, perhaps to a feeling that the darkness hides dirt. But how different is the effect of a brilliantly lighted place! It stands out as a great open door in a wall of darkness and one feels naturally drawn to it, not perhaps to buy at once, but the friendly feeling for that attractive place will lead the passer-by to enter it when he becomes a bona fide purchaser. But this highly lighted house is not attractive if its brightness consists in a blinding glare which causes the visitor to blink and stare, while the proprietor and his clerks scowl at him in an effort to smile and at the same time save their eye-sight. A diffused light is by far the best, since it will leave no dark corners, and will not concentrate its rays upon the eyes of store-keeper and customer alike, but will give an air of cheerfulness and cleanliness which will inevitably establish the store as a desirable place at which to do business. How is your store lighted? The Dead Speak Nearly every newspaper in the country recently contained an account of a meeting of the Borrowed Time Club of Oak Park, 111. This club is composed of men who have passed the fatal "three score years and ten" and are for that reason living on "borrowed" time. The unique feature of the much-talked-of meeting of this remarkable club was the playing on a Phonograph of Records by two members, now dead. The first Record, made by E. W. Hoard on his ninety-third birthday. September 6th, 1905, contained his favorite hymn, "There Is a Land of Pure Delight." As the thin tremulous voice filled the room, the whole audience was stirred by a feeling of mysterious sadness which gradually deepened into one of sublime reverence, and the closing stanza found these aged gentlemen standing with tear-filled eyes, adding their living voices to that of the dead. Another Record contained a humorous conversation between Hoard and E. F. Robbins, in which the two old friends chafed each other exactly as they had always done whenever they met. To a stranger, the dialogue was merely humorous, but to the members of the Borrowed Time Club it was a re-incarnation of times long gone and the humor was blended with a feeling of sadness.