The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1908)

74 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. ART IN POST CARDS. The Great Advance Made in This Special Field Is Most Marked During a Recent Period. It is true that local views are still most popular, and the publising of these ■cards in colors has made them, too, works of art which deserve preservation as souvenirs of the locality they represent. — The American Stationer. Compared with the original issues of post cards those sent out now are marvels of artistic excellence. The first cards were often merely cheap reproductions, sometimes the original pictures were poor and the process of making the cards was as cheap as could be devised. Notwithstanding this, the cards sold and good profits were made on them. But dealers found that improved quality of cards would sell better than the cheaper ones and that it would be good business policy to introduce them. Gradually dealers stocked better cards, and gradually the demand increased. Now the trade has, broken all records and is increasing every day. The leading artists of the day have been employed to make drawings for these cards. Some have found this work more profitable than anything they had been doing heretofore. And they have given their best work to the publishers of post cards. The result everyone who buys cards knows. The principal publishers are sending out cards now which are models of artistic beauty and thousands of albums have been enriched with these souvenirs which have carried art education into many hundreds of homes which never before had an opportunity to enjoy such pictures. Art in post cards has come to be recognized as not only possible, but necessary. The purchasing public demands the best and the dealer who expects to secure the trade of his community must keep in stock only the best cards procurable. The other grades will not sell. my photograph should ornament the cards. In a little while persons dealing with us began to ask for the man on the cards, and I had to step forward from the back seat I had occupied and take an active hand in affairs." ROTH & ENGELHARDT CHANGE. Alfred P. Roth Retires and the Business Will -Hereafter be Conducted Under the Title of F. Engelhardt & Sons — Messrs. Alfred D. and Walter Engelhardt Will be Associated Hereafter With Their Father in the Business. A PAYING HARMONICA LINE. The firm of Roth & Engelhardt, manufacturers of Peerless pianos, piano actions, etc., 2 East 47th street, was dissolved Jan. 1, by mutual consent. Alfred P. Roth, the senior member of the firm, retiring. The style of the firm is now F. Engelhardt & Sons, and they assume all current obligations and are authorized to collect all bills receivable from date of dissolution. Alfred D. Engelhardt, who has been identified with the business for four years, looking after the New York office and salesroom, and Walter Engelhardt, also connected with the firm for a like period, taking an active part in the factory management, will with their father assume full control and are conversant with all the details of the business. Mr. Roth, who has been actively engaged in business since 1889, will retire for the next three or four years and enjoy a season of rest from business cares. He expects to go to Europe in the very near future and remain abroad several months. Talking machine dealers handling a line of musical instruments and novelties and others looking for a salable line will find the Fr. Hotz harmonicas worth investigating. According to the manufacturer, the Hotz harmonica is likely to make a deep impress, if not entirely revolutionize,' the trade in the cheaper grade of these popular instruments. The "Blue Ribbon" is shown as a sample of the line made by Fr. Hotz, and through the name is well known as a manufacturer in Germany, having been established since 1828, yet the brand has heretofore not been extensively introduced in America. An extensive advertising campaign will be launched by the manufacturers, their purpose being to estab lish a reputation for this brand of harmonicas by offering the best value in the market. MOVING PICTUEES AT PROCTOKS. We Want to Furnish Your FILM Service for 1908 and "we are going to have it if the best fihns in America at the right prices will secure it. Everything identified with the moving picture business carried in stock. PATHE'S LIFE OF CHRIST, BEN HUR and PARSIFAL rented reasonable. O.T. CRAWFORD FILM EXCHANGE CO. Gayety Theatre Building, St. Louis, Mo. POSTCARD MADE HIM FAMOUS. How a Man Was Promoted from a Subordinate Position to Being Chief Manager by a Lucky Accident in Connection With Post Cards. Keith & Proctor's Twenty-third Street Theatre, beginning Monday, January 6, became known as the Bijou Dream and will be devoted exclusively and permanently on a long existing lease to the presentation of moving pictures with interpolated illustrated songs. The admission will be five and ten cents only and no seats reserved. A man who was unexpectedly promoted from a subordinate position in his firm into the position of chief manager attributed his rise to the picture post-card craze. "Some time ago," he said, "we decided to distribute a lot of advertising postals. It was our wish to print in one corner the picture of either the president or the vice-president of the company. Unfortunately, they are both fat. Now, a fat man on a picture post card Is bound to look like a caricature. "We didn't need the subsequent experience of Secretary Taft with his political postals to tell us that. Since I was the only man in the concern who could boast leanness, it was decided that Dealers in novelties cannot afford to overlook the line of post card albums made by the RisleyBird Manufacturing Co. Their albums, with leather cover, are originally conceived aiTd are quick sellers. TYPE R THE MUTOSCOPE For Amusement Parlors, Penny Arcades, etc., has proved itself to be the greatest money earner of all coin-operated machines. In fact it has made the "Penny Vaudeville " what it is to-day. The privilege of free exchange of pictures keeping them fresh and up-to-date, make it always attractive. Our New Type E Mutoscope, besides being handsomer in design, possesses many improvements in mechanism over former models. SPECIAL TO THE TRADE! FOR 30 DAYS ONLY These 1907 Song Hits at IGc. per copy, or $10.00 per hundred : " Every One Is In Slnmberland Bat Yon and Me " "Twinkling Star" " Sweethearts May Come and Sweethearts May Go " "Where The Jessamine Is Blooming, Far Away" Instrumental — Paula Valse Caprice It will pay you to keep in touch with us. Write to-day! THIEBES-STIERLIN MUSIC CO. ST. LOUIS, MO. Write for Particulars AMERICAN MUTOSCOPE 6 BIOGRAPH CO., ", East 14th Street NEW YORK CITY PACIRIC COAST BRANCH, 116 Worth Broadway, LOS ANGELES. CAI. THE F»IAIVOVA COlVf F»AI\JY, Manufacturers of 44 AND 65 NOTE ELECTRIC PLAYERS with or without nickel in the slot attachment SECURE THE AGENCY NOW. 117-125 Cypress Avenue, New York. Everything in NEW and S. H. Motion Picture Mactiines Films, Stercopticons, Sonff .'Glides ana Supplit-s. $aui« AVautcd. Catalog-\ics free. Harbach & Co., 809 Filbert St.. Phila., Pa, 60 YEARS' EXPERIENCE I RADE IVI AKr\a Designs Copyrights &c. Anyone sendtiiR a skotrh rhcI description may quickly asoortutii o»;r opliiUui free wlietlicr an tnvoiillun la i>rohnlily pnlontahle. ConiiminlcallotisstrtctlvoontUlontlnl. HANDBOOK on Pateuta Bciil froo. Oiliest nuencv forsecurinR patents. riitonts taUon tlirouk'b Munn & Co. receive spi'fid/ ii')fif<*, wittiout cluirco, In the Scientific Jitttericati. A hBiidaoniolT llliistrnlort wppUly. I.nrcest elrpiilntloM of niiv si'liMitlUc Journal. Terms, $3 a venr: four numtliB, f 1. Sold by all newadeftlers. MUNN&Co.3«'«'«''--»New York Braucb Oftlce, 536 F St.. Washington, D, C