The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1913)

48 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. The Columbia reproducer No. 6 is a sound box that is also a "tone box"— sound plus tone— the most perfect reproducer. (Write for "Music Money," a book "full of meat" for those dealers interested in quick and frequent turnover of capital.) Columbia Graphophone Company Wool worth Building, New York GREAT ACTIVITY PREVAILS IN THE CINCINNATI TRADE. Record Volume of Business Being Handled by Talking Machine Men — Phonograph Co. Secures Attractive Quarters — Horn Machines for Foreign Element — Columbia Business Expanding — More Demonstrating Booths for Aeolian Co. — Heavy Advertising the Rule. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Cincinnati, 0., December 4. — A feverish activity prevails in the talking machine business of this city, the like of which has not prevailed since the introduction of the machine. One would think a gold mine was being uncovered. The Aeolian Co., with the most costly piano wareroom in this city, is giving the Victrola department the most prominence through the building, of a series of soundproof booths on the main floor, close to the entrance. The same is true of the Lyric Piano Co., only the booths are adjoining the entrance. The W. G. Woodmansee Piano Co. is going to take a flier through the Edison line and Otto Grau Piano Co. is gradually developing its Victrola department. The event of the past two weeks was the opening of a local distributing agency by The Phonograph Co., of Cleveland, Edison jobbers, which has secured quarters at 418 Main street. These are in charge of E. C. Peterson and Secretary Smith. They are speeding up Edison interest in this market in a remarkable manner. John Arnold, one of the most prominent of their retailers, is thankful to the company for its advertisements in the Saturday Evening Post and Collier's. These brought many prospects to his place during November, kept him busy demonstrating and resulted in a good number of sales. Arnold believes the Edison machine will be the biggest thing on the market in less than a year. The Phonograph Co. to-day closed a deal with the Fisher Piano Co., Wilmington, and has arranged for J. A. Rodabough, of Columbus and Schroyer & Co., Dayton, to handle the new Edison line. A dealer at Springfield, Ohio, is nibbling hard. George Link, dealer on Vine street, has a small corner on the horn machines and is thanking his stars that he had the good fortune to lay in a lot of this type when he learned there was nothing more doing in the manufacturing line. Link's trade is principally of the foreign element and they do not think it is a phonograph unless there is a massive horn with the box. R. J. Whelen, local manager of the Columbia Graphophone Co., smiles because, to use his own words, "Business is on the boom." Mr. Whelen is well known in local talking machine circles, is a "good fellow," and makes it his personal business to extend the glad hand to patrons of the Columbia store.. He is a hustler and there is always something doing in the Columbia store. Mr. Whelen is a believer in fair competition and open and above board tactics and his employes know this. You are always sure of courteous treatment in the Columbia establishment on West Fourth street, as Mr. Whelen sets an example to his sales force. In addition to the musical end, Mr. Whelen is local manager of the Dictaphone Co., with local headquarters at the Columbia store and his aggressiveness along this line has made the word "Dictaphone" a familiar one in Cincinnati business houses. "Business is booming," said Manager Whelen, when asked about present conditions. "We have left last November so far behind that we have about cleaned out our stock. December is starting in as a close second and if we can get the goods to supply the demand, we will make November, even with its big increase over last year, look like thirty cents. We are getting in big shipments every day, and our shipping department is working day and night, but as fast as the machines come in we send them out. This unusual demand is not confined to local and retail trade, but extends throughout the R. J. Whelen. entire territory, even the smaller dealers crowding in their orders. In order to save time the factory are shipping the goods direct to the dealers, but still our shipping facilities here are taxed to the limit. The largest demand is for the new models, the 'Leader' $75, the new 'Mignonette' $100, the new 'Nonpareil' $150, and the new 'De Luxe' $200, although there is a steady demand for the smaller types for holiday gifts including the everpopular Columbia 'Favorite,' the new one even being superior to the old type, the 'Eclipse' at $25, and the 'Jewel' at $35. The new style 'Regal' at $50 is also holding its own." A large number of Columbia dealers visited the local headquarters during the past month, getting ready for the holiday trade and placing their orders, and all report that business is good. The Aeolian Co. report a splendid Victor business in November, the chief increase being in record sales. There seems to be a general awakening among Victrola owners and added interest in their instruments which is resulting in large record sales. The Aeolian Co. has just finished installing a battery of new Victor booths on the main floor which are quite the most attractive and practical seen hereabouts. The booths are of glass the sash giving the appearance of French windows. The finish is ivory to match that of the first floor woodwork. The furnishings consist of Oriental rugs, gold finished settees and mahogany chairs. This equipment gives Tbe Aeolian Co. six Victor rooms on the first floor, all of which Manager Black states are required at the present time to take care of the Aeolian Victor trade. There are probably no handsomer warerooms in the country than those of the Aeolian Cincinnati branch. They have been the talk of the city ever since they were finished a couple of years ago, and it is a strong testimonial of the importance this company attaches to the Victor line when they devote so large a portion of their beautiful main floor to these booths. The Aeolian Co. is doing the heaviest Victrola advertising of its career by far, and will continue in all the newspapers right up to Christmas day. Profiting by past experience, an immense reserve stock of machines and records has been provided. Manager Dittrich, of the talking machine department of the Rudolph Wurlitzer Co., says: "Christmas business has opened up with a rush. Never before has the demand been so heavy, both retail and wholesale. We rather looked for this big business and prepared as far as factory facilities made it possible to do so, but the shipments accumulating since last spring will be scarcely large enough to take care of us until the first of the year. Dealers at all points seem to be enjoying the same good trade, and the holiday season rapidly approaching, the demand is sure to tax our facilities to the utmost. We hope to have enough stock, and there is no question but December will prove to be the greatest talking machine month on record so far." CLOCK TURNS OFF WINDOW LAMPS. One cannot afford to run the window lights all night, but it is not difficult to arrange so the lights will be cut off automatically at any desired hour, says Frank Farrington. A simple method is as follows: Attach a cord to the lever used for switching off the lights, or if a button is used, have a lever installed instead. Fasten the other end of the cord to the wind-up key on the back of an alarm clock, the key that winds up the alarm part. Fasten the clock firmly to the floor or to a block in such a position that the cord will be tight and not too long. Set the alarm at the hour it is desired to cut off the lights. When the alarm goes off and the key turns around it will wind up the cord and pull the lever, thus cutting out the lights in due course. HOUSE OF DROOP 56 YEARS OLD. E. F. Droop & Sons Co., the prominent Victrola distributers in Washington, D. C, recently celebrated the fifty-sixth anniversary of the establishment of the business. The warerooms of the company were handsomely decorated with flowers for the occasion, and many tributes from friends were received. It is a bad habit to let well enough alone. It is never "well enough." Improvement is progress, and it is progress that spells success.