The talking machine world (Jan-June 1919)

26 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD January 15, 1919 French Army Band— Marche Lorraine! Your Customers will go out whistling this record —and carrying it. Columbia No. A-6083. Columbia Graphophone Co. NEW YORK HOLIDAY BUSINESS ON PACIFIC COAST BREAKS RECORDS Estimated That Over $1,000,000 Worth of Business Was Lost Temporarily at Least Through Shortage of Stock — Many New Columbia Dealers — Changes Among Sales Staffs San Francisco, Cal., January 2— No previous Christmas season has equaled that just passed in the history of the San Francisco talking machine trade, as far as the business volume goes. The eleventh hour rush was unprecedented. The "flu" no doubt prevented much earlier shopping, but more likely the rush was the result of a sudden realization that this was a good time to celebrate peace and prosperity. Many dealers ran out of popular records and machines of course. Victor goods were scarce in certain styles and as it is not the policy of leading houses to urge patrons to accept substitutes, the loss of sales through lack of stock must have been enormous. Andrew G. McCarthy, head of the Pacific Coast Victor wholesale agenc3' of Sherman, Clay & Co., stated that he could easily have sold a million dollars more of Victor goods had they been available in the year past. The fine new lines of talking machines made a strong bid for favor and thousands of little-advertised machines were disposed of at good prices. The profits this season have been large notwithstanding the many setbacks to business. All Types of Records in Demand The many high class concerts recently have had the effect, of increasing the sales of classical records, yet popular war and patriotic selections are still going strongly. The time is ripe for peace parodies on the popular war songs. Records of all the standard makes shared in the heavy Christmas demand and machines which play the different kinds of records sold Walter S. Gray Chronicle Bldg., San Francisco, Cal. N E E NEEDLES L E S Pacific Coast Jobber for the Best in Talking Machine Trade Accessories exceptionally well. Never before have the higher priced instruments sold so readily and upon such favorable terms. The percentage of cash sales was far above normal, and the initial payments upon instalment sales averaged higher than formerly. Miss Hazel R. Layton, who has been with the Oakland Phonograph Co., has accepted a position with the Eastern Outfitting Co. of San Francisco in the talking machine department. Frederick Stern, president of the Stern Talking Machine Corporation, has been placed at a great disadvantage lately by reason of twelve of his employes being ill, still he is managing somehow to keep things running efficiently. Holiday business is very heavy and promises to continue so well into the new year. Many New Columbia Agencies Among the new accounts to be opened by the San Francisco branch of the Columbia Graphophone Co. are the following: The Wiley B. Allen Co., F. Friedman Co. and Hale Bros., San Francisco; The Oakland Phonograph Co. and the Cap well Co., Oakland; Tupper & Reed, Berkeley; Fred R. Howe, Santa Cruz; Steinhauer & Eaton, Watsonville; Chas. Burroughs, Sebastopol and the Gern Music Co., Maryville. Many other new accounts have been opened also throughout the state and the Saxi_. Francisco force has been rushed as never before. Mr. Milnor, manager, says business has tripled in December. Thej' moved over a thousand cabinet machines the first three weeks of the month and did an enormous record business in this territory. To Attend Meeting of Columbia Managers N. F. Milnor, San Francisco manager of the Columbia Co., is about to leave for New York,, where he will attend the annual convention of Columbia managers. Mr. Milnor has been much overworked lately and he hopes to get a little rest, at least on the train which takes him back East. W. E. Henr}^ who has charge of the for^eign records in the Coast territory, is in Los Angeles spending the holidays with his family. J. A. Frye, Pacific Coast factory representative of the Victor Co., is at present in San Francisco and expects to remain here about a month. Puts Furlough to Good Use J. J. Black, secretary-treasurer of the Wiley B. Allen Co., who is serving as a clerk in the navy, was allowed a ten-day leave of absence just before Christmas and he spent the vacation working like a slave in the talking machine department, his former stamping ground. Interesting Personal Items Francis P. Corcoran, manager of the talking machine department of the Wiley B. Allen Co., is spending the holidays in Seattle, having decided to visit his wife, who is at her mother's home and is not in the best of health. In the m.eantime R. E. Wolfinger is acting manager of the talking machine department, which is doing a fine business. The talking machine department of Clark Wise & Co. did a fine holiday business. Mr. BufTa, formerly with the California Phonograph Co. and more recently an employe in the war industry of the Union Iron Works, is again selling talking machines. He is with Clark Wise & Co. and prefers the music business to riveting steel ship plates. E. C. C. Johnson, who has been in training at Camp Pike, is now on the force of the Sonora Phonograph Co. in San Francisco. The new manager of the talking machine department of the Eastern Outfitting Co., San Francisco, is D. S. Hollingshead, who was formerl}' in business for himself in Baltimore, Md. He succeeds George T. Hively. Fine Demand for Pathe Products O. N. Kruschke, San Francisco, reports fine business on Pathe machines this month with the California trade. He has placed many important new agencies recently, among them three in Kohler & Chase stores and one with Byron Mauzy, San Francisco. Mr. Kruschke has returned from a trip through northern California and, though he found business conditions somewhat uncertain by reason of the influenza epidemic, he was not disappointed in the volume of orders taken. Association to Resume Meetings The Talking Machine Dealers' Association of San Francisco and Bay Cities will resume regular meetings after New Year's. Billy Morton,' of Sherman, Clay & Co., who has gained fame for the success of the dinners he has arranged for the members, is planning to outdo himself the coming year. With conditions approaching normal there will be more opportunity for social functions as a side issue to business meetings than was formerly the case. The Kohler & Chase talking machine department has added a complete line of Stradivara talking machines and this line makes a splendid . sliowing in the space allotted to it on the main floor. BOLWAY & SON INCREASE CAPITAL Frank E. Bohvay & Son, Edison Phonograph jobbers of Syracuse, N. Y^ have filed amended articles of incorporation with the Secretary of State, New York, increasing tlie capital stock of the concern from $125,000 to $180,000. PURCHASE SONORA SHOP Roy L. and Harry F. Sonneborn have purchased the Sonora Shop, 812 Lincolnway, La Porte, Ind., from Mrs. Daisy Mack. COTTON FLOCKS FOR . Record Manufacturing THE PECKHAM MFG. CO.. ?,"#^"a"h*S.^n."'