The talking machine world (Jan-June 1925)

100 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD June 15, 1925 Period Effect in New Sonora Radio Speaker Place your set on top of it — Your batteries within it — And beautify your home T^HIS hew console A speaker will make an irresistible appeal to the music lovers who take pride in their home, for beneath its graceful, classic lines is concealed the famous Sonora wood tone chamber, and the storage batteries, the B batteries and the charger may be installed within —and all unsightly wiring is cleverly hidden too. THE INSTRUMENT OF QUALITY onot CLEAR AS A BELL Sonora Phonograph Company, Inc. 279 Broadway New York City Makers ot Sonora Phonographs, Sonora Radio Speakers, Reproducers and Sonoradios Export and Canadian Distributor: C. A. RICHARDS, Inc. 279 Broadway New York City Twin Cities Trade Plans Extensive Tie Ups With the Norse-American Centennial More Than 100,000 People of Norwegian Descent Are Expected to Visit Minneapolis and St. Paul During Celebration and Dealers Expect to Cash in — Other News of the Month Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn., June 8. — Attention of the Northwest at present is concentrated on the Norse-American Centennial, and all lines of business are prepared to capitalize its trade possibilities. The presence here of President and Mrs. Coolidge gives to the celebration a national and international significance. Over 100,000 people of Norwegian descent are expected in the Twin Cities. Brunswick Co. Plans Tie-up The Brunswick Co. has already made extensive plans for featuring two of its stars. Carston VVoll, tenor, will be at the Orpheum the week of the Centennial, and the local Brunswick office is preparing signs in the Norwegian language advertising records by this Norwegian singer. The records of Karin Branzell will also be so featured. Special lists of Norske Brunswick records have been sent to the dealers. Another recording favorite of this company, who will play at the Orpheum during the Centennial, is Harry Snodgrass. Business Is Steady, Says "Doc" O'Neill "Doc" O'Neill, manager of the local office, when interviewed as to business had this to say: "Brunswick business is steady, somewhat better than last year. Collections this year show sustained improvement in Northwestern territory. Nothing spectacular is expected in return, but the outlook is excellent. Radio Representatives Visit Trade Walter B. Fulghum, sales manager of the Crosley Radio Co., Cincinnati, is in the Twin Cities visiting the jobbers. Mr. Fulghum was formerly distribution manager of the Victor Co. and is very well known among dealers here. Roy Dunn, of Zenith Radio Corp., of Chicago, visited local Minneapolis and St. Paul music men recently. William Nolan, Western representative of the Thompson Neutrodyne Co., has also been going over the local field. Sewall D. Andrews Visits Canada Sewall D. Andrews, of the Minneapolis Drug Co., Sonora distributor, has been on an extensive business trip to Montreal and other Canadian centers. There has been a big increase in Sonora sales since the price cut, and the models to be discontinued are moving fast. E. Illetts, of International Falls, and J. Wiese, of Morristown, Minn., were recent visitors to Sonora headquarters. Columbia Artist Aids Dealers* Art Gillham, Columbia's "Whispering Pianist," was another artist visiting here, broadcasting over WCCO. This was Gillham's first local appearance as an exclusive Columbia star. He made a very favorable impression on Twin City dealers, and was kept busy autographing records. Gillham made personal appearances at several St. Paul and Minneapolis stores, including the Majestic Music Shop, the Cammack Piano Co. and the Emporium. Welcome Ted Lewis At the termination of his Milwaukee engagement Ted Lewis departed for this city where his band appeared at the Hennepin Orpheum Theatre during the week of May 18. Jack Kapp, manager of the record department of the Chicago branch of the Columbia Phonograph Co., arranged the parade which was held on Tuesday, May 19, in Mr. Lewis's honor. The star was met by T. E. Jensen, president of the city council, before the procession started, and was given the proverbial key to the city. The parade was headed by the Working Boys' Band, playing "Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean," and it was estimated that 10,000 people gathered along the line of march to obtain a glimpse of the jazz king. Plenty of newspaper notice was devoted to the event, and Twin City Columbia dealers, in large-space advertisements, tied up in an advantageous manner with Ted Lewis's local appearance. Lawrence Gunyo, Columbia representative in the Minneapolis territory, aided Mr. Kapp and the Columbia dealers in staging the spectacle and at the end of the week there was found to be a very gratifying increase in the number of record sales. Mr. Lewis will end his tour at the Palace Theatre, Chicago, on June 24. Big Cheney Portable Demand Orders for the Cheney portables are in excess of the supply, says the local office. E. G. Hoch, who had been visiting the trade in the Dakotas, returned in time to attend the Chicago convention. Wide Interest in Victor Radio The big thing among Victor dealers just now is the long awaited radio affiliation. Victor men have been expressing their satisfaction by mail and in person, and all expect great things from the Victor-super-heterodyne combination. Satisfactory Adler Royal Business The Sprague-Warren Co., Northwest distributor of Adler-Royal lines, reports very gratifying success with the Carry-a-Phone portable at $35. The company has opened several new accounts. Mr. Warren has been on the road through southern Minnesota and Wisconsin, and reports satisfactory demand for the entire line. Enjoys Busiest May R. O. Foster, of the Foster & Waldo Co., makes a brief but remarkable statement — that the company has enjoyed the biggest May business in its forty-three years of selling. This is .an unusual thing to hear at this time when, as one merchant says, it is between "grass and harvest" and all lines of business are experiencing a lull. Summer Selling Suggestion for Progressive Dealers The Peerless Album Co. 638 Broadway, New York City, manufacturer of record albums, carrying cases and other timely accessories for the talking machine store, is making a special feature during the Summer months of the Peerless portable carrying case. This record carrying case carries a wide assortment of records and is featured in many retail stores throughout the country where the portables during this season are given attention. It has been found where properly presented that a Peerless portable record carrying case can invariably be sold with every portable talking machine. Thus with a minimum of sales effort an additional profit accrues to the dealer and at the same time record sales are encouraged. This latter is a feature that should not be overlooked as any product that will increase record sales deserves attention. New Pathe Radio Models to Be Marketed in Fall E. A. Widmann, president of the Pathe Phonograph & Radio' Corp., Brooklyn, N. Y., has announced a new line of radio sets for the coming Fall season. A radical development in these models will be their equipment with McCullogh A-C tubes. These tubes are a new development in the radio field as they take their current from the electric light socket, thus eliminating the "A" battery. It is expected that this distinguishing feature of the new Pathe models will prove highly popular among both distributors and dealers and that it will be a factor in creating a decided demand for these sets upon the part of the buying public.