The Edison phonograph monthly (Mar 1903-Feb 1904)

EDISON PHONOGRAPH MONTHLY. (Continued from page i.) manufacturer. Edison Records are in a class by themselves. The American people know this and as they are essentially a people who want the best to be had our Records will continue to find a ready sale. As a result of the announced reduction in its price, the record that we are dignifying by so much attention has in a single month become the "bargain lot" record of the country. It has to-day no fixed price. It can be bought at retail for one dollar a dozen, if the advertisements of dealers can be believed. Department stores are selling it at fifteen cents as an advertisement of their talking machine department. Some Dealers who sell these records as well as the Edison Gold Moulded get fifty cents each for the latter and find it difficult to dispose of the others for sixteen cents. One Dealer advertised his "bargain lot" records at sixteen cents each," and said: "If you don't like them bring them back when they are worn out and we will allow you fifteen cents each for them in exchange for Edison Records. This will make them cost you but one cent each, and they are really worth it." This is but a sample of the feeling entertained by the trade in general toward these records. Its manufacturers may sell them in their own retail stores, but no dealer can handle them with the expectation of making money out of their sale. The record situation may be compared to the sale of typewriters. There are machines on the market that sell at from $5.00 to $50.00, "but fifty business men buy $100 machines to one purchasing the cheaper type, and yet both continue in business. In a world so big as this there is room for the Edison Gold Moulded Record at fifty cents each, and for the other with its 18-centsto-day and 12 cents to-morrow price, with quality to correspond. DON'T BELIEVE IN PRICE CUTTING. Cedar Bluff, Ala., Oct. 12, 1903. We acknowledge receipt of Suspended List of October 1. You can depnd on us "sticking to the text." We don't believe in price cutting anyway. Jos. W. M. Witt & Son. AGREEflENT HANGER JUST THE THING. Crescent City, Cal., Oct. 9, 1903. I acknowledge receipt of the late Suspended List and also the Hanger, form 454, and will certainly co-operate with you. Allow me to thank you for the Hanger. It is exactly what I have been wanting for a long time, as the people of my town think they can get Edison goods cheaper by sending out of town. It will be of a great benefit to me. Peter Duffy. BRITISH AND FRENCH=CANADIAN RECORDS. On Page 3 of this issue we print a special Advance List of British and French-Canadian Records, made by the Edison Gold Moulded process. The Masters for these Records were made some time ago, but for various reasons no announcement has been made concerning them. We have been making Gold Moulded Records of the British titles for some time, but our London and Antwerp offices have been and are still demanding more than we can make of them. They are listed now because our new Record plant is nearing completion and we expect in a short time to have facilities that will enable us to fill orders for these titles, besides giving better attention to orders of the trade in this country. The same enlarged facilities made it possible to list the French-Canadian selections. On Page 3 wc state that advance orders for both British and French-Canadian Records, if received before November 10, will be ready for shipment, if possible, with the December Records. We reserve the right, however, to hold back the shipment of these special lists if orders for regular Records or delay in getting into our new Record plant make it impossible to fill orders for them. The thirty-five titles in the British list will afford the American public a good opportunity of comparing the Records made in the two countries. The verdict would probably be decided by the personal feelings of the listener, for the British Records are well made and an Englishman would doubtless Claim that they are superior to those made here. These British selections were made at our Recording Plant in London, by English bands and singers, and the only American feature in connection with them was the direction given by recordingexperts sent from our factory at Orange. They may therefore be called strictly British Records. Eleven of the selections are made by the British Military Band, and it would be hard to find an equal number of better rendered band Records. They are made with unusual volume of tone and the band plays with great precision and fine attack. The selections are sufficiently varied to suit all tastes. Five Records are made by Leonard Mackay, who has a fine baritone voice. His songs are both sentimental and humorous. The four selections by Miss Octavia Barry are unusually good Records of a soprano voice, the most difficult of all voices to reproduce in a pleasing manner. Miss Barry's selections are well known Scotch songs and selections from pop