The talking machine world (July-Sept 1921)

THE TALKING MACHINE MUSIC PLAYING A PROMINENT PART IN TORONTO LIFE Greater Appreciation of Music Results in Good Business-Record Artists Attract Attention-R S Williams & Sons Outing— Recent Trade Changes of General Interest fo Of III. Toronto, Ont., August 11. — E. R. Parkhurst, who conducts the "Music-in-the-Home" page of the Globe, a daily paper of this city, in a recent article, headed "How to Make Canada a Great Musical Nation," said: "Every Canadian home should set apart an hour each day to music. Parents can read interesting musical events, stories of operas and other articles of musical intelligence to their children as they develop musical understanding. The advancement of music is certain to create a universal desire for it. Libraries where music is presented will also be a great help to parents in conducting the music hour in the borne, especially when the children arc studying music themselves. The music pages of the newspapers will also be one of the big factors in making the music hour a fixed institution in the home. The children of future generations will talk of opera and concerts of the highest order as they now do about movies and baseball. They may even form opera companies in their own communities and have local concert halls. The musical advancement of the last few years is pointing in this direction. Canadian parents should find time for more music in the home, as this is the only true medium through which we can ever hope to advance the cause of music in Canada." The Musical Merchandise Sales Co. recently called attention to the fact that Vessella's Band, playing at Scarboro Beach Park, is listed in the Brunswick record catalog with a number of very fine selections. Edward Johnson, "His Master's Voice" tenor, while on a recent visit to his old home town at Guelph. was the guest of the Rotary Club of that city and was presented with a certificate of honorary membership. Kenneth Ross has resigned the sales managership of the Musical Merchandise Sales Co. and will represent, in Alberta and British Columbia, the McLagan talking machines and Sun records, with headquarters in Calgary. The marriage of Burdick A. Trestrail, one of the partners of the Musical Merchandise Sales lalking machine department of the R. S. Williams & Sons Co., Ltd., was solemnized at the Bloor Street Baptist Church recently in the presence of a large number of Rotarians. Mr. and Mrs. Trestrail spent their honeymoon in New York and Atlantic City. The R. S. Williams & Sons Co., Ltd., Edison jobbers in this city, recently enjoyed their thirteenth annual outing at Quccnslon Heights Park. This was one of the most successful outings ever held by the company. H. G. Stanton, vice-president and general manager of this company, attended the convention of (be Rotary Clubs of the World in Edinburgh. Before returning he will enjoy a visit to many of the interesting historic spots in Europe. He will tour the French battlefields. The Ottawa branch of the R S. Williams & Sons Co,, Ltd., gave indications of pronounced prosperity recently by a display of many bags of gold in its show windows. The exhibit, which was not carefully guarded, was arranged to invite interest in the Thomas A. Edison contest, details of which have been widely disseminated. Edison phonographs were featured, along with the piles of money-hags. NEW BASIS FOR FIGURING IMPORT VALUES IN CANADA Government Adds Premium of Exchange to Actual Value of Imported Products — Victrola and Magnavox for Kiwanis Club — New Firms Enter Field in Montreal a library of educational records, with the schools ir. its territory. The company anticipates more sales of machines as soon as the schools open in the Fall. William F. Wegener, Dartmouth, N. S., lias developed a nice trade in demonstrating and selling Victor records over the phone to a selected list of customers each month. N. G. Valiucttc, Ltd., furniture dealer, is featuring Victor talking machines and records and is utilizing the "entire ground floor of its large establishment in the interests of talking machine and piano departments. Albert Bicnjonettc will have complete charge of these two departments, Montreal, Canada, August S. — An important change, which will have considerable effect on American imports into Canada in computing the value for duty of currencies of invoices from countries where the rate of exchange is adverse to Canada, has been put into force by the Department of Inland Revenue and Customs. On an invoice" of goods imported from the States ii is suggested, as an example, that where actual home consumption value is $100 and the premium of exchange is 12 per cent the value for duty purposes will be $112. Where there is heavily depreciated currency, on the other hand, not more than 50 per cent depreciation of the proclaimed value of the currency is to be allowed by customs for computing value of invoices for duty. Thus the German mark, whose proclaimed value is 23.82 cents, will be taken as worth 11.91 cents, though actually worth a great deal less. Brown's Talking Machine Shop is supplying a Victrola No. 6 model and a Magnavox for use at the open air meetings of the Kiwanis Glee Club, which recently introduced community singing to large Montreal audiences, who hold forth once a week at Fletcher's Field. During the appearance in Montreal of Sousa. the march king, a large volume of advertising appeared in all the local dailies featuring the Victor records of this famous artist. The personal appearance of the great bandmaster stimulated sales to a considerable degree. Layton Bros., Edison, Columbia and Brunswick dealers, recently held their third annual jollification at Otterburn Park, with an attendance Of seventy-five employes and their wives and children. A program of sports was carried out and prizes were contributed to the winners The outing was voted one of the most successful ever held by the company. New firms registering in Montreal during the past month include: Premier Phono. Parts Co., and Phonograph Apollon, Ltd. Portable and small machines are being exten sively advertised for Summer camps The ads are linked representations of camp life. The Taylor Music Co., of Halifax. N. S., n been particularly successful number of Victrola school o Announcements of the progress of the Dempscy-Carpenticr fight were made by the Montreal Herald bulletin service with the aid of a Magnavox at Fletcher's Field. The sound-amplifying instrument was loaned for the occasion by Brown's Talking Machine Shop. Paul A. Pinard, Ltd., with headquarters in this city, has been incorporated with a capital ol $50,000. Talking machines and other musical merchandise will be handled. D. J. McCarthy, formerly with the W. H. Thorne & Co,, Ltd., St. John, N. B., distributors of the Edison line in the Maritime Provinces, has joined the selling staff of the Starr Co., of Canada, at St. John, N. B. Mr. McCarthy's connection throughout the Provinces and his general experience in talking machine record business should make him a valuable member of the Starr sales organization. NEW FIELDS FOR TALKING MACHINES IN WINNIPEG. MAN. Tea Rooms, Drug Stores, Etc., Find That the Music Attracts Customers— Musical Festival for Regina— Strong Demand Reported for Various Makes of Records WiNNir-EG, Man., August 3.— The talking machine seems to be growing in favor in tearooms, drug stores and other public places in this city and locality. Customers like the music and there is quite a large opportunity for sales promotion in this special field. A musical festival will be staged in Regina shortly, which promises to be one of the biggest events in the history of the local music trade The talking machine department of the Muston Co. is steadily growing and has proved so profitable that a motor car has been purchased for the use of the sales force. Emil Van Gelder, of I. Montagncs & Co,, Canadian distributors of Sonora talking machines, was in Edmonton recently. He reported that he transacted a very good volume of business on his recent trans-continental tour. He declared that indications in Saskatchewan and Alberta were good in regard to the crop situation. This is a favorable condition for Fall trade. "His Master's Voice" dealers of this city report a big sale of the special release records, as well as the regular supplement. Miss Mac E. Skilling, of the educational department of the Columbia Graphophone Co., attended the recent convention of Federated (Continued on page 106) ,nd homes. iith real live window placing a large tfits, together with TALKING MACHINE SUPPLIES AND REPAIR PARTS The superiority of RENE MADE SPRINGS and PARTS is not accidental but is the result of years of painstaking devotion to the highest standards of machine shop craft. NONE BETTER IN QUALITY NONE LOWER IN PRICE THE RENE MANUFACTURING CO. Montvale, New Jersey