The talking machine world (July-Dec 1918)

July 15, 1918 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD 95 soss INVISIBLE HINGES Preserve Beauty In many beautifully designed, finely finished Talking Machines, Pianos, Music Cabinets, Piano Players and Benches, the elimination of the unsightly protruding Hinge is essential to preserve the beauty of the design. Design and Construction The fine cabinet work which is required in many instances to preserve the disguise of the instrument requires that the hinges be as inconspicuous as possible. SOSS Hinges are invisible. WRITE FOR CATALOGUE "T" SOSS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 435 Atlantic Avenue, BROOKLYN, N. Y. DETROIT— 922 David Whitney Bldg. SAN FRANCISCO-164 Hansford Bldg. LOS ANGELES— 224 Central Bldg. CHICAGO— John C. Bold & Co., Clark and Washington Sts., Conway Bldg. APPROVE CASH PAYMENT BASIS Yahr & Lange Co. and Others Write Approvingly of Geo. E. Brightson's Views on Merchandising Phonographs on Cash Payment Basis George E. Brightson, president of the Sonora Phonograph Sales Co., received this week an interesting letter from the Yahr & Lange Drug Co., Milwaukee, Wis., Sonora distributors, congratulating Mr. Brightson upon the success of his efforts to impress upon the trade and the public the importance of merchandising phonographs on a cash payment basis. Mr. Brightson has worked indefatigably in behalf of this policy, and his work is now bearing fruit. One section of this letter read as follows: "You are certainly doing wonders to bring the phonograph business to the front in the proper way, and we have tried to exercise your cash payment plan with our dealers as much as possible, and you would be surprised to note the small quantity of instruments our dealers have out on time payment. We called on two or three of our best dealers to-day, who have sold in the neighborhood of $5,000 to $6,000 worth of Sonoras, and none of these dealers had over three instruments out on time payment out of their entire sales. They have advised me that they seem to have no difficulty in selling Sonoras for cash, as we have very little of the departnfent store trade to contend with, which sells a phonograph on the $1 down and $1 a week plan. Keep up your good work, Mr. Brightson, as you are on the right road." Another letter received this week by Mr. Brightson from a successful Sonora jobber will give a fair idea of the tremendous demand for Sonora phonographs in the East. This letter reads in part as follows: "Our salesman started on a little trip to give him something to do, and make up expenses for himself and wife. He started last Monday, and up until yesterday he turned in $8,100 net business, and all business that we could handle and ship right out. He writes that he can sell anything that can be delivered immediately, as the dealers have no stock in hand, and want the instruments at once. "What we must have and have now and quickly, are more 'Imperials' and 'Intermezzos' on our orders — no quantity too large, as we can sell 'Imperials' without half trying at $135, while the 'Intermezzos' are in demand everywhere. Also give us a shipment of 'Fantasies' as quickly as possible, and above all 'Baby Grands' in carload lots. This is not a jest, for we can use right this moment two hundred 'Baby Grands,' and ship every one of them out as fast as the railroads and express companies will carry them. Do the best for us you can, and rush the 'Imperials,' 'Intermezzos' and 'Fantasies,' and as many 'Baby Grands' as you can. We did not receive our share of these — at least it seemed so to us, and our many dealers are saving their money to buy these 'Babies' as soon as we get them." FRIEDA HEMPEL ON PHONOGRAPHS In a Recent Interview the Well-Known Artist Gave Expression to Opinions Regarding Accomplishments of That Instrument — Offers Interesting Plan to Raise Musical Taste SHIPPING TONS OF NEEDLES The Brilliantone Steel Needle Co. are now measuring some of their shipments in tons. A recent order which left their headquarters in the Marbridge Building, New York City, weighed five tons. A duplicate of this order is scheduled to leave within a week. L. Unger, formerly connected with Joseph W. Stern & Co., was recently added to the sales staff of the organization and is already sending in favorable and acceptable communications from the Middle West, where he is now traveling. He sent in an order for four million needles on the first day out. A most interesting and stimulating interview with Frieda Hempel, the famous opera star, and Edison artist, who recently secured American citizenship through marriage with a prominent American business man, appeared recently in the Musical Leader. In the course of the interview Miss Hempel paid high tribute to the phonograph and the re-creation of music through that means in the development of the musical traditions of the country. She pointed out that the phonograph has carried much of the message of music into the farthermost corners of the country and accomplished results undreamed of a few years ago even by the most enthusiastic. Incidentally, Miss Hempel gave an interesting suggestion looking to the taste for ragtime to Miss Lois Willoughby, who interviewed her. "Do you know how I would raise a person's taste in music?" she asked. "If he liked ragtime I would give him all he wanted — I'd give him ragtime records until he never wanted to hear one again. And I'd tuck a few of the classics in along with them — not designated as classics, please — and I'd be perfectly willing to trust to results. There is one thing about the classics and about traditions — they stand the wear and tear, even of a phonograph, and I don't care who plays it." The Denver Music Co. reports an increasing demand for the Victor and Columbia machines in its territory. A. F. Meisselbach, vice-president of the Otto Heineman Phonograph Supply Co., was the subject of an interesting tribute from the pen of James R. O'Neill in the New York Sun of Sunday last. His skill as a disciple of Izaak Walton and his popularity were dwelt upon. $35, $70, $100, $200, $250 SONA-TONE A Phonograph of Distinction with the Xone You Can't Forget SONA-TONE Quality means a resonant, full, liquid tone that comes from an especially designed, all-wood sound chamber — and superior workmanship in material, finish and. equipment. SONA-TONE Reliability means simplicity of mechanical construction — ease of operation — and convenience and solidity of working parts. SONA-TONE Service means the immediate ability of the purchaser to play all makes of records — without attachment of any sort — and to play a library of from 250 to 1000 assorted records without further expenditure. We believe that a Sona-Tone eliminates — to a greater extent than any other phonograph— the surface noises of the record. We believe that it has the same quality of resonance as exists in the Stradivarius violin. From our sales record — previous to advertising — we believe that a SONA-TONE is a superior phonograph for retail merchandising. SONA-TONE PHONOGRAPH, Inc. 3421 Broadway, New York City "The music is on the record — the tone is in the phonograph."