The talking machine world (July-Dec 1918)

October IS, 1918 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD 79 FROM OUR CHICAGO HEADQUARTERS— (Continued from page 77) Northwest," said Paul L. Baerwald, of the Otto Heineman Phonograph Supply Co., "and a great deal more business is being done throughout that territory than here in Chicago. I am speaking of the retail trade only, and not of the wholesale. A large demand has sprung up for our OkeH records, and from present indications these are destined to become quite popular. Our policy is to place these records on the market through the jobbers only at present, and we are in a position to take care of our trade up until the first of January. After that, as is well known, everything depends upon the decision of the war board. Collections have been exceptionally good, and we are not having any trouble whatsoever from this source." Mr. Baerwald is managing the Chicago headquarters of the Otto Heineman Co. until the return of Manager S. A. Ribolla, the first of the week, the latter having gone to New York for a conference with the officials of the company. Shell-O-Phone Ready for Market The Shell-O-Phone Talking Machine Co., whose offices are in the North American Build'ing, are now readyfor the market with their machine. They have been working on it for a year and now announce that they have perfected it, have conquered all acoustic problems connected with it, and are ready to consider propositions for agencies. The one feature of the Shell-O-Phone is the fact that the horn of each machine is a large conch-shell, captured on the beach of one or another South Sea Island. It is placed in the back of the instrument and connected to the "sound arm." In the words of the company's literature, "the tones reflect and expand as though from the human throat or actual musical instrument itself." The Chicago representative of The World was present at a demonstration the other day and believes the Shell-O-Phone to be a machine of excellent tone. The cases are of massive design, and the cabinet work and finish is good. The concert grand size is recommended for use in large halls, hotels, clubs and places where great volume of music is essential. The volume of tone on all sizes is naturally loud, but can be reduced at will by the use of the proper needle. Record Knitting Bags In order to assist their women patrons in carding records home the retail record department of Lyon & Healy is packing records purchased by women in brown tough paper bags. These bags have a tape handle and brass fastener. They are similar to the regulation knitting bags that women are carrying nowadays, and can be used as such. The idea of these bags was conceived by L. C. Wiswell, manager of Lyon & Healy's Victor department. They have been received with much favor by women who purchase their records at Lyon & Healy's, as they enable one to carry records through the city with a minimum danger of breakage. There is a pretty picture by Nancy Beatty, the talented artist, printed on one side of the bag, while the other side is devoted to the name and address of Lyon & Healy. Such a demand has been created in Chicago for these bags that the service department of Lyon & Healy thought it would be a good idea to offer them to the different retail houses they serve throughout the ■ country. For this purpose a large number have been made up. The Victor record and knitting bags are made of Kraft paper with handles and are offered to the retail trade for 12 cents each in lots of one hundred or more. Empire Records Take Well Quite a number of new agencies have been established within the past month to handle the new Empire hill and dale cut records, which were placed upon the market for the first time last month. These new records are known as the Black-Faced Empire and are ten-inch double-disc hill and dale cut and can be played with steel needles. The surface noise has been reduced to a minimum and records can be played on any universal talking machine. The November releases consist of a library of fifteen numbers, embracing popular and standard selections. In connection with these records the Empire Co. has had prepared for them some exceptionally handsome hangers heralding the latest releases. These are printed in colors and may be recognized by the new Empire record cut shown elsewhere in this issue. This supplement is a very artistic example of the highest grade of print craft and a goodly quantity is supplied with all orders. The Empire talking machine is also coming up very strong and twelve Empire models retailing from $32.50 to $500 are having a very good demand throughout the Central West and Eastern territories, especially Pennsylvania. One of the most popular sellers in the Empire line is the Empire portable machine, a very compact and durable little instrument that plays all makes of records. John H. Steinmetz, president of the company, also stated that the demand for their new Empire art model, which was announced some time ago, has proven greater than his anticipation, and he is urging his dealers to place their orders for these instruments early, so as to be sure to have them on the floor in time for the holiday trade. Brown Goes Over the Top The R. M. Brown Music House, 3018 East Ninety-first street, South Chicago, 111., dealers in Victor, Columbia and Kimball machines, have gone over the top for the Fourth Liberty Loan, having subscribed $1,250 to the same. This subscription represents an investment from every member of the staff, and was secured by J. V. Sill, of the talking machine division of the Allied Music Trades. The Brown concern are Kimball dealers, handling the pianos and players made by the W. W. Kimball Co. in addition to the lines of talking machines mentioned above. Loyal to Established Dealers H. B. Bibb, sales manager of the phonograph division of the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co., announces that while they have been able to care for their established trade very nicely at (Continued on page 80) Here's Why the Talking Machine Business Is So Good T T OME has taken on a new aspect since we have entered this war. It means more to the father and mother who have boys fighting — it means more to the wife whose husband has gone away, and so on. The result is" that families are spending: more time in their homes. This has its effect on retail talking ma-' chine sales. Many families who have heretofore gone outside of their homes for amusement are finding that the talking machine with its wide range of music is bringing amusement into the home. So now is the time to push your talking machine sales — now is the time to order (for Holiday business) the machine hundreds of dealers like yourself are making from $1,000 to $10,000 net profit on— the VITAN0LA Certainly there is no time like the present for making real cash money out of the Vitanolas, for lightless nights, gasolineless Sundays, and possibly fuelless days mean more talking machine sales. If you are having trouble getting standard goods you ordinarily profit on and are losing dollars because of it, order some Vitanolas now, they'll more than make up the loss in profits. The Vitanola will make money and friends for you. It's the machine that satisfies — the machine people buy when they see and hear it. In order to insure quick delivery order now. Don't think — act. Trade Mark Registered VITANOLA TALKING MACHINE CO. 501-509 W. 35th Street .... CHICAGO, ILL.