The talking machine world (Apr-June 1921)

April 15, 1921 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD 115 TO HOLD EDISON DEALERS' CONVENTION IN ST. LOUIS Silverstone Music Co. Plans Gathering at Statler Hotel April 25— Brunswick Line With Stix, Baer & Fuller — Lyre-ola Co. in Financial Trouble — Koerber-Brenner Sales Classes St. Louis, Mo., April 5. — Although business conditions in St. Louis and vicinity are probably little different from those existing in other sections of the country it cannot be said that the talking machine trade is suffering greatly, for in most lines the demand is keeping up sufficiently to keep dealers and their salesmen busy. Greater efforts are being put into the advertising and selling of talking machines and records, but the efforts are productive of results. Artophone to Wholesale Exclusively The Artophone Corp. has leased to the Shattinger Music Co., now at 910 Olive street, the first and second floors of its building at 1103 Olive street, of which the Shattinger Co. will take possession June 1. The Artophone Corp. will discontinue the retail branch of its business and confine itself to wholesaling and jobbing, occupying the upper floors of the building. It will distribute the Artophone and Kimball machines and Okeh records and will have a model shop and fixtures and other material foi" dealers' service. The Shattinger Co. will carry a complete line of Artophone and Kimball machines and Okeh records at retail, in addition to its sheet music and musical merchandise departments. The arrangements with the Kimball Co. were completed last week by H. S. Schiele, vice-president, and C. R. Salmon, sales manager of the Artophone Corp., who visited the Kimball factory and executive offices at Chicago. Edison Dealers' Convention An Edison dealers' convention is being arranged by the Silverstone Music Co., to be held Monday, April 25, at the Statler Hotel. About 200 dealers and assistants are expected from Missouri, Illinois, Tennessee, Kentucky and Arkansas. There will be an all-day program, a luncheon and a banquet and entertainment at night. The purpose is to get together and help the dealers to increase their Edison business. Representatives from the laboratories will be present and Vernon Dalhart, Edison artist, will give tone-tests. Mark Silverstone, president of the Silverstone Music Co., was fifty years old March 26 and celebrated the event by giving a party at the store to the members of the Edison organization and their families. About 100 attended. There was entertainment by singers and violinists and professional dancers and dancing by the guests. The employes presented Mr. Silverstone with fifty long-stemmed American beauties. Wrecked Into the Trade E. F. Wolf, who has joined the sales organization of the Stix, Baer & Fuller talking machine department, may be said to have been wrecked into the business. He was a traveling man in another line when he was injured in an automobile wreck one day and in a railroad wreck the next day. He has almost recovered now and has taken a talking machine job where there is no danger of wrecks. Anybody in St. Louis who expects a reduction in the prices of Edison phonographs is due for a disappointment. Mark Silverstone, president of the Silverstone Music Co., is telling everybody in an advertisement what they may expect. J. E. Maunder, manager of the recently established St. Louis branch of the C. D. Smith Drug Co., St. Joseph, Mo., district distributor for the Sonora talking machines, has received a full line of machines and is showing them at his place in the Arcade Building. His offices are fitted up with lounging chairs, where dealers can listen to demonstrations at their ease. Miss Louise Miller is his office assistant. The Phillips Piano Co., 3400 South Grand avenue, has recently opened a Sonora account. Tri-State Dealers Elect The Tri-State Victor Dealers' Association held its annual meeting recently at the American Annex and elected the following officers: Theodore Maetten, Kieselhorst Piano Co., president; W. P. Daumiller, Lebanon, 111., vice-president; F. J. Ennis, Stix, Baer & Fuller, secretary; Fred Lehman, East St. Louis, treasurer; Charles Lippraan, Field-Lippman Piano Co.; E. C. Rauth, KoerberBrenner Music Co., and Val Reis, Smith-Reis Piano Co., directors. Miss Mabel Rich, of the Victor educational department, spoke upon educational work. Entertainment was provided by Henry Burr and Frank Banta. Vernon Dalhart, Edison artist, is touring the jobbing territory of the Silverstone Music Co., giving tone-tests, with Adeline Hood, violinist. R. W. Jackson, manager of the BrunswickBalke-Collender Co., has returned from a twoweek trip through the South. Brunswick for Stix, Baer & Fuller Co. Manager Fred Ennis, of the Stix, Baer & Fuller talking machine department, announces that, after a thorough investigation of the merits and desirable qualities of the Brunswick phonograph and records, he has decided to add these to the offerings of his department. A complete line of machines and records has been received. The department heretofore has sold the Victor and Sonora. These are to be retained. The Brunswick is now handled by the three big department stores. Scruggs, Vandervoort & Barney and the Famous & Barr Co. have been handling it for some time. It is also handled by the Field-Lippman Piano Co., the Baldwin Piano Co., the Kirkland Piano Co., Kleekamp Bros, and the Mengel Music Co. The Trorlicht-Duncker Carpet Co. handles it exclusively. Talking machine men will join with piano men in making up a special car party to go to the national convention at Chicago. The Brunswick organization is making preparations to co-operate in the Mother's Day features being arrangedi by the national TSrunswick organization. M. I. Mayer has purchased the Tri-Sales Co. and is conducting the business in his own name, selling the portables of the Thomas Manufacturing Co., Dayton, O. New Member of Koerber-Brenner Staff R. K. Brandenberger, formerly of Chicago, now of St. Louis, has joined the traveling force of Koerber-Brenner Co. and will have the territory formerly traveled by H. Spencer Grover. Mr. Grover will develop the business in Missouri, spending much of his time in St. Louis. Mr. Brandenberger has had five years' traveling experience throughout the Middle West. Bankruptcy Petition Against Lyfe-ola Co. An involuntary petition in bankruptcy has been filed in the Federal Court against the Lyre-ola Manufacturing Co., 1504 Pine street, by the United Phonograph Corp., of Wisconsin; the Jewel Phono Parts Co., of Illinois, and the Fletcher Wickes Co., of Wisconsin. The petition alleges that the company committed an act of bankruptcy March 15 in transferring to the Schoenlau-Steiner Trunk Co. veneers valued at $3,000 and making cash payments of $600 to Harry Weissman and $612.50 to Gustave Buselaki. Alfred S. Bruno was appointed receiver. The president of the Lyre-ola Co. is Arthur F. La Pierre. He was arrested by the United States marshal on a warrant directing him to produce La Pierre before the Referee in Bankruptcy in the bankruptcy proceedings. . The warrant was issued at the request of Bruno, who informed Judge Faris that La Pierre had applied for passports the day after the alleged act of bankruptcy was performed and had engaged passage for Italy. La Pierre was questioned about sales of stock in the company, about the recent purchase of 200 phonograph motors which were not accounted for when the receiver took charge of the company's assets, and about the removal of a large quantity of finished and unfinished music boxes from the storeroom of the company. He was also asked for a detailed account of several items found in the books of the company in which company money was credited to various expenses. Holding Salesmanship Classes The Koerber-Brenner Co. has begun its salesmanship classes for the Spring and Summer, the first class meeting for five full days, March 14-18. The class, in addition to the unusual attention to salesmanship problems and Red Seal business, had several extra events. Miss Mabel Rich, of the Victor educational department, addressed the class on Monday afternoon, bringing out new phases of work in the schools which was most helpful. T. S. Maetten, of the Kieselhorst Piano Co., talked to the class on Tuesday morning on problems from the standpoint of the manager. On Friday afternoon the class was the guest of the Koerber-Brenner Co. at the last program of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. The solo artist of the afternoon -was Mabel Garrison, whom none of the class had heard in person. Those enrolled were: Mrs. Goldie Jones, of the I A FOOD foin niRROK-UKe RMW rj_n.» — Talking Machine Jobbers Extensive advertising — Dealer Display Stands — Dealer advertising material such as transparent window signs — Hangers — attractive folders and many other Dealer Helps, MAKE MIRROLIKE THE LEADING SELLING POLISH IN THE FIELD. We oflFer jobbers a VERY ATTRACTIVE sales proposition. Distributing territory will be allotted to progressive houses who cover the field thoroughly. Write for free sample. One trial will convince you. For shine— our only rival is the sun MIRROLIKE MFG. CO. LONG ISLAND CITY 8th St., Near Jackson Ave