The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1908)

68 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. SPECIAL DAY EMBLEMS. About Two Billions of Them Sold in This Country Annually. A New York dealer in emblems of all sorts for all occasions, as St. Valentine's day, Easter, Washington's Birthday, St. Patrick's day. Decoration Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day, says that among all these the best sellers are those designed for Irish celebrations, that of the various buttons, badges, shamrocks, ornaments, brooches and rosettes made up for Irish celebrations there are sold in this country altogether about a thousand million annually, or as many as are sold of similar emblems for the celebrations of all other nationalities put together. As the dealer puts it, suppose there are in this country of Irishmen and their immediate descendants, say 10,000,000 people; that would give 10,000,000 Irish purchasers. But there are sold of these Irish emblems a thousand million a year, or a hundred times ten million, and who buys them? They are sold for souvenirs at dinners and they are sold at fairs and to be worn at various celebrations as well as on St. Patrick's day. Many are lost or broken, others being bought to replace them. Many are bought to be given away; individual purchasers buy a dozen at a time and give them to their friends. Irish emblems appear also to be bought and worn by people of various other nationalities. The sale of the shamrock and other Irish emblems in the streets is confined to a few days about St. Patrick's day, but preparations for this brief period of public sale, when novelties are introduced, are made months in advance. Emblems that will be offered in the streets here on March 17 may have been designed and the manufacture of them begun last September. New York dealers in these emblems and in the multitudinous variety of novelties that are produced for all sorts of other occasions as well, sell goods all over the country and samples must be out early. Of St. Patrick's day emblems, for example, there are now offered about a hundred varieties, and the manufacturers get out new styles every year. Dealers in distant localities, as for instance on the Pacific coast, must have these samples to select from well in advance to enable them to give their orders in time, and it takes time to manufacture and transport the goods, which must arrive at their destinations in ample time for distribution. And the same is true of the little hatchets and badges, emblems of one sort and another that are specially designed for Washington's Birthday, as it is also for the many kinds of emblems that are made for the various other days in the course of the year on which emblems are worn. They are all designed and the work of manufacturing them is begun long in advance, and of all these many emblems thus designed for wear on special days there are sold altogether in the United States about 2,000,000,000 yearly. "LIVE" MOVING PICTURES. A Clever Combination of Taltcing and Picture Machine Attract Much Favorable Notice. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Boston, Mass., March 3, 1908. Moving pictures, so realistic that it is hard to remember the characters are not flesh and blood, and the actors that are shown actually talking is the latest mechanical wonder that amazed the audience at the Hub Theater this week. A phonograph is the secret of the startling illusion. It is controlled by electricity from the moving picture machine, and so cleverly is the device arranged that the words are heard and the lips of the characters in the pictures are seen to move in unison. This is the first time the latest combination of talking and picture machines has been shown in Boston, and to Joe Mack, the hustling young manager of Miles Brothers' shows, goes the honor of the latest mechanical innovation. "At the Dentist's" is the title of the picture series, and the screams of the unfortunate madame, who has one aching tooth and loses three good ones, the polite dentist's consolations, in fact the funny side of just what many have experienced themselves, are shown on the screen, while the big horn of the concealed phonograph delivers their words, apparently coming from the speakers' own lips. As fast as the staff of clever electricians at the Hub can set up new apparatus, new pictures with talking characters will be shown. Preparations are now under way to give Bostonians grand opera by the world's greatest singers, not only the music, but all the scenes on the stage by moving pictures. WESTERN FILM EXCHANGE ORGANIZED. The Western Film Exchange Co., of Milwaukee, has been incorporated with the Secretary of State of Wisconsin for the purpose of carrying on a moving picture machine business, with a capital of $50,000. Incorporators: Harry E. Aitken, John R. Freuher and H. Schneider. TO AMALGAMATE TWO SHOWS. Messrs. Cochrane and Fierlein, managers of the Business Show, intend to embody the features hitherto displayed at the Advertising Show at their next display in Madison Square Garden, New York, and the Coliseum, Chicago. The Advertising Show as a sepai-ate venture was not a success. The exhibits fit in so well, however, with the regular displays shown at the Business Show that the amalgamation of interests is a very wise and a proper one. SPORTSMAN'S SHOW A SUCCESS. Well Attended and Many Interesting Features Introduced Which Pleased Visitors. The fourteenth annual exhibit of the Motor Boat and Sportsman's Show, which was held at Madison Square Garden between Feb. 20 and March 7, jwoved to be one of the most successful in years, financially and otherwise. Among the features of the show were water sports, rifle shooting, fly-casting, bicycle racing and kindred events. There was a Lake Placid forestry exhibit from Lake Placid, N. Y., another from Long Island; animals, birds and game fish from Maine; mounted animals from New Brunswick, Canada, with camp and fishing scenes; log cabins, canoes, shoe packs, paddles and sledges for drawing captured game, and a number of live animals. Among the trade prominently represented were the Hendee Mfg. Co., of Springfield, Mass., makers of the well-known Indian line of motor cycles; the Geo. V. Lyons Motor Co., United States agents for the Minerva cycles; the Ovington Co., agents for the F. & N.; the Miami Cycle Mfg. Co., Middletown, O.; the New Haven Clock Co., of New Haven, Conrr., who, besides manufacturing an inexpensive line of watches, make the well-known Pedometer; the New York Sporting Goods Co., etc., etc. GREAT ARRAY OF EASTER POST CARDS. Some very novel ideas in post cards are now in evidence for the Easter trade. There is not only a larger variety this season, but more skill and originality is displayed in the conception of these very welcome and now almost necessary seasonable publications. Many of them are printed in colors and are really works of art. The development of this post card business has assumed tremendous proportions, and while we have not yet equalled England or Germany in certain lines in the matter of output, yet we are fast approaching these countries in the artistic quality of our creations. It is now recognized that the high class cards are mostly all of great educational value, and all fair-minded people are rapidly estimating them at their true worth. Even in the cheaper grades a higher standard is evident. A Double Key Harmorvica to Retail for Twenty-five Cents TKe first offer of its kirvd ever made Fr. Hotz Harmonicas Present another one of their money making styles. A Hne of Harmonicas brimful of excellent sellers from 1 0 cents to $1.00, retail. We advertise and help you sell the goods, besides giving you a big profit and good value for your customers. No. 07. The Drum IVla|Or. Tliis Harmonica is tuned in two different Iceys and can be played from both sides. Has 16 double holes, 32 reeds, niclcel plated cover. This is a regular concert style instrument, with all reeds in perfect tune, and is the only double Harmonica on the market to-day that can be sold for 25 cents and give satisfaction. Fr. HOTZ Ask y o \i r jobber Apply for a cM&lodue to 475 BROADWAY. NEW YORK Canadlarv Office. 76 YORK STREET. TORONTO No. 07