The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1908)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. 43 FROM OUR CHICAGO HEADQUARTERS ROOM 806, NO. 156 WABASH AVENUE, E. P. VAN HARLINGEN, MANAGER. Talking Machine Business Running Close to Old Form — Dealers Everywhere Report Good Trade With Excellent Prospects for the Holidays— High Priced Trade the Rule — Big Victrola Sales — Amberol Records and Attachments Win Success — H. K. Hilt Again With Hawthorne & Sheble Manufacturing Co. — High Introductory Prices a Mistake — Graphophone Recital in Sioux City — Recent Visitors — Wurlitzer Co. Expand — J. I. Lyons Makes Improvements — Big Columbia Business— Opening of Lyon & Healy's Refitted Quarters — Details of the Changes — B. & H. Fibre Needles Popular — The Talking Machine Co.'s New Catalog — Auxetophone for Bismarck Hotel — Viascope Manufacturing Co. Lease Additional Quarters, Doubling Capacity— A. D. Geissler Hurries East to Have Shipments Pushed — Other News of Trade Interest. ( Special to The Talking Macliine Woild.) Cliicago, 111., Dec. 9, 1908. The past fortnight business in the talking machine line has been swinging along in a manner strongly reminiscent of the period prior to that when the effects of the panic commenced to be felt in the trade. In volume of orders received by Chicago jobbers, November was not quite equal to that of the same month of 1907, but was materially larger than October of this year. Moreover, business steadily increased in volume all last month and towards the latter part orders for machines, as well as records, commenced to take on a distinctly stocking up character. Travelers from the field state that dealers are not only in a more cheerful mood than they have been for nearly a year, but are having larger sales and are looking for a really excellent holiday trade. From all reports the big manufacturing companies must be rushed to the utmost. Jobbers report that it is very difficult to get enough Victrolas and Victor 2nds, 3rds and 4ths, to supply the demand. The Victor 2nds seem to be very short. The demand for Victrolas must be something terrific. Even comparatively small country dealers seem to have been going vigorously after the high-priced trade, judging from the reports of jobbers. In Chicago the Victrola sales are remarkable. This does not apply merely to concerns like Lyon & Healy and Wurlitzer, but to some of the smaller dealers as well. It is a fact that one south side dealer sold four Victrolas for cash within the last ten days. That the Amberol records are proving one of the big successes of recent years is shown clearly by the volume of orders being received by the jobbers. The Edison factory now seems to be equal to the demand for the attachments for Standard machines, but those for the other models are still coming forward very slowly. This, however, will probably be rectified shortly. Harry K. Hilt, who was formerly for several years with the Hawthorne & Sheble Manufacturing Co., has again joined the sales force of that company and will represent them in Chicago and western territory. He is making temporary headquarters at Room 514 No. 269 Dearborn street. He is very enthusiastic over the big line of Star machines, which embraces no less than 14 models, ranging from a |10 machine up to the two new "Cabinet" machines, retailing at $1.75 and $2.50. The style 20 Star promises to prove remarkably popular and some large orders have already been taken in Chicago. The new Star record at 50 cents is meeting with ready approval, according to Mr. Hilt. Horace Sheble, of the Hawthorne & Sheble Mfg. Co., spent several days in Chicago last week. "The trouble with many manufacturers of new talking machine novelties and auxiliaries is that they make the mistake of fixing too high a price on their goods at the start," said a man who has been through the mill himself. "They do not take the broad commercial view of the matter and do not realize that it would be better to make 50 cents apiece on a thousand of their specialty and have a steady demand for it than to sell a hundred, at a profit of a dollar apiece and stop there. The market has been so flooded with talker novelties of all kinds and so many of them have been found abortive, that the public has grown wary. Many of the new things are of general merit and when put out at a reasonable price, bring the makers substantial returns, but to be too grasping is equal to killing the auriferous goose." The W. A. Dean Co., of Sioux City, la., who are exclusive Columbia jobbers for the western part of that State, have announced a graphophone recital at their retail warerooms for Dec. 16. The Columbia artists will be accompanied by a full orchestra, and a lecture will be given on the history of the graphophone. Handsomely engraved invitations have been sent to the company's patrons. P. G. Cooke, who has been assistant retail floor manager at the Columbia's Chicago branch, has been promoted to head of the retail department. He is an exceedingly capable and popular young man and richly deserves the recognition he has received. Among the visiting talking machine dealers the past two or three weeks were: Fred L. Beerman, Muskegon, Mich.; W. H. Elmer, Winona, Minn.; C. C. Warner, treasurer Milwaukee Talking Machine Co., Milwaukee, Wis.; A. G. Kunde, Milwaukee, Wis. Friends of Benjamin F. Feinberg will be interested to know that he is now sales manager for the new retail store of Landay Bros., at 27 West 34th street. New York. The Rudolph Wurlitzer Co.'s Chicago branch house, has developed to such an extent as to make larger space comparatively necessary. They now occupy the first two floors of their own building at 266-268 Wabash avenue, but they will also have the third and fourth floors as well, as soon as the lease of a book supply concern expires on May 1, of next year. At that time the wholesale talking machine department now at 338 Wabash avenue, will be moved to the Wurlitzer building, and the added floors will also serve to relieve the congestion in the automatic instrument and small goods department, now on the second floor. Manager E. H. Uhl says that their talking machine business has improved very notably the past month. James I. J^yons has just made some notable improvements to his retail department on the first floor of his establishment at 265 Fifth avenue. A new record room has been constructed, which is unique in that the stock of disc records is carried in the room itself, thus adding greatly to the convenience in waiting on customers. Furthermore, the room has an outside window, thus furnishing natural light and providing for facilities for ventilation, rarely found in record booths. Frank L. Dyer, president of the National Phonograph Co., spent several days in Chicago last week. C. F. Baer, manager of the Chicago oflace of the Columbia Co., said that November was the biggest month they have had this year. The double-faced record is proving an immense success, according to him, and a large number of new Columbia dealers have been established who are attributed entirely to that innovation. Lyon & Healy's remodeled and refitted warerooms were formerly opened to the public last week. Thousands of visitors have thronged through the big building, attracted by the liberal advertisements in the dailies. C. E. Goodwin not only supervised the arrangement of the new talking machine department on the fifth fioor, but also the improvements made throughout the building. The show windows were the last to be completed. The entire window frontage on Wabash avenue and Adams street, has been reconstructed. The windows have all been deepened and the background is of silver oak with panels of Venetian glass admitting light into the store. A large portion of the Adams street frontage is devoted to the display of talking machines, besides one or two of the windows on the Wabash avenue side. Two of the windows have displays of Victrolas with red seal records displayed in the background. These records are edged with circular labels bearing the name of the selection and the artist, and the whole is set in a golden star, in one of the rays of which is a photograph of the artist making the record. Victor Hall is again in full blast and the audiences are unusually large. The holiday trade is on and Mr. Goodwin says that sales so far have been in excess of those of last year. Mr. Goodwin leaves The Economy Racks A NOTABLE INNOVATION The Economy Disc Record Rack — Convenient, Portable. One record to a compartnient. No handling of several to find the one you wish. Made in highly polished Mahogany or oak or oak mission. Attractive Billiard cloth cover. Retail prices — Rack for 10-inch records, $3.50; 12-inch, $3.75; Rack for insertion in cabinet, $1.50. The Perfection Disc Record Racks — This is a rack similar to the Economy but less ornamental and therefore cheaper. Price, $1.50 for 10-inch records; $1.75 for 12-inch. The Ideal Negative Rack — for photographers — Amateur rack, holds anything from a postal card to an 8x10 negative. Price, $1.25 retail. Professional rack, adjustable, holding anything from 8x10 to 14x17. Retail price, $1.75. We can now make prompt shipment in Jobbing Quantities. CO]\^IN^Cjr—^^^ /wo.yf unique talking machine cabinet ever introduced to the trade. It ■will embrace the " Economy" principal and will create a sensation. R.H. JONES, Patentee and Sole Manufacturer 1-17 Bryan Place, Chicago, 111.