The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1909)

72 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. POPULARITY OF THE STAR LINE. The New Starola Cabinet Machine Has Made a Great "Hit" — Fifteen Models Constitute the Star Line — Plan a Big Campaign for 1909. POINTS GAINED BY JOBBERS. The Exact Line Victor Dealers Can Handle — Plans of Schemers Nipped — No Change in National Co.'s Practice of Furnishing Samples — Victor Double-Discs in Envelopes Hereafter. tor Co. are placing their duplex or double-side records in stout envelopes, of uniform quality and color, thereby protecting them against injury and dust. This will relieve the dealer of "enveloping" the records at his own expense. This was also brought about through the representations and request of the association. The Hawthorne & Sheble Mfg. Co., are achieving great success with their Starola cabinet machines which were introduced to the trade last month, and which are further referred to in their advertisement elsewhere is this issue. These instruments mark a further development of the plans of the Hawthorne & Sheble Co. who have been steadily increasing their line with the result that the Star products are now made in fifteen models, with all distin -tive features. Improvement and erfection are the keynotes of the Hawthorne & Sheble advance. Dealers find the Star a most profitable line to handle, and are taking hold of them, as well as the Star records, with alacrity. The progressive policy which has characterized the Hawthorne & Sheble Mfg. Co. for the past twelve months will be not only further exemplified during the year just opened, but materially augmented, anu nothing will be left undone to make the Star line a most attractive proposition to dealers — specialties that will give the utmost satisfaction to purchasers. THE EXCELSIOR PHONOGRAPH CO. Instead of succeeding the Douglas Phonograph Co., Inc., New York City, as "The Talking Machine Co., of New York," previously announced in The World of December 15, following the purchase of the property by P. A. Powers, of Rochester and Buffalo, N. Y., the title of the new concern will be "The Excelsior Phonograph Co." John Kaiser, general manager of the company, stated Tuesday, when the adoption of the latter designation was decided upon, that the change was made to avoid unnecessary complications and useless friction, a course satisfactory, in his judgment, to all parties in interest. The National Phonograph Co., Orange, N. J., recently transmitted a circular letter to their Edison jobbers, notifying them that after due consideration of the proposition placed before them by the executive committee of the National Association of Talking Machine Jobbers, following the Chicago conference, there would be no change in the company's practice of furnishing samples of records on the usual monthly dates. The committee had unanimously recommended that one set of samples only be sent each jobber, so as to have dealers call at their respective places to hear them played and then place the order; in this way all would be on the same footing and much valuable time saved and other annoyances avoided. There was a division of opinion among the National Co. securing a consensus by mail, the majority favoring the existing plan, hence their action. Doubtless this question will be brought before the annual meeting of the association in July for further discussion. At the instance of the committee, however, the Victor Talking Machine Co., Camden, N. J., on December 18 informed their distributers that hereafter the initiatory minimum order for three machines to qualify as a dealer should not include a Victor Victrola or a Victor Auxetophone, but the regular line only. This step was taken to stop the practice of department stores aiding and abetting the purchase of high-price goods by private individuals at the dealers' price for holiday gifts, thereby robbing the legitimate store of sales. The methods of fake dealers and these transactions, on being explained to the Victor Co., the foregoing prohibitory order was issued, and the Christmas trade thereby kept in the proper channels. As rapidly as it can be accomplished, the Vic SOME CURIOUS COMMENTS Made by a Correspondent of an English Paper on His Own People — Quotes Thomas A. Edison but His Interview Is so Utterly Unlike the Great Inventor That It Seems an Effort of His Imagination. "The Englishman who succeeds is hardly ever a Londoner; the Englishman who fails completely is almost always a Londoner." This is the statement which a special correspondent of the Times who has been traveling in Canada and part of the United States says he has heard everywhere. The correspondent visited Mr. Edison at his laboratory in New Jersey. "Say, what's the matter with your people over there?" he exclaimed. "I've had to close down my phonograph factory in England — what's the name of the place? I've forgotten; somewhere near London. All the others in Europe paying. But we couldn't make that one pay. We get good work out of the French and the Belgians and the Germans and Austrians, but the English — no good. "Mind, I'm not speaking of the English mechanic; none better in the world. I'm talking of the common laboring man you pick up on the streets. What is it? Too much booze, or general deterioration, or what?" * * * * Knowing the conservative and careful manner in which Thomas A. Edison talks to newspaper men, whom he avoids unless properly introduced, the above "talk" with the wizard of Menlo Park must be an effort of the reporter's imagination, as it is altogether at variance with the way in which Mr. Edison always discusses serious subjects. Orders Filled Quickly and Fully Our Claim -LET US PROVE THIS TO YOU FIRST— We are Talking Machine Jobbers exclusively. SECOND— Orders go only into hands of experienced men. THIRD Our two warerooms bring us closer to the dealer. We mention this to show there is One Jobbing House that spares nothing in its efforts to "Serve You Right on Edison and Victor." Our warerooms are filled from floor to ceiling with fresh new goods, to take care of all hurry-up orders. Write, telephone or telegraph, and be convinced that Buehn's Rush Service is better than any you ever tried. SPECIAL-The illustration ^^r^^r^^r^ shows our No. 124 —200 Peg— Cylinder Cabinet. Best value in the country. Large discount. Catalogue for the asking. LOUIS BUEHN & BROTHER PHILADELPHIA ^SS^S&^i HARRISBURG