The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1909)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. 59 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA NEWS. Exton Co. Administrators to Sell Business — Fitzgerald's New Building — Wiley B. Allen Co. in Their Old Store — Hern Co. Feature Edison and Zonophone Goods — Columbia Window Publicity — The Music Master Wood Horns in Demand — Many Sales of Victor Victrolas by Birkel Co — Some News from San Diego and Santa Barbara. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Los Angeles, Cal., March 1, 1909. The unsettled weather of the season is almost past and trade in all lines is very firm. The Exton Music Co. administrators have decided to sell out the business left by Geo. T. Exton on his death, including a stock o: talking machines, small goods and sheet music. A special sale is now in progress which will shortly end the career of one of the city's oldest establishments. The Fitzgerald Music Co. will open in their new building a talking machine department which is to occupy an entire floor. In the old location they at one time had a good talking machine trade, but lately have done little with it. The new location is a much better one, especially for talking machine trade, and directly opposite the Columbia Phonograph Co.'s store on Broadway. Early in the month the Wiley B. Allen Co. moved back into their old store, which has been refinished and remodeled. The talking machine department has resumed its old quarters, and it would hardly be noticed that any change had taken place except for the new coat of paint. Business is very good. Charles Ruggles, manager of Sherman, Clay & Co.'s local wholesale branch, has been very busy with the double-faced record question, which is puzzling the Victor trade in general. Andrew G. McCarthy has been spending a few days in this city visiting his firm's branch as wall as the dealers. The Fifth Street Store has been holding a special sale of the Busy Bee machine and records, and have advertised these goods in the local papers considerably. O. A. Lovejoy, wholesale manager for the Southern California Music Co., has just returned from a trip to Ventura, where he sold to Nick Hern a complete line of Edison and Zonophone goods. Mr. Hern will hereafter conduct a firstclass talking machine store and is credited with being an enthusiastic dealer. The Columbia Phonograph Co.'s show window has attracted a large crowd by an ingenious mechanical device which demonstrates the durability of the Indestructible record in a very strenuous manner. They are having some splendid results with these new articles, as also with the double-sided records. The retail trade of the Southern California Music Co. has been very good in both Edison and Victor machines. The wholesale department has received samples of the new Music Master wood horn, which are being displayed to the trade. E. H. Philbrook, manager of the Edison business phonograph department, reports a steady increase in the sales of commercial machines, and has recently installed a number of machines for the use of local court stenographers. The J. B. Brown Music Co. have contracted for space in the leading theater programs for the benefit of their talking machine department. The Geo. J. Birkel Music Co. have sold a number of Victor Victrolas as a result of their advertising these instruments. The Victrola has been almost at a premium with the dealers in this city. The Birkel Co., however, have been fortunate in being able to supply their trade. The Kleine Optical Co., of 467 Pacific Electric building, have created a good demand for talking machines for use in connection with moving pictures. They have a number of customers in outlying towns which they supply with new song slides and records of songs which are used for illustrated song work. This venture is not a new one with them, as they have long since dis covered the possibility of the talker in the smaller towns where singers are scarce. K. I. Okada, proprietor of The Bunkwado, is one of the foremost dealers in the Japanese colony of this city. He is doing a splendid business in Edison and Zonophone goods. Several changes have been made in the trade in San Diego. Thearle & Co. are in their new store, which is one of the best equipped in southern California. Mr. Thearle has been very dangerously ill for some time and much anxiety is felt in trade circles as to his condition. The Southern California Music Co.'s branch is having a good trade and have started an amateur recordmaking contest, which is the first venture of the kind attempted in the city. The Wiley B. Allen Co.'s branch has had more trade than they could care for in their present department, and have decided to add more space for records and another demonstrating room. Santa Barbara is undergoing some changes in the talking machine trade. Garnsey S. Brown has taken the stock of the Bates Co. and has made additions to accommodate the stock purchased. The Southern California Music Co.'s branch has been almost crowded out by pianos, and more space is to be added so that the two departments will be entirely separate. T. H. Sentell has patented a new system for record cabinets of the disc type which he is contemplating manufacturing for the trade. His new cabinet, which is of rotary design, is so constructed that it will hold 2,000 records in a space four feet high and three feet square. J. J. MacGregor, of Ventura, is doing a fine business with Edison Amberol goods, and has added a new rack for Amberol records. A move is under way to regulate the character of the pictures shown in moving picture theaters in this city. A CHAT WITH HORACE SHEBLE. Optimistic Regarding Future of Talking Machine Trade — Strong Demand for "Star" Line — Starola Machines Well Received — Establishing Foreign and Domestic Agencies — A New Tone Arm Being Featured. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Philadelphia, Pa., March 3, 1909. When Horace Sheble, of the Hawthorne & Sheble Mfg. Co., was seen at the factory a few days ago he was in a most optimistic frame of mind regarding the future of the talking machine industry, and especially of the Star machines and records. "Orders for the past two months," said Mr. Sheble, "have exceeded in volume those for the entire six months previous, indicating a decided improvement in conditions. While the volume of business is not equal to that of a year or so ago, we are getting our share and are satisfied. Our Starola and Starola Grand cabinet machines have met with a very flattering reception from the trade and we will shortly put several new models on the market." The Hawthorne & Sheble Mfg. Co. have an agent traveling in India at present and meeting with great success. He will shortly go to Australia and introduce the Star line in that country. Gimbel Bros., in this city, and Ehrich Bros., in New York, have both taken on the company's line, put in extensive stocks, and are pushing it energetically. A new Canadian connection has also been made recently. The company ara featuring a new tone arm that is highly spoken of by trade experts. MORE FAVORABLE CONDITIONS Prevail in Talking Machine Circles in Baltimore and Vicinity — Interesting Chat With Mr. Bodr.n, of the Sanders & Stayman Co. — Reports Excellent Sales of Victor and Columbia Goods — New Quarters for the Victor in Cohen & Hughes' Handsome New Store — Will be Specially Fitted Up. ( Specirtl to The Talking Machine Wi i M > Baltimore, Md., March G, 1909. Unlike the piano trade, the talking machine dealers seem not to have suffered any inconvenience to business in consequence of the preinauguration days. The business reports have been very favorable, and show that the talking machine is becoming more and more popular with the masses. A good idea of the conditions for the past month in regard to the local talking machine situation is given by Mr. Boden, who has charge of this section of the business for Sanders & Stayman, who handle both the Victor and Columbia machines, in addition to the Weber pianos and Estey organs. "With the exception of the few days preceding the day of the inauguration of President Taft," said Mr. Boden, "we had a particularly brisk demand for the various styles of the two makes of the machines we handle. High-price machines continue to be greatly in the limelight these days, the requests for the $200 and $60 Victors and the best grades of Columbias being the most noticeable. This briskness in business prevailed all through the month of February, and we have every reason to believe that with the induction of the President in office the same desirable conditions will continue uninterrupted. "The double disc Columbia records have increased right along in popularity, and the demand for similar Victor records has also been heavy." Manager Arthur Ansell, who has charge of the talking machine department of Cohen & Hughes, announces that the firm has had so much success with the victor that the firm is to take up new Needles Free To Prove Quality "THE BEST THAT MONEY CAN BUY " NEEDLES "THE NAME TEIXS WHAT THEY DO" Best for VOLUME, TONE and LASTING QUALITY. PLAY RIGHT from START to FINISH. PRESERVE RECORDS and can be used on ANY DISK MACHINE OR RECORD. Packed only in RUST PROOF packages of 100. RETAIL, 10c. per 100; 25c. 300; 75c. 1,000. TRADE MARK NEEDLES "GIVE A MELLOW TONE" REDUCE VOLUME and DON'T SCRATCH. Make records las! longer. Can he used on ANY DISK MACHINE or RECORD. No special attachments needed. PACKED onlv in RUST PROOF packages of 200. PRICE, 25c. per package. FUFF Samples oI " Playrite " and "Melolone" Needles to Dealers or Jobbers who write on rll-I-it business letterhead. Special Prices to Jobbers and Dealers. Write Now Dealers are requested to buy from their Jobber. It he won't supply you, write tor name of one who will. BLACKMAN TALKING MACHINE CO. «J. NEWCOMB BLACKMAN, President 97 CHAMBERS STREET NEW YORK CITY