The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1909)

42 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. TRADE NEWS FROM LOS ANGELES. New Style Machines Help Trade — General Condition of Business Shows Improvement — "Talker" Men Decorate for Elks' Festival — Southern California Dealers Make Cheery Report and Look for Big Fall Trade — The News in Detail. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Los Angeles, Cal., July 28, 1909. The Elks' grand reunion is now over, after a most successful convention. During the week of festivities practically all business was suspended, although there are many good reports for that period. Since then, trade has resumed its normal condition, however, and everything is moving rapidly once more. The opening of the sale of the new Edison Fireside, and later the new Victor Victrola XII have somewhat livened up the dealers. Several of the prominent trade members are enjoying vacations, while many have already returned-to duty. Sherman, Clay & Co. have received their first shipment of new style Victor Victrolas, type XII, which was sold almost as soon as received. Their second shipment of these machines is expected, while a third order has been placed for another consignment. The late list of Italian Victor records just received are in great demand as there are among them many fine new numbers. Manager Chas. Ruggles is preparing for a trip to San Francisco, where he will visit his old home and confer with the management of the firm's home office. He seems quite anxious to see how the two cities, Los Angeles and San Francisco, compare as to trade conditions. Business is good with the Southern California Music Co. in all branches. The new. style Edison Fireside has been in great demand, in fact, larger than expected. The Amberol attachment for the Gem Edison has also created interest: The retail department has received an extra shipment of Victor Victrolas in styles XIV and XII, both of which are in growing demand. Mr. Wayne is enjoying a short stay at the island (Catalina) in company of Mrs. Wayne. Francisco Moreno is back from a vacation trip to Mexico, where he had a very pleasant time. The Geo. J. Birkel Music Co. have specialize.! on the new Victor Victrola XII to a very successful extent in newspaper advertising as well as attractive window displays. Mr. A. Graham Cook of the talking machine department expects to take a vacation trip at an early date, when he will visit his old home in Denver, from which he departed several years ago to take his present position. The Fitzgerald Music Co. have increased their staff of salesmen to handle their Victor department, and are considering the addition of more space to their present quarters. Mr. Andrews will spend a few days at the seaside during the coming month. The Holmes Music Co. have received a large shipment of Victor double-faced records, which consists mainly of the May supplement. Their department is in splendid shape and business good. The windows of the Wiley B. Allen Co. attracted much attention during Elks' week, as a result of one of Mr. Clubb's displays, which represented a miniature head of Elks listening to the Victor address of "Hello, Bill!" The Victor clog was sitting off to one side, conversing with a small goat in rather a jealous tone, saying "I wish I was an Elk," while the goat in turn advised him that he "Would have to ride the goat." News of splendid trade conditions come from San Diego. Edward Borgum of the Southern California Music Co. branch, has visited this city and tells of the great growth of trade in the southern city. During the month much advertising has been done by the leading dealers. A rather novel method was recently adopted during the engagement of "'Uncle Josh" (Cal Stewart) at one of the theaters in that city. Mr. Stewart rendered his services at a special matinee when he related to the audience the manner in which records are made and told some of his latest stories. The venture proved a great success, being a very interesting subject to owners of talking machines, as well as the general public. No undertaking of this kind has ever been taken before in this section. Two visitors from Arizona, Robert B. Berryhill from Phoenix, and H. Efker, of the Geo. Fisher Co., Tuscon, have brought news of good trade in the territory. Mr. Berryhill is contemplating an enlargement of his talking machine department for the coming holiday season and has come to look over some of the stores in this city before making his improvements. Mr. Efker is spending' his vacation in Los Angeles and meanwhile is surveying conditions in the trade. T. J. Hammett, the Victor dealer of Redlands, dropped in for a few days. The season for oranges has closed in that section after a very heavy crop, which makes things prosperous in all lines of trade. Geo. L. Snyder, the Edison man at Kern, Cal., is happy with the good business he has done lately. He has sold a number SLEZAK WITH NATIONAL CO. Famous Tenor Who Will be Heard at the Metropolitan Opera House Next Season to Make Records for the National Phonograph Co. — Important and Valuable Acquisition. The list of grand opera artists singing for the National Phonograph Co., Orange, N. J., has a notable addition in the recent signing of a contract with Leo Slezak, the famous tenor of the Royal Opera House, Vienna, Austria. He is entitled to take the front rank with the leading tenors of the world, and will be heard during the coming season at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York. When G. Gatti Casazza, general manager of the Metropolitan Opera Co., contracted with Slezak he and Andreas Dippel, the director, were enthusiastic over the acquisition of the great tenor. They call him a second of high-priced phonographs in the past week. A veteran talking machine man, W. A. Mullen, has called on several of the dealers in this city, and while he is no longer connected with the trade is still enthusiastic over it and its great growth. Mrs. M. E. Gilbert, who will be remembered in the trade by her very successful demonstrations of Mr. Gilbert's repeating device for the Edison phonograph, is making a visit to Los Angeles. The performance of "The Merry Widow" at a local theater has increased the demand for talking machine records of its different numbers. William Roddy, the advance agent for the company, has given his assistance to the dealers in the way of advertising matter and newspaper cuts. Andrew Hang, who for many years has been one of the foremost talker experts, is making his home in Los Angeles. The Columbia window, prepared recently by the Southern California Music Co., was much admired by Mr. Dorian. It represented the figure of Columbia (flag, etc.) standing majestically at the side of a choice display of Columbia machines and double discs and proved a strong attraction. Tamagno, and stated he has the very highest reputation at Vienna and Budapest, where he has been singing for the last nine years. He has also been heard and received with great acclaim in Berlin, Paris and London. According to musical authorities Slezak commands vocal powers that are nothing short of astounding, and it is not surprising that at the age of twenty-two he already enjoyed public acceptance as one of the leading Austro-Germanic tenors of the day. He first attained real prominence in Berlin, where he created a great stir ' in the part of "Lohengrin." This led to his being offered an engagement at the court opera house there, which he filled for several years subsequently. Everywhere he was received with unparalleled enthusiasm, and each town that he visited bore out the verdict of Berlin and paid tribute to him as an operatic star of exceptional brilliance. Slezak made his first appearance at Covent Garden, London, Eng., in the year 1900, and he was most favorably received by both press and audience. He is now returning to the scene of his former triumphs to appear in some of his favorite parts, and to take the principal role in "Tess" — Baron Erlanger's new opera, which met with such conspicuous success in Italy last autumn. Since 1901 Slezak has practically been permanently attached to the Royal Opera House, Vienna, and he has now become one of the musical institutions of that great city. Austrian music lovers literally worship him, not alone for his great vocal gifts, but also for his many attractive personal qualities, and he plays a prominent part in the social and intellectual life of the capital. The National Phonograph Co. are to be congratulated not only upon their enterprise, but also for introducing to the American public through the phonograph so eminent an artist as Slazek, whose records promise to be among the best sellers ever placed on the market. LEO SLEZAK, WHO WILL SING FOR THE NATIONAL CO, Window displays are divided into three classesgood, bad and indifferent, The first erne pays.