The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1910)

THE TALKING MACHINE WOULD. 39 This is the season of Grand Opera and every opera now being staged is blazing the way for Columbia Grand Opera Records. Grand Opera at the opera house awakens interest in opera at home. And that is where the Columbia dealer comes in : Both together they enable you to inaugurate a brilliant and profitable season of opera in your store. Columbia Phonograph Co., Genl., Tribune Building, New York. WITH THE TRADE IN MILWAUKEE. Both Jobbers and Derlers Well Satisfied with Present Business Conditions — Collections Good — Retailers Stocking Up for Holidays — McGreal's Eastern Trip — Recent Visitors — Personal Items of Interest — Speaks of Talking Machine Development Before Wisconsin Teachers' Association — Popularity of the Grafonolas — General Summary of the Doings of the Month Herein Recorded. (Special to the Talking Machine World.) Milwaukee, Wis., November 9, 1910. Milwaukee talking machine dealers, wholesale and retail, are highly satisfied with the business that was received during October, and predictions are made everywhere that the month of November will produce far more trade than the same month a year ago. In fact, dealers are looking for a steadily increasing business from now until after the holiday period. Conditions in general are highly favorable. Despite the unsatisfactory outlook during the summer, a bumper crop was harvested in all lines in Wisconsin. This has meant plenty of monej in circulation, and talking machine dealers say that they are determined to get their share. Reports from the smaller cities and towns of the State would indicate that the dealers' ambitions are being realized. Collections seem to be showing much improvement in all parts of the state, a condition of affairs that might be expected, considering the brighter state of financial affairs. It had been a noticeable fact in many lines of business throughout the summer that collections were far from satisfactory. Local bankers report that bank clearings are large in volume and showing steady improvement, and this is taken as a most hopeful sign. Judging from the free manner in which retail dealers are ordering machines, records and supplies, it would seem that they fully realize the importance of buying their stock as early as possible before the winter rush sets in. One leading local dealer says that the retailer who stocks up early is fair to himself as well as fair to the manufacturer and to the trade in general. The New Idea Cabinet Co., manufacturing the New Idea Cabinet, are busy, and Mr. McGreal, one of the officials of the company, reports many orders on hand. Several new cabinets are beingturned out to match the latest styles of Victor machines. A new Cylinder cabinet is now beingturned out and is meeting with much approval. Lawrence McGreal has returned from the East, where he visited both the Edison and Victor plants. He is highly pleased with the manner in which the fall trade in the wholesale field is opening up. Miss Gertrude Cannon, owner of the McGreal retail store, reports an excellent business and says that demand for high priced machines was never better than at the present time. George Ornstein, manager of salesmen for the Victor Talking Machine Co., was in Milwaukee recently visiting relatives. Carl C. Kemmerer has been made manager of the Edison business phonograph department of the Hoeffkr Manufacturing Co. J. H. Becker, Jr., manager of the talking machine department of the Hoeffler Manufacturing Co., reports having received the new styles of Victrolas, XXI and XIV, which are appealing to a really large class of trade. We had the machines on display in our windows prior to and after the visit of Melba to Milwaukee," said Mr. Becker, "so we included in the display a life-sized poster of the great songstress illuminated by electric flashlights. You would be surprised to see how people were attracted to this exhibit." Roy J. Keith of the The Talking Machine Co., of Chicago, called upon the Milwaukee trade recently. W. C. Fuhri, western district manager of the Columbia Phonograph Co., at Chicago, called at the Milwaukee store recently. Mr. Fuhri is optimistic in his views of trade conditions throughout the country and says that indications point to a record breaking season for the talking machine trade. A. G. Kunde, well known Columbia dealer, 510 Grand avenue, expects the arrival of the Grafonola Favorite, the hornless Columbia, in Milwaukee within a short time. He reports several orders having already been booked for these instruments. "Business has been increasing steadily during the past two months," said Mr. Kunde, "and I look for a continued growth up to the holiday season. Milwaukee as a market for talking machines is constantly improving, the call for high class machines being more noticeable than that for the cheaper ones." William P. Hope, Wisconsin and Upper Michigan representative of the National Phonograph Co., accompanied by his wife, was in Milwaukee recently. Mr. Hope is now spending considerable time in looking after the Edison wagon dealers and is meeting with the best of results. The use of the talking machine in the schools of Milwaukee is becoming widespread, and L. C. Parker, manager of the talking machine department of Gimbel Brothers' store, says, "I expect to have a machine installed in every school in the city before the end of the year." Mrs. F. E. Clark, supervisor of music in the Milwaukee schools and a prominent member of the Teachers' National Association, in an address given before the Wisconsin State Teachers' Association, held recently in Milwaukee, spoke on the development of the talking machine as an educational factor in the schools, and she spoke on the same subject at the meeting of the St. Cecilian Musical Society at Grand Rapids, Mich., during October. Before she had left the city, a subscription list had been started for buying machines and records to be installed in the schools of Grand Rapids. Musical clubs have for a long time been trying to develop a sense of musical appreciation among the people of to-day, says Mr. Clark, and they have recognized that the only successful manner in which this may be accomplished is through the children and through the schools. Their work has been halted, however, by the fact that it was impossible to secure talent to go into the schools, or to instruct the teachers successfully. This con dition has all been overcome by means of the talking machine, she continued. "Our business was three times as large during the month of October as it was for the preceding three months," said Mr. Parker of Gimbel Brothers. "Indications are very bright and I am looking forward to a splendid business between now and the holidays. Competition, of course, is brisk, but that only tends to make one put forth greater efforts, and if our efforts are put in the right directions, results are sure to come." Senor Constantino, leading tenor of the Boston Opera Co., has presented a Grafonola de luxe, with a complete set of his Columbia disc records, to the Massachusetts Homoeopathic Hospital. The order was placed with the Boston Columbia store. W. G. Walz, of El Paso, Tex., a veteran in the music business, will retire around the first of the year from active business, which will be turned over to his two sons, bright and accomplished men. The Walz house has recently given up their piano line and are devoting themselves entirely to talking machines, sporting goods and photograph supplies. E. A. Tompkins, Pittsfield, Mass., states his October sales were five times as great as for the same month last year. PHONOGRAPH BUYERS ARE JUST THE CLASS OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN n BOTTLES especially now that the HOLIDAY SEASON is at hand, Dealers should send their orders now and take advantage of a SPECIAL OFFER we are making to the talking machine trade in order to induce the dealers to take up the .line. «J PROFITS are large and this special offer will make the profits larger. Write today and find out about this special offer. The ICY-HOT BOTTLE COMPANY 207 Longworth Street :: CINCINNATI, 0.