The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1911)

42 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. TRADE IN THE QUAKER CITY. Business Conditions Lool< Favorable — Wanamaker's Great Talking IVIachine Department Much Interest in New Victrola IX — Heppe ^v^ctivity — Columbia Business Shows Increase Dictaphones for Pennsylvania Railroad — Some Recent Visitors to the City. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Philadelphia, Pa., Aug. 5, 1911. The talking machine business in Philadelphia seems to be in a most satisfactory condition at present. There is considerably less complamt here at this midsummer period than there was last vear. Everything points to a very heavy fall business, and in anticipation oi this the local jobbers are ordering unusually heavy. On account of the delay the past two years to get goods at the most serious holiday period the dealers are placing their orders this year earlier and banking more on the prospects of big sales than they usually do. There seems to be nothing at present in the talking machine business that, is giving the dealers any anxiety. The arrangements with the manufacturers all seem adjusted to the advantage of both, and a better state of feeling has never existed than at the present time. The Wanamaker talking machine department has been slowly and gradually perfected until at the present time it is fully established. It was the desire to make this the finest department of its kind in the country, and the firm have in a great measure succeeded. It is picturesque as well as convenient, and Manager Gerson has had a July business that is far in advance of any previous July. Extensive preparations are being made for a series of recitals and lecture-recitals this fall such as have never before beon given here, and everything indicates that they are going to have a banner holiday trade. The manager of the talking machine department of C. J. Heppe & Son, Mr. Elwell, reports that their business in July was very good, and that they are not justified in kicking on anything when "you constider that it was July," as Mr. Elwell puts it. "We had a nice average July, and more than that we should not expect. Thus far this month the business has been considerably beyond our expectations, for we have been ahead both in the wholesale and retail departments." There is unusual interest in Philadelphia over the new Victrola IXs, and all the dealers are waiting patiently for their arrival. The Heppes have already taken a number of orders for these instruments, and if they prove as satisfactory as they anticipate, they expect to do a very large business with them, and will advertise them extensively. Mr. Elwell says there is hardly an hour in the day that someone doesn't drop in and inquire when they are going to get them, or call them up on the 'phone with the same inquiry. William C. Stiver, Jr., of the Heppe department, is away on a month's vacation, which he is spending in New England, mostly at Castine, Me. He was recently joined by F. X. Donovan, of the same department, who went away on the 29th, The Columbia Phonograph Co. report that their business has been very good all summer, and July was no exception. It has been anywhere during that month from 50 to 75 per cent, better than the same period of last year. Manager Henderson is preparing to go away on his vacation toward the end of this month. He will spend it at Asbury Park. Miss Katherine McClain, the head-booker of the firm, is away on a two weeks' trip. James Shearer, Sr., has been transferred from the instalment department of the house and has taken charge of the stock and the shipping. Their Regent Junior, which sells for $150, they believe will be greatly in demand this fall. It is an especially fine instrument and has been receiving no end of favorable comment. The Columbia Co. have been pushing their Dictaphone and have been meeting with splendid suc".ess in their efforts. They have just received a large trial order from the Pennsylvania Railroad Co., and they expect shortly to supply that firm with sufficient of these fine instruments to fit out all their offices. The Penn Phonograph Co. report having a long list of names of persons wanting Victrola IX.'s. William Hooven, of the Hooven Novelty Co., of Xllentown, was here the past week; also W. P. Swarts, of York, Pa., who deals extensively in talking machines in that city; and Clement Beecroft, of the Tea-Tray Co., Newark, N. J., who is well known by the trade and whose visits to Philadelphia are always much enjoyed. THOSE POSTCARD RECORDS. This story has been going the rounds of the daily papers for the past twelve months. We came across it last week in ihe New York Sun; "Sending little love messages or snatches of love songs by postcard to be translated by your sweetheart's phonograph is the latest development in the picture postcard craze. On the back of the postcard is a small record resembling the regular disc records used on some machines. It is a very thin film pasted on the card and containing some phrase of tender sentiment or a bit of some popular music. The card has a hole in it so that it may be placed on the machine, and when this is done the needle makes the card talk and the one to whom it was sent gets the message. The idea was born in Germany, but the foreign buyers of the American stores this winter are said to have bought up about all the German makers could turn out." The American stores credited with buying out tlie German makers are keeping them under cover very well, for we fail to see any advertising concerning these records in the Talking Machine World or any other publication. GET INTO THE GAME. "Get into the game — don't be contented to stand on the side and cheer for the other fellow, but mix in the fray yourself. Play the game with all your might and get all you can out of it before the whistle blows for 'time up.' If j'ou do this, you'll win — ^you'll make money — you'll be a 'producer.' Are you a 'producer' now? — if not, get into the game." New Idea Cabinets FOR Victrolas IX, X and XI IX A Capacity 200 10 or 12-inch records TJi7"E have been forced to triple ourcapac^ ' ity in order to meet the big demand for our line of Victrola cabinets to match. They have anything else of the kind beaten a hundred miles, in both attractiveness and salability. The retailer can sell one with every IX, X or without any trouble at all. We make them in Birch, Mahogany Finish, Solid Mahogany five-ply veneer, or any style finish oak. Our patent sliding files can only be drawn out far enough to admit taking out and replacing records. They are faced and finished to match cabinet. Write for Catalog and Discounts. LAWRENCE McGREAL MILWAUKEE, WIS. IX B Capacity 100 10 or 12-inch records Capacity 140 10 or 12-inch records Capacity 140 10 or 12-inch recordt