The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1912)

.48 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. STRIKING WINDOW DISPLAY BY R. WURLITZER CO., CHICAGO The Victrola window recently installed by the Wurlitzer Co. has incited considerable attention on the street. The idea was originated by L. K. Cameron, tail talking machine manager of the Chicago branch. It was intended to be as near as possible an exact reproduction of a camp in the woods of northern Minnesota, where Mr. Cameron spent four weeks a year or so ago. On the left is a spring of -running water, which comes out of a rock and runs down to a little pool to the right of the camp. Live wild birds fly about in the window, squirrels and rabbits make the place their playground. The Victrola is playing. The deer, hearing music, sticks his head through the banister, the better to see where these playing sounds come from. Quail and snipe hesitate and look about them to see where this human voice comes from, but fail to solve the problem. The title of the window, "Music Hath Charms," is well carried out in the arrangement of the camp and animals. It has attracted thousands and has been the means of selling quite a few small machines, as a Victrola 4 is seen on the stump of a tree, a bunch of records by the side of it, three or four records leaning against the trunk of the tree as if left there after the selection had been made. The packing box, with the Victrola shipping stamp on it, serves as a wash stand for the camper. The Wurlitzer Co. has been complimented highly on this window. LOOKS LIKE BIGGEST YEAR. Baltimore Trade Enthusiastic Over the Outlook— Droop Expansion — Eisenbrandt Sons Inc., Become Victor Dealers — Preparing for Jobbers' Convention. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Balimore, Md., June 7, 1912. From all viewpoints it would seem that 1912 is going to be one of the biggest years that the talking machine dealers have ever experienced. This impression is gained by the excellent reports concerning trade which are made at all of the stores and which seem to be spontaneous. At each of the stores where the talking machine representative called he was told that business during May beat that of any previous May, and in some instances went ahead of April of this year, which is considered an unusual achievement. This 'is attributed to the increased sales and to the fact that many new dealers have been enrolled by the branch stores both in Baltimore and throughout the State. Manager F. A. Denison, of the local branch of the Columbia Phonograph Co., is back on the job again after having enjoyed a most delightful time at the 25th anniversary of the organization of the Columbia Phonograph Co., which was observed by a big banquet at the Waldorf-Astoria' in New York City. Mr. Denison said that his boys have been going some during May, with the result that sales during May were more than two and one-hali times greater than last May, that they went far ahead of April, and they are preparing for a big June showing. Mr. Denison stated that he had established the Columbia line with the Caulfield Piano Co. on North Charles street. Some idea of the Victor business in Baltimore this year may be gained from' the statement of Manager William C. Roberts, of E. F. Droop & Sons Co., who said that for the first five months of the present year he has purchased 300 per cent, more stock than any previous year, and that it is not his custom to lay in a large stock unless the demand warrants it, so that those who care to can draw their own conclusions as to the business done. Mr. Roberts is also manager for the Washington store of E. F. Droop & Sons Co., and he stated that in this respect Washington even went ahead of Baltimore, or, to be exact, records show that the purchases for the Capital City store were 320 per cent, larger than any previous year. Mr. Roberts has just returned from a trip to the Victor factory, and is now preparing to attend the talking machine dealers' convention to be held in Atlantic City, July 1 and 2. Mr. Roberts also speaks well of the May business, saying that it beat 1911, which was also a good month and which was far ahead of 1910. William Knabe & Co., who are handling the Columbia line, are attracting many purchasers by the varied window displays which they have every month. This month's attraction is one of the most novel seen for some time and deserves mention. It is a realistic camp scene and every detail has been worked out to perfection by Walter Butler, who concocted the idea. Everything necessary in the way of equipment for ideal camp life is shown, only Mr. Butler goes further by suggesting that an absolutely camp life, especiallyafter dark, would be perfected by the addition of a Columbia phonograph and record, and he has every reason to believe that those Baltimoreans who have seen his reproduction of a camp and who contemplate spending some time in camp this summer, will get wise and adopt his very practical suggestion. H. R. Eisenbrandt Sons, Inc., have signed up two new Victor dealers during the month through Manager Charles E. Strahn. One of these is in Baltimore, while the other is in Frostburg, Md. Mr. Strahn will attend the talking machine jobbers' convention, after which he will be on hand to supervise a number of improvements which the Eisenbrandt firm will make to the talking machine section of their store. Thomas Gordon, manager for the talking machine department of the Kranz-Smith Piano Co., which handles Victors and Columbias, will likely be seen at the convention next month. Joseph Fink, who is also connected with the talking machine department of this firm, has developed into a hefty athlete and can be seen daily doing difficult stunts of the parallel and horizontal bars, pitching indoor baseball and lifting heavy weights in the gymnasium of the Central Young Men's Christian Association in this city. Mr. Fink says that the strenuous life has made a new man of him and he feels as though he could give some valuable pointers to Jack Johnson, Jim Jeffries and other heavyweight notables in the fistic art. Manager M. Silverstein, of Cohen & Hughes, announces that his firm has been right in the 'Swim in a business way with the' Victor line during May. Mr. Silverstein has been kept on the jump to attend to the demands of the rush of . customers. He says that May beat April of this year and went ahead of the May for 1911, and that he is going to keep up the good work during June. And from all indications it would seem that he will more than carry out this program to a successful conclusion. Sanders & Stayman have had a creditable month with the Columbias and Victors, according to Manager Albert Bowden. The Rosenstein Piano Co. and the Hub Piano Co., newcomers in the local field, also give out encouraging statements regarding their Columbia business for May. The Kunkel Piano Co. makes similar claims for the Victor line, which it handles. OPPOSITION TO OLDFIELD BILL. Protests Against the Proposed Changes in Patent Law Are Numerous — Legislation Seems Improbable Reports from Washington indicate that much opposition has arisen against the bill introduced by Representative Oldfield, revising the patent laws to meet the recent decision of the United States Supreme Court. So many laws have been pointed out in the bill that there seems to be little prospect of its passage during the present session of Congress, at least without radical amendment. The Oldfield bill has been condemned by the Merchants' Association of New York upon the report made by the association's committee on : protection of industrial property, which carefully examined all the bills offered for the amendment of the present law. The committee made a full report upon the Oldfield bill, pointing out the disturbance to business and the injury to the public which would follow the enactment of the provisions requiring compulsory license under Letters-Patent and forbidding a patentee to sell his patented machine with any restriction as to place, manner or time of use, or with any condition regarding the use or purchase of any other article. After considering the report of the committee the Merchants' Association has recommended that no radical change be made in the present patent law without previous thorough investigation by a commission of experts of the many and complex interests involved. It also urges that any contract restrictions be made not more stringent than the present provision of the British patent law relating to the subject. I'd rather be a Could Be, If I could not be an Are; For a Could Be is a May Be, With a chance of touching par. I'd rather be a Has Been Than a. Might Have Been, by far; For a Might Have Been has never been, But a Has was once an Are. Die Sprechmachine the most extensively circulated talking machine paper in Germany. Berlin, S. W. 68. Subscription price per year is eight marks. Specimen numbers free. Orders for advertising can be placed with The Talking Machine World, No. 373 Fourth Avenue, New York.