The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1912)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. 43 NEW CONCERN IN LOS ANGELES. Musical Record Co. Has Attractive Quarters — Handling Victor Line — Many Visitors Recently— Edison Phonograph Business Lively in Oxnard — A. J. Morse, of San Diego, Brings Back a Bride — July Made a Good Showing Although Vacations Cut Into Business in a Marked Degree — What Dealers Report. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Los Angeles, Cal., July 30, 1912. July closes as a very brisk month among all jobbers and retailers of talking machine goods. The fact that many owners of talking machines are away to the beach or mountain resorts does not affect record trade in the least. Talking machines seem to be a necessity on vacation trips and outings more than any previous years. A new talking machine company has recently sprung into existence, the Musical Record Co.'s "Victor Shop," 814 South Broadway. This new firm has spared no expense to equip its rooms in the most up-to-date fashion, having several absolutely sound-proof rooms for the demonstration of goods. These rooms consist of a Vernis Martin, Turkish, mission, mahogany, golden oak and other finishes, each decorated accordingly as to their respective salesrooms. A very novel feature in connection with the talking machine line is that of a Japanese tea garden with rustic effect, where ladies can be served with afternoon tea by Japanese. A Victrola XVI. is used to entertain its patrons. Albert D. Wayne, a very prominent talking machine man in this city, is general manager of the concern, assisted by H. F. Major. Every effort has been used to make this the ideal spot for the comfort of its customers, catering only to the highest class of trade possible. Shireson Bros., 349 North Main street, have sold many talking machines within the last few weeks to the Latin races of their section. There has been a number of out-of-town dealers in the city recently among whom are C. W. Beattie and family, of Marawpa, Cal., who is stopping at Long Beach for an outing, and A. W. Raney, of Hanford, Cal., who is spending his vacation at Ocean Park. These two dealers are very prosperous Edison dealers in their respective districts. A. J. Morse, manager of the branch of Southern California Music Co., of San Diego, has returned from New York after several weeks' vacation, bringing back with him a bride. By this act Mr. Morse surprised many of his friends and associates. The Talking Machine Shop reports business on the upward bound, closing the month with a very satisfactory trade in both machines and records. Scott T. Allured, connected with the talking machine department of the Wiley B. Allen Co., of this city, has been transferred to the San Diego branch to manage the same department in the place of Miss Ruby, who has just left for New York. E. Howland, of Central avenue, has shown a great selling ability by disposing of many Edison machines in the past few weeks. B. H. Burke, who has been connected with the Southern California Music Co. for some time, is now located with the Wiley B. Allen Co., of this city. Mr. Burke is by no means a stranger to this section, but is a very prominent figure in this line all along the coast. The J. B. Brown Music Co. has demonstrated by its sales of late that business is not quiet in the talking machine department, thus showing a decided increase in this line for the same period last year. Earl S. Dible, manager of the talking machine department of the Southern California Music Co., • of San Diego, spent several weeks' vacation visiting relatives and friends. Geo. T. Austin, a prosperous Edison dealer of Oxnard, was in the city for a few days and states that the phonograph business is most excellent since the harvest of a very heavy bean crop, of which his section is so noted. Mr. Austin will leave in a few days for the mountains on a fishing trip and he expects to have as much success fishing as he has selling phonographs. O. A. Lovejoy, manager of the talking machine MUSIC ASTER Solid Wood Horn SOLID WOOD (NOT VENEERED) The Only Horn Guaranteed REGISTERED Have you got samples to show to your customers and to demonstrate with ? By giving a practical demonstration of the Music Master and any Horn or Hornless machine, one can see the difference more readily in sweetness of tone, full sound waves, etc., in the Music Master Solid Wood Horn. The Music Master beyond a question is the greatest advancement ever made in Phonographic Horn Construction. Why don't you investigate the merits of the Music Master ? Our Guarantee With Every Horn. Write us and we will send you a sample line of Music Masters. SHEIP & VANDEGRIFT, Inc. PHILADELPHIA, PA. department of the Southern California Music Co., reports that the wholesale trade is above the average for the summer months, especially in the larger Edison machines, which its dealers in general have been very active in selling. The T. J. Johnson Music Co., 415 South Main street, a wide-awake Victor dealer, is making wonderful progress with the Victor goods, which he considers the only line to handle. MUSIC IN THE AUT0=H0RN. The Peculiar Request That Has Come to the Office of Henry W. Savage. From Sunbury, Pa., to the office of Henry W. Savage there came recently a query regarding the consideration that would be demanded for the privilege of playing the airs of "Little Boy Blue," "The Merry Widow," "Somewhere Else" and other musical comedy and operatic successes controlled by that manager, on automobile horns, said horns to be sold promiscuously to whomsoever will buy them. The writer, signing himself Allan L. Pencross, explains that he has perfected a plan for equipping auto horns with miniature talking machine disc records, which he intends to put on the market as soon as the patents covering this method of sound reproduction have expired. He enthusiastically discusses the possibilities of tremendous fortune lying in wait for the genius who makes it possible for the rich farmer to lessen the tedium of his journeys of inspection by tickling his ear with the strains of popular music, which his absorption in farm duties and his distance from the theatrical district make it impossible for him to enjoy in a playhouse. Pencross draws a vivid picture of a hundred thousand tired business men skidding from their suburban homes in the morning and back in the evening to the accompaniment of tunes calculated to drive the most active care into retirement. Why is it that when a man makes a success he is very apt to swell out his chest like a pouter pigeon and take all the credit, but when he registers a failure he is inclined to blame it upon conditions over which he had no control?