The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1914)

42 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. FROM OUR CHICAGO HEADQUARTERS— (Continued from page 40). Builds Demonstration Booths. A. H. Danncmark, of Wilmette, has just completed three new demonstration booths; which add greatly to the attractiveness of his store. Mr. Danncmark is an enthusiastic Victor representative, and he also recently installed the new Edison disc. New Dance Records Expected. Dealers are anxiously awaiting the extra special dance records that are being issued by the Victor Co. Calls for the Tango, the Maxixe and the Hesitation continue unabated, and buyers of this class of records will find a good deal of pleasure in "Some Smoke" and "Leg o' Mutton" which are played by Europe's society orchestra, composed entirely of colored talent. Secures Dean Agency. James Lyons, 25 West Lake street, has secured the Western distributing agency for the John M. Dean "Puritone" needles. Music for the Children. Beginning last Saturday morning Lyon & Healy instituted a series of recitals for children in their recital hall, using the "Educational Series" of the Victor Co. Miss Elsa Stein was in charge of the selection of the records and talked to the children and visitors to the series were very much pleased with her efforts to instruct as well as to entertain the children, who ranged from six to fourteen years of age. Many beautiful standard works of musical art are thus presented to the children in such a way as will aid greatly the development of their young minds. Orders Stock. George Eichholz, one of the big dealers of Milwaukee, Wis., visited Lyon & Healy's recently to see about the replenishment of his stock. New Lyon & Healy Traveler. L. A. Cummings, formerly one of the star travelers of the Victor Co., is now traveling for Lyon & Healy, succeeding J. B. Ryde, who will come into the house to take charge of detail work in the wholesale sales department. Mr. Cummings will have Illinois for his territory as well as river towns in Iowa. He is well known to the trade generally, and will be welcomed by a number of friends. Personals and Visitors. Arnold Lockerby, who was formerly connected with a prominent talking machine company in Grand Rapids, Mich., and later in charge of the talking machine department at Hillman's, has returned to his home in Grand Rapids and has entered the furniture business. Expert Decorator at Wurlitzers. Ellis P. Hansen, formerly window dresser expert of the Victor Talking Machine Co., is now associated with the Rudolph Wurlitzer Co., and has in preparation many novel window displays, which attract the passer-by to the already busy talking machine department of that company. Assistant Manager Fred Siemon reports that this January is far ahead of previous Januarys and that the record business is "really great." "The higher priced machines are certainly selling far more rapidly," said Mr. Siemon, and the $100 and $150 machines seem to be holding the center of the stage at the present time. This is as we would like to have it, and the buyers of the bigger machines are, of course, more liberal in their record purchases." The New Manager. Ella Lentz is the new manager of the talking machine department at Hillman's. Miss Lentz is an old employe at Hillman's and received her knowledge of the business while in the employ of that company. Selling Large Edison Machines. C. E. Goodwin, manager of The Phonograph Co., is wearing a broad grin these days, which is due to a great extent to the large volume of business which has followed the liberal advertisingcampaign which this company has recently launched. "The Edison has proved that highpriced machines are the ones that carry the profits with them. We are selling more of the $250 machines than all of the other instruments put togeth er. This is profitable in more than one way and the customer who is in a position to buy such a machine is naturally better able to own a comprehensive library, and then again, there is no more effort nor no more time and fuss required to sell a $250 instrument than a $50 machine. "There is still a shortage in the supply of records, although the completion of the new record factory at Orange has alleviated the unfavorable conditions. Although the supply is still inadequate, we have fared very well, and hope to be filling all orders before very long." Installs Foreign Record Stock. F. J. Bukowitz, manager of the talking machin; department of the F. G. Smith Piano Co., has installed a comprehensive stock of foreign records. He has also arranged for the services of a linguist who can speak five of the foreign languages, including Polish and Croatian. Mr. Bukowitz has also arranged for agents in certain of the thicklypopulated foreign districts, and is already reaping a rich harvest of orders from these sources. January was exceptionally good at the F. G. Smith store, the total of Columbia records and machines reaching seven-eighths of the December business. Double January Business. Wade & Wade, manufacturers of the Wade fibre needle cutter, nearly doubled fheir business last month, as compared with the corresponding monfh A BEAUTIFUL PRESENT. Something About That Leather-Bound Order Book Given by the Talking Machine Co. to Its Dealers and What the Latter Think About It — Should Act as Spur to Recipients. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Chicago, III., February 9. — Brief reference was made in the January World to the handsome order books which were sent by the Talking Machine Co., Victor jobbers of this city, to their dealers. A photographic reproduction of the cover of the book is presented in this connection. It is extremely artistic, bound in gray flexible Cover of Talking Machine Co. Order Book. leather cover and lined on the inside with moire silk. The order pad, which is removable, contains twenty-five order blanks in triplicate, with a place for the carbon in the back of the book. The additional order pads can be obtained from the company upon application as required. As will be seen, the Victor trade-mark and the name of the Talking Machine Co. form integral parts of the embossed design. The World was given the privilege of running over some of the acknowledgements written to the Talking Machine Co. by pleased recipients. They are of interest not simply because of the kind words said about the order book, but owing to the evidence of its hearty spirit of co-operation between enterprising dealers and vigorous, up-to-date wholesale houses with a particularly high reputation for the excellence of its service. Here are extracts from some of the letters : "We want to thank you for the beautiful leatherbound order boolc which you sent us for Christmas. It will be an inspiration to keep our orders in better shape than ever before, and we must say of 1913. The Wade cutter was handled by the majority of the jobbers of the country, and in the last few weeks quite a few of the remaining ones came into line. The further additions to the equipment of the firm's up-to-date factory are being made. Talking Machine Co. Sales. January was one of the best first months in the history of the Talking Machine Co., both in the sale of machines and records. The business on the latter was something enormous. Sales Manager R. J. Keith called attention to the very large number of responsible merchants who had recently made application for the-Victor line, but who had not heen signed up on account of the shortage in Victor goods, or because the line was already well represented in their locality. A large stack of letters of inquiry that were temporarily held up for the reasons above stated was shown the caller. Mercer With Columbia Co. J. P. Mercer has joined the Chicago branch of the Columbia Graphophone Co. as assistant to Manager Ryers of the retail department. Mr. Mercer is an old piano man, and many years ago was the Steinway agent at Dayton, O. He also handled talking machines in those days, and tells interesting stories of his experiences with the first Edison phonograph of the old barrel tin foil type. that you remembered your customers in line shape." "Your 'order blank cover' and greetings received, for which please accept our thanks and good wishes for your success in the future, especially during the new year, that of 1914." "Please accept my cordial thanks for the very beautiful order book cover. Hope to be able to send you many orders from it during the coming year." "Please accept my thanks for the lovely leather cover sent with the season's greetings." "Enclosed please find acknowledgement of receipt of your Christmas gift. It you will give the acknowledgement as quick attention as I have the gift, the service will be O. K." "We wish to thank you for the fine leathercovered order book, which we expect to use quite extensively." "The cover is artistic and 'classy,' to say the least." "It is a beautiful piece of work, and we shall make it useful as well as ornamental." "Very 'swell' book, thank you." "We are in receipt of your order book of recent date, for which accept our thanks. We trust our business for the coming year will be of such volume that we will have use for it many times." "It is very neat and artistic in design. Wishing you a happy and prosperous new year — ." "Accept our sincere thanks for the fine order book you sent us. Hope we can fill out all the order sheets for records and machines." "We beg to acknowledge receipt of your exceptionally attractive and practical order sheet booklet, and with reciprocation of your good wishes, we remain — " "Thanks very much for the leather cover — its a dandy." "We are having a great Christmas business and wish to thank you for your promptness in filling our orders. Your Christmas present of an order book cover was received yesterday. Thank you for remembering us." "We desire to thank you for the order book sent us. Wishing you a prosperous new year, we remain— " "Both the Victor and Edison Companies are giving recognition at last to Boston song composers," declared a member of one of the Boston companies. "Compositions of several of these are now to be had on cylinder and disc, among them the pieces of Leo Feist, Tommy Allen, through their manager, Billy Lang, and these are now on the market. 'Chick' Story is another who will get good representation next month."