The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1914)

14 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. The Trade In Boston And New England JOHN H. WILSON, MANAGER, 324 WASHINGTON STREET, BOSTON, MASS. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Boston, Mass., December 9. — Despite the fact that many lines of business are more or less hard hit by the present conditions, it is a fact that almost every talking machine dealer in the city and environs, as well as many of them through New England, are going to show a surprisingly good business. Some localities are to do better than others. For instance, outside of Boston such cities as Lowell, Lawrence, Fall River and New Bedford, cotton industrial centers, where business is booming owing to war orders, dealers are making most encouraging reports. On the other hand, there are other cities whose industries are not profiting by the war where it is very hard to get business, and where, too, collections are slow for those concerns which sell on time payments. The war tax stamps are playing their part in the sending of talking machine goods, and the rush for stamps by all the Boston houses was so great on the first days of the month that the Federal authorities found it difficult to satisfy the demand. Where possible the local stores have laid in a large supply, but this is true in only a few cases. Inasmuch as the parcels post system is exempt from the stamp tax the new arrangement is going to largely increase the business by these carriers, and even in these few days the parcels post system has been taken advantage of by some houses to an extent hitherto unknown. Increases Sales Space. Harry Rosen, whose store in School street is one of the most conveniently located ones downtown, has seen his business grow so that he has been forced to add to his suite of rooms, and carpenters are now at work tearing out partitions and making a general rearrangement by which Mr. Rosen will have quarters more than twice as large as those he now has. Also on the floor above he has several other rooms and into these he has moved his Edison department. The repair room, stock room and other departments will be installed there. Three new men which Mr. Rosen has taken on are A. W. Butterman, Harry A. Brigham and Mr. Haskell, formerly with the Columbia people. Distinguished Visitors. Edward D. Easton, president of the Columbia Graphophone Co., and George W. Lyle, the vicepresident of the same concern were in town for a couple of days lately and they went over the local situation carefully with Manager Erisman. As it was their first visit here since the new Co lumbia store was made over they were deeply interested in all the details, and they expressed themselves as more than satisfied at the enlarged facilities for handling the large business. Since their visit the local business has grown even larger and within the past few days it ' has exceeded all bounds. Naturally, Manager Erisman is highly pleased over the outlook for the month of December. Cleverly Arranged Victor Window. Passers-by on Arch street in the downtown section of the city have been interested in the clever arrangement of the window of the M. Steinert & Sons establishment in that street. It 'was Manager Royer's idea that a fox would prove a drawing card by way of advertising the fox trots, several of which are among the Victor numbers. So he got a fine specimen of the stuffed variety .and placed it in the window. On one side is a Victor machine and on the other a large card showing a couple dancing a fox trot, and to both of these the fox is attached by means of ribbons. Hanging to the fox's neck is the placard, "O, You Fox!" Manager Royer has heard lots of commendatory remarks for the enterprising scheme as a medium of advertising. Pardee-Ellenberger Co. Activity. Manager Silliman, of the Pardee-Ellenbeirger Co., Inc., reports business booming all along the line, which is to say that the Edison diamond disc business throughout his territory has reached very large dimensions. Mr. Silliman says that the only difficulty now being experienced is in getting the machines fast enough to supply the demand. Mr. Silliman and his son, Horace, were among those who went down to New Haven for the great game between Harvard and Yale. More Artistic Window Arrangement. The Boylston street windows of the M. Steinert & Sons Co. have been done over so as to admit of a more artistic arrangement. A high paneling of French gray and white now separates the windows from the rest of the store, and built high the paneling serves as a capital background of the Victor outfits. Just at this time the windows are hung with Christmas greens and the large wreaths of laurel tied with red ribbons lend quite a festive appearance to the Victor display. Callers on the Eastern Talking Machine Co. Arthur Fields, who wrote "Aba Daba Honeymoon" and who has just been appearing at Keith's Theater, has been a caller at the Eastern Talking Machine Co.'s Boston headquarters. Another caller was Joseph Santley, who also has just been a Keith attraction. None of the star performers who appear at this handsome vaudeville house, which is only a block away, if they make records for the Victor ever miss an opportunity of calling on Manager Taft and the Eastern boys. Visited New York Headquarters. Manager Arthur Erisman, of the Columbia Co., was over in New York a short time ago conferring with some of the company's officers. Mr. Erisman has lately had a post card prepared by way of booming the foreign record department of his business and on one side is a list of the twenty languages records of which can be found in the department devoted to this line. Reports an Excellent Business. All the staff of George Lincoln Parker's Victor and Edison departments in the Colonial building are glad to again welcome John Alsen, who has been away seriously ill for several weeks. Mr. Alsen has many friends in the Boston trade who, too, are glad he is able to get back to work. Mr. Parker states that his November business in the Edison and Victor lines has been most satisfactory, and the prospects are good for a large December business judging by the way it has begun. Developing the School Proposition. Mrs. Henrietta Heaton, of the educational department of the Eastern Talking Machine Co., has been in the city for two weeks, making a survey of the school proposition. She gave a number of talks while here and visited any number of the more prominent educational institutions. Noted Record Artists Visit Boston. Harry Lauder, the great Scotch comedian, who has just finished a big engagement at the Shubert Theater, and John McCormack, the Irish tenor, who gave a recital at Symphony Hall, were visitors at the Eastern Talking Machine Co.'s local warerooms. In honor of their presence in this city, the Tremont street windows of the Eastern made an appropriate display of their records, one being confined to Lauder and the other to McCormack. Scoring Splendid Success. Thanks to business ability and a good personality, Mrs. Anna Jones has been making a splendid success of the talking machine department of the Shepard Norwell Co. in Winter street. Mrs. Tones has been with the department ever since it was opened about three years ago on the third floor of the Temple place side of the building, ARDEE-ELLENBERGER CO., L, BOSTON, MASS. NEW HAVEN, CONN. The demand for Edison Diamond Disc Phonographs continues to grow by leaps and bounds. Our New England Dealers are becoming more enthusiastic over this wonderful line from day to day. One of our Dealers, in a small city, has just made the statement that he would not take five thousand dollars for his agency. If you will investigate the proposition, you will readily see why there is such a demand for this musical instrument. We would be glad to interest you in an agency proposition in places not already thoroughly covered. We will co-operate with you towards making your department a success, and you will soon build a business that will be very profitable. The highest grade line of musical instruments and a weekly service on new records. Don't neglect this opportunity. Real Music At Last DISON DIAMOND-DISC PHONOGRAPHS