The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1914)

42 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. The Trade In Philadelphia And Locality (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Philadelphia, Pa., December 8. — The talkingmachine business in Philadelphia in November was most satisfactory. At every store it ran considerably ahead of the November of last year, and at several of them they have assured me that it was double what it was last year. The December business has started with a rush and it will only be limited to the number of machines and records that will be supplied the dealers. This is not alone true of the Victor business, but of the Columbia and Edison as well. Dealers in the Victor do not hope to get, especially in several of the more popular styles, a sufficient number of machines, for already there are orders in hand by the jobbers showing that they will not be able to supply them. The jobbers, however, are using their best judgment and are □ENN I HONOGRAPH CO. I HILADELPHIA Largest Stock of Victor Records and Victrolas in Pennsylvania Orders Filled Immediately Upon Receipt Give us a trial and be convinced PENN PHONOGRAPH CO. 17 South 9th Street Opposite Post Office, Philadelphia putting out these machines to the best advantage. I saw a number of orders, in my rounds of the trade, where retailers have sent checks with them, which the jobbers were compelled to return, as they were not regular purchasers, and they are turning down good money in order to take care of those dealers who have stuck to them and probably will have to wait several months for their money. In the end, however, they expect to profit by this piece of judiciousness on their part. During the past month there have been no new dealers started here by the Victor, but the Columbia and Edison have placed their machines in a number of satisfactory stores, and especially the former have been most fortunate in this respect. Series of Edison Concerts. The Edison people have a corps of promoters here at present who are arranging series of concerts and exhibitions, and their campaign will, no doubt, have a telling effect on the dealers. They are only giving these concerts to organizations which will do them the most good, and each of the individual dealers are also giving concerts in their stores, and there is quite a boom for the Edison here at present. Blake & Burkhart report that their business has been very good with the Edison, and a visit to the store shows every evidence of this. They have been giving a great many recitals recently, but have had to discontinue them on account of the holiday rush already started. They expect shortly to be open evenings until after Christmas. They have placed a new man on their selling force, Ray England. Louis Buehn says he is surprised at the terrific demand for talking machines, but that the trade is having a difficulty to get the $75 and $100 styles. "Everybody is on the anxious bench about getting stuff," he says, "but records are coming in very fair." He says that the large talking-machine dealers in Philadelphia are quite well fixed with goods, which is in strong contrast with last year, when they went through the fall and the holiday season at a practically from hand-to-mouth rate. Mr. Buehn has found an increased demand for the Edison dictating machine, and has recently placed these labor savers with the Lutheran Publication Society, the Keystone Type Foundry, the Presbyterian Ministers' Association and the Re formed Publication Co., as well as a number of smaller firms. Manager Comerer, head of the piano and talking-machine department at Wanamakers, says that their business is going big. They have twentyeight hearing rooms at present and they are filled every day. The new style 'Victor, sold for $150, has come in, and he believes that it is going to be a winner, as the public takes well to the idea of having the case finished all around, with the new arrangement for the albums. They give recitals every day at Wanamaker's, and have placed a large force in the talking machine department for the holiday trade, mostly through their own resources in the store, for they have a system whereby they train men in the stock department to be salesmen and utilize them when necessary. The Pennsylvania Talking Machine Co. reports that its business in November has been all that it could possibly expect, having surpassed last year with a very substantial gain. Manager Eckhart says : "December is only going to be limited by the amount of goods I am going to get from the factory. I have never, in the years that I have been in this business, seen it come as it is coming at present. Machines have been coming in and going out so rapidly that we have practically encroached upon the city of Philadelphia, in the way we have blocked the streets back of our store all the way from Heppes to Cunninghams, nearly the extent of piano row, in which we are sandwiched." Mr. Eckhart says that the Columbia dictaphone has also been a most active part of his business in November, and that they have a number of important demonstrations now on which they expect to close the first of the year. A number of their November sales were to the Dupont Powder Works and the Hercules Powder Works, of Wilmington ; the Bush Sons Transportation Co., J. G. Mcllvain Lumber Co., Surface Lumber Co., Fenton Label Co., and the Hill School at Pottstown. New Columbia Dealers. During November they placed the Columbia machine in the following establishments : B. Miller, 604 South Second street, in which they put a full stock on a big contract; A. Wolson, of Chester; William R. Irvin, Mount Carmel, Pa. ; F. A. Jenkins, Honesdale, Pa. ; Ramsey, Donnelly Co., of The Keystone of The Buehn Service is Completeness When you order various models of machines, ten to one, and even more odds, the type that you need the most is the style that is missing. A big sale is postponed — perhaps lost — and you suffer in profits. Next time test the Real Service of Edison Cylinder Philadelphia, F»a, Handling Talking Machines exclusively you secure a specialized co-operation of the highest character. Victor Disc