The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1915)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. 57 NEWS FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. Sonora Talking Machine Makes Its First Appearance in That Section — Looking for Early Shipments to Relieve Stock Shortage — New Dealers Enter the Field — New Electric Victrola Pleases Great Number of Customers. (Special (o The Talking Machine World.) Los Angeles, Cal., March 5. — The Wiley B. Allen Co. has had a very attractive window during the last week, featuring the new popular song, "On the 5.15." The scene would delight the heart of any commuter. This window is attracting a great deal of attention, and a good advertisement for its talking machine department. The dancing rage has had an additional boost here since the extensive advertising by the Colum*bia Phonograph Co., wholesale, in that line. The new dance instruction records are becoming quite popular, and several machines have been sold through this method of publicity. Harry Clubb, formerly manager of the Pathephoue department for the Curtis-Colyear Co., has resigned and is now connected with the small goods department at the Holmes Music Co. C. S. Ruggles, of Sherman, Clay & Co., wholesale, is expecting two or three carloads of goods from the Victor factory in the near future. Mr. Ruggles expects these to relieve the shortage in machines and records to some extent. Mr. Ruggles reports two new agencies, the Meyer Furniture Co., of El Centro, associated with the Imperial Valley Hardware Co., which has a line of Victor stores all through the Imperial Valley district, and E. F. Sanguinetti, of Yuma, Ariz., has lately put in a line of Victor goods. The Sonora Phonograph Co. has finally arrived in our midst, and is now permanently located. E. M. Bonnell has charge of the new concern, and has a complete line of goods now on display. This company does not handle records, but Mr. Bonnell reports business as being very good. He also expects to establish several other agencies in southern California. G. W. Davidson, proprietor of the Talking Machine Shop, in Chicago, 111., is making a short stay in our city. He spent several days in San Diego taking in the fair, and expects to go home by the way of San Francisco. The Southern California Music Co. is opening up a branch store in Pasadena, where it will carry a complete line of pianos and all lines of talking machines. B. R. Meginity is manager. P. T. Gardner, proprietor of the Gardner Music Co., reports a flourishing business since the first of the year, and is already contemplating enlarging his store. O. A. Lovejoy, manager of the talking machine department of the Southern California Music Co., wholesale, has just returned from an Eastern trip, and reports conditions as being very fine at the Edison factory, considering the disastrous fire. Several large shipments of machines and records are on the road for this house. Irving Kauffman, one of the Victor Co.'s popular artists appearing with the Aron Comedy Four at the Orpheum, called at the Victor department of the Geo. J. Birkel Music Co., and gave a demonstration of his natural voice, compared with its reproduction on records. The result was very astounding, it being almost impossible to tell one from the other. The Birkel Music Co. has had splendid success with the new electric Victrola, and has found it to be a great favorite with their high-class trade. While singing with the National Grand Opera Co., during its recent engagement in this city, Senor Constantinople made a call at the talking machine department of the Birkel Music Co. and had his picture taken while listening to the reproduction of his voice on the Victrola. NEW DEPARTMENT IN BUFFALO. Elaborate Victrola Department Opened in the Retail Piano Store of C. Kurtzmann VS. Co., That City — Victrolas Also to Be Handled by Rochester Store of the Company. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Buffalo, N. Y., March 8. — The new Victrola department in the piano store of C. Kurtzmann & Co., 783 Main street, this city, was formally opened •to the public this morning and measured up to the predictions made that it would be one of the finest departments of its kind in this section of the country. The company also opened a similar department in its big store in Rochester to-day. J. A. Owcnhouse, manager of the Kurtzmann store, is in general charge of the new department, and will be assisted by C. F. Casper, formerly with the talking machine department of the J. N. Adam store, and Leon C. Putnam, formerly with Neal, Clark & Neal, this city. It is stated that over $30,000 worth of Victrolas and records have been ordered for the Buffalo and Rochester departments of Kurtzmann & Co. A< large section of the warerooms has been given over to the new department and has been equipped with elaborate sound-proof demonstration booths and record stockrooms. Representatives of the MaWUHag The , JrfWM W Flexible Four Pointed Steel Needles PATENTED IN U. S. -FOREIGN PATENTS PENDING i Four Pointed Flexible Needle i S PATENTED I • FOUR TUNES ON ONE NEEDLE • • • In Attractive Packages of 200 Points. Increase Your Profit. Send for Samples and Prices today. Two Sources of Supply. WRITE Flexible Needles are guaranteed to play the Longest Records Perfectly. Flexible Needles are guaranteed to save the record from wear. Flexible Needles are guaranteed to eliminate the scratch. Flexible Needles make old records sound like new. Flexible Needles are better because they do more. Flexible Needles are made from the best steel obtainable. Flexible Needles are the best for any record because they bring out all that is in the record. TO JOHN M. DEAN, Inc. Victor factory were present in Buffalo for some days before the opening, giving expert advice regarding the selection of stock and the arrangement of showrooms. The record stock is said to be the largest in the city. The prestige enjoyed by C. Kurtzmann & Co. as a result of their many years of piano manufacturing and retailing in this city should serve to insure the success of the new department. TO GIVE "CANNED" SERMONS. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Water-town, Wis., March 9. — According to H. I.Davis, of this city, "syndicate" sermons are to be a feature in the future. It is possible that they will be used in conjunction with instruments of the phonograph type, which will deliver the text in "canned" form with moving pictures on a screen to illustrate them. Mr. Davis says some of the most noted divinei in the country will write "syndicate" sermons for the company he represents. They will be edited to answer the needs of all creeds and released on certain dates. John M. 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