The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1915)

50 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. THE TRADE IN NEW YORK CITY. (Continued from page 48.) includes the figures for any previous December. The heavy shortage continues in the higher priced machines, particularly the $100, $150 and $200 models. On a recent visit to Buffalo and Rochester I found our dealers closing an excellent business, which indicated renewed activity in commercial centers in that territory. We are far oversold on records, and are awaiting with expectancy the increased output of our factory at Bridgeport, Conn., which is now being materially enlarged. Our business in this territory has increased so rapidly that we have determined to reorganize every branch of this distributing center, so that we can give our dealers enhanced efficiency in every direction." Max Landay Talks of Summer Campaign. Max Landay, president of the well-known Victor distributing house of Landay Bros., 563 Fifth avenue, New York, returned last week from a fortnight's visit to Atlantic City and Lakewood, N. J., where he acquired renewed energy for an arduous spring and summer campaign. Referring to local trade, Mr. Landay said : "Business at the present time is as good as can be expected, considering the terrific shortage of merchandise. We are selling all the goods we can obtain, and hope that when the famine in goods is removed there will be a proportionate increase in business. We are now completing plans for our usual summer retail campaign, and will utilize special advertising and special booklets to interest owners of summer homes in the merits of Victor products. This campaign will be launched next month, and we are hopeful of its signal success." Recitals Prove Big Attraction. It is a tribute to the impressiveness and force of the publicity campaign now being waged by the Edison Shop, 473 Fifth avenue, that not only is the recital hall in the building filled daily with music lovers but that the business has increased monthly since the store was opened. For the past few weeks the Edison Shop, which is conducted by the Phonograph Corporation of Manhattan, has been paying particular attention to the technical and constructive features of the Edison diamond disc phonograph, emphasizing particularly the significance of the diamond as a means for reproducing as compared with the needle. This advertising has consisted of half-pages in the leading newspapers, which, through the use of appropriate illustrations, have served to attract unusual interest and attention. The programs prepared for the daily informal recitals have so interested visitors to the recital hall that very often it has been necessary to give private demonstrations on the upstairs floors at the Edison Shop in order to accommodate visitors who have evinced a personal interest in the musical qualities of the Edison diamond disc phonograph. Hayward Cleveland's Effective Work. The Columbia department in the store of F. G. Smith, 335 Fifth avenue, New York, reports the closing of an exceptionally good month in March. Hayward Cleveland, manager of this department and one of the best-known members of the retail branch of the industry, is using certain innovations in the handling of his trade which have been of vast assistance in the development of the store's present Columbia business. Mr. Cleveland is thoroughly conversant with every detail of highgrade merchandising, and the splendid location of the F. G. Smith store, in the heart of the Fifth avenue shopping district, has enabled Mr. Cleveland to advantageously promote new ideas particularly directed toward a Fifth avenue clientele. Expanding Their Sphere of Influence. The products of the Pathe Freres Phonograph Co., 29 West Thirty-eighth street, New York, have been favored with more publicity by local dealers the past month than during any period since the company began its active wholesale and retail campaign. Having established quite a number of live-wire dealers in metropolitan territory the last few weeks, the Pathe Freres Co. is becoming better known among music lovers day by day. Several of the local dealers have used goodsized advertisements on behalf of the Pathephone and Pathe discs, calling attention to the unlimited scope of the Pathe disc catalog and using cuts of the various models of Pathephones to interest prospective patrons. Rolling Up Large Sales Total. Notwithstanding the fact that it has been in the throes of removal for the past fortnight, the New York Talking Machine Co., Victor distributer, now established at 119 West Fortieth street, has been able to roll up new sales totals for the first two weeks of April, and during March maintained its position of breaking all records since the first of the year. Sales Manager Moody bent every effort to give uninterrupted service to the company's dealers during the removal period, and his efforts were crowned with success. LIVELY DINNER PROMISED. Record Attendance in View for the Annual Banquet of the Talking Machine Men on April 14 — Excellent List of Speakers. The plans for the annual banquet of the Talking Machine Men, the organization of talking machine dealers and jobbers in New York and vicinity, scheduled to be held at the Hotel Gregorian on the evening of April 14, too late for reporting in this issue of The World, lead to the belief that the evening will be well spent by those privileged to attend. The speakers of the evening will be Henry C. Brown, advertising manager of the Victor Talking Machine Co. ; R. H. Waldo, business manager of the New York Tribune ; R. W. Morey, general manager of the New York Talking Machine Co.; Victor H. Emerson, of the Columbia Graphophone Co.; J. R. Young, of the Merchants' Association of New York ; J. G. Bremner, president of the Talking Machine Men, and others. The belief that there would be well over 200 talking machine men and their friends at the dinner is being well borne out by the large number of acceptances being received by the officers of the association. John E. Hunt, the prominent dealer of White Plains, N. Y., will preside as toastmaster. BERLINER PHONOGRAPH CO. 140 East 4th Street NEW YORK TONE ARMS SOUND BOXES MOTORS In addition to our excellent line of motors, sound boxes, tone arms, etc., we are headquarters for all kinds of talking machine supplies, such as needles, speed levers, records, horns, etc. You can obtain from us practically everything with which to build phonographs. LOW PRICED PHONOGRAPHS Particular attention is called to our line of motors, which come in a number of sizes for playing different periods, these being made of fine quality materials throughout. We also have several low priced phonographs upon which the prices are very low. . Isk us for full particulars of these goods. BERLINER PHONOGRAPH CO. 140 East 4th Street New York