The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1915)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. 47 The closer the competition the surer the sale; because the closer the competition the closer the comparison. If everyone made comparisons before buying, everyone would buy Columbia Grafonolas. It is the rare exception for Columbia product to lose out in competitive sale. {Write for "Music Money," a book "full of meat" w for those dealers interested in quick and frequent turnover of capital.) Columbia Graphophone Company Woolworth Building, New York delivery of "hit" records. Even the dealers in the smallest towns on his jobbing list are commenting on this. The dealers say that much of their success in selling records is due to their ability to meet the popular demand as soon as it begins for any song or instrumental number. "Our customers read of these songs and come around to inquire when we will have them, and we play them for them and make a sale out of the sheer surprise of the inquirer. They think to put something over on us, but we put it over on them," writes one dealer. Mr. Reid is much interested in the prospect for Columbia records to be made by the Scottish Rite Choir of chanters at the Columbia laboratories this month. The choir is going to Washington to be present at the laying of the corner-stone of the Mother House of the Scottish Rite, October 20 and 21, and will go from there to the Columbia record laboratories. This choir is the o 'iginal of the Scottish Rite and sang at the laying of the corner-stone of the Washington Temple two yer.rs ago, and attracted mucii attention. Following the success of the choir feature of the ceremonies there, several choirs have been organized. The choir will sing four numbers for records. All of the arrangements for the making of the records have been made through Mr. Reid, and it is expected that the numbers will be very popular here. J. J. Bennett, of the Columbia traveling force, is in Illinois, where the corn crop is taxing belief in the credibility of those who tell of it, and is meeting with great success in establishing new sales agencies and is sending in orders from existing dealers that lead to a belief that dull times never reached that section. The Smith-Reis Piano Co. finally is making progress with the plans to turn one-half of its large first floor wareroom into a Victor record department. It was for this purpose that the large stock of sheet music that was considered a part of the store was sold to the Hunleth Music Co. The plan was that the sheet music should be removed early in September, but that plan went awry because the Hunleth Co. was unable to lease a store room that was at all suitable to be changed to the needs of the store. Finally a store at 510 Locust street was obtained and the Smith-Reis stock removed there, as well as the stock of music supplies from the Hunleth store at 9 South Broadway, where the company has been for a generation. The Smith-Reis department will be one of the most elaborate in the city when completed, and everything is being done toward the quick dispatch of the record business on the theory that the average record customer knows more or less what he wants nowadays and wants quick as well as good service, certainly no unnecessary delays. The Silverstone Music Co. is planning the most LINDSTROM MOTORS "The Motor of Quality" elaborate talking machine demonstration ever attempted in this city for Edison Day, October 21. That week is to be observed here by the electric light folk because that is the incandescent light anniversary. Last year the light folk made no attempt to observe the occasion, and a local newspaper, in casting about for a story, asked Mr. Silverstone if he was going to observe the occasion, and while talking on the telephone to the reporter Mr. Silverstone made plans for a celebration to form a basis for an observation, and the next day proceeded to complete the plans, and gave a very creditable anniversary from a talking machine standpoint. This year he began in time, and has plans laid for an elaborate affair. The demonstration will be chiefly a recital given in the Victoria Theatre, one of the large Grand avenue houses. The feature of the program will be a duet by Miss Elizabeth Spencer, a St. Louis singer who is probably better known in the East than in St. Louis. She will sing with her own records. Miss Spencer did this in the recital hall at the Silverstone warerooms some time ago while on a visit here, and gave an admirable demonstration. There will be, of course, other numbers to fill out the recital program. The evening's entertainment will be introduced by a talk on Mr. Edison, probably by Mr. Silverstone, and at the conclusion of this a handsome portrait in colors of Mr. Edison will be unveiled. Mr. Edison and other officials of the company have been invited to be present, and it is expected that some word from Mr. Edison will be read. There are plans for the Edison diamond disc owners to be specially honored on this occasion by the presentation of badges. All admissions to the theatre will be on invitation and by ticket. The day of the recital will be observed, at the Silverstone warerooms by special recitals all day in the concert hall and souvenirs for visitors. The strictly business end of the demonstration will concern the dealers who buy through the Silverstone Music Co. jobbing department. All will be invited to be in the city that day and evening, and following the recital there will be a banquet at the Majestic Hotel, at which C. W. Burgess, territorial supervisor for the Edison Co. ; Arthur Gabler, chief of the demonstration crew working in this territory, and Mark Silverstone will be the principal speakers. They will talk on different phases of the talking machine and the merchandising of it. All of the dealers are expected to be present at this banquet and to hear the speakers. It also is hoped that the dealers will give to each other business tips that will be of value to each other. Mr. Burgess arrived here October 1, just in time to get into the thick of the planning for this demonstration, and he entered heartily into the spirit of the enterprise. ROY FORBES NOW MANAGER. Roy Forbes has been appointed manager of the Victor talking machine department of James McCreery & Co., on West Thirty-fourth street, which is under the direction of the Musical In strument Sales Co. Like another extensively advertised product, our Made in U. S. A. Disc Record NEEDLES "cannot be improved," so we are packing them, to order, in new, handsome and convenient METAL BOXES IMPRINTED WITH DEALER'S NAME AND ADDRESS WITHOUT EXTRA CHARGE SEND FOR SAMPLES AND PRICES NEW YORK DISC NEEDLE CO. 110 WORTH STREET NEW YORK