The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1916)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. 39 "Christmas Eve 1 was at my desk when the young man to whom I made the remarks came in. and, saluting, said : "Mr. Reis. I have the honor to report that I have just lost a sale of "The Stilly Night," by Schumann-Heink, because we have none in stock.' "I apologized, ajid wihen I saw the next record stock sheet 1 fully realized that the stock clerk understood the value of main floor demonstration rooms better than I had in advance and that he was storing up as early as October for a time when he realized that it would be hard to get records. Our Christmas record sales were phenomenal." Manager Hallahan. of the Yocalion department at Aeolian Hall, is wonderfully pleased with the results of his first Christmas season in the talkingmachine business. He came over from the piano end of the game. "You know," he laughed, "we hardly knew when we had sales made. We would just get under good sail in the demonstration booths when the man would get up and say, 'I must be going ; where is the contract?' or, 'Where can I write this check?' We played our machines to capacity audiences in our record demonstration rooms, and the machine booths were crowded for days on end. "On the first business day of this year the telephone girl was the first on deck. She was greeted by a man who had been admitted by the porter and who was seated on a sofa near the door. He told her he wanted to talk to someone about a Vocalion, and when she began to hustle about to find a salesman he called to her, 'Never mind ; I just wanted to leave this; I guess you can turn it in.' It was a check for a $300 machine that had been sent to his home for twenty-four hours' trial on the last evening of the old year. That day also I was ready to go home when a customer came in and signed a contract without making me late in getting out of the store." At Aeolian Hall all hands are very well pleased with the impression their instrument is making following the more widespread and active canvass. They were confident to begin, because of their belief in the machine and the results of the campaign among musical people, but now they are certain that their special advantages are appreciated by everybody. H. G. Koerber, president of the Koerber-Brenner Co., states they have just finished the largest year in their history and that the only thing to mar their satisfaction was the unprecedented shortage which prevented assisting dealers as much as desired. "The demand for Victor machines," Mr. Koerber says, "continues even after the holiday period, and it now looks as if January and February would see a record shortage along the lines of that of last year." The Koerber-Brenner Co. has always acted on the principle that "a thing can't be good for one unless good for all," and has, therefore, played a prominent part in boosting St. Louis. It had a hand in bringing the Democratic convention, and wants to see visitors come to its city. It has been gratifying to see a constantly increasing number of Victor dealers coming to visit St. Louis, and the firm in question wants every Victor dealer to visit the city at some time in the future, and will keep open house at all times and will welcome those who may come as convention visitors. At the Columbia warerooms C. R. Salmon, speaking for Manager Irby W. Reid, the latter being confined to his home for several days by a mild attack of the grip, said that December was the largest month in the history of the St. Louis warerooms, and it would have been larger had all of the machines of the models in demand been on hand. Mr. Salmon said that shipments en route the first of the year would clear up the Christmas deliveries, enabling the dealers to replace with proper models all of the very small machines sent until larger ones could be obtained from the factory. Because of this practice the shortage of small models became more acute at Christmas time than of the larger models. The record situation, Mr. Salmon said, was in very good shape, despite demands made on the stock that were entirely unprecedented. The Buetner Furniture Co., one of the large time payment concerns of the city, re cently has taken on the Columbia machines and made a very good holiday record, despite the fact that it had had this line but a short time. Retail Manager Coughlin said that the feature of his department was the closing of a number of sales for the Grand machine, the new price made on this model instantly closing several sales that had been hanging fire. Owing to a scarcity of electric models mostly in demand, he said, this class of machine has not had a fair trial this Christmas, but that he noted wtih considerable pleasure that those in use were giving excellent satisfaction. Ben Phillips, the live wire of the outside sales force of the Columbia force, is receiving congratulations on his record for December, which he modestly says was his best month. He did better than one machine a day for the entire month. Mark Silverstone, president of the Silverstone Music Co., was another grip victim early this month. Through his spokesman, Mr. Silverstone reported capacity business for the month of December, with stocks in fair shape the first of the month after. Some belated shipments of machines did much to relieve the strain. The rapid distribution of the Edison disc machine since it came into the field is noticeable by the wide interest shown in the new record lists on their arrival and the constant stream of visitors into the store when the records are due, to hear ELECT 1916 DIRECTORS. American Graphophone Co.'s Stockholders Elect Directors for the Coming Year. The annual meeting of the stockholders of the American Graphophone Co. was held Monday afternoon at the company's offices in Bridgeport, Conn. At a previous meeting of the stockholders it was decided to reduce the number of directors from seventeen to eleven, and as the present board consisted of sixteen directors the stockholders at Monday's election reduced the directorate by five, and elected the following directors for the ensuing year: Edward N. Burns, Philip T. Dodge, E. V. Murphy, C. W. Cox, Thomas R. White, Jr., F, J. Warburton, David St. John, John J. Phelps, Mortimer D. Easton, William Johnson and Beekman Winthrop. These directors will meet later to elect officers of the company for the ensuing vear. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TO MEET. Governing Body of the National Association of Talking Machine Jobbers to Meet at the Hotel Knickerbocker, New York, on February 15 and 16. PENNSYLVANIA_DEALERS MEET. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Pittsburgh, Pa., January 11. — The regular monthly meeting of the Pennsylvania Talking Machine Dealers' Association was held last night in the store of the W. F. Frederick Piano Co., and proved to be the largest and most enthusiastic gathering of the local trade this winter. About twenty-five dealers and managers were in attendance, with President French Nestor presiding. J. C. Roush, chairman of the press committee of the National Association of Talking Machine Jobbers, announces that the regular winter meeting of the executive committee of that association will be held at the Hotel Knickerbocker, New York, on February 15 and 16, to take up matters of importance and interest to Victor jobbers. The special legislative committee of the association will also meet at the same time and place. Special consideration will be given to the Stevens Bill and means for insuring its passage. During the Xmas rush this system made good. 1,002 satisfied dealers increased their sales with the only system that locates records instantly, showing their selling value, and cuts out dead ones. ASK YOUR JOBBER VICTOR JOBBERS. W. D. Andrews Co. Andrews Music Co. Blackman Talking Machine Co. Emanuel Blout. C. Bruno & Son, Inc. Chase & West. Ross P. Curtice Co. The Corley Co., Inc. Consolidated Music Co. Cohen & Hughes, Inc. E. F. Droop & Sons Co. Chas. H. Ditson & Co. W. J. Dyer. S. B. Davega & Co. Eclipse Musical Co. Elmira Arms Co. Hext Music Co. Henry Horton. Knight-Campbell Music Co. Mickel Bros. Co. Nebraska Cycle Co. Neal. Clark & Neal Co. Orton Bros. Penn Phono. Co., Inc. Standard Talking Machine Co. Sanger Bros. Stewart Talking Machine Co. EDISON JOBBERS. Phono. Corp., N. Y. Phonograph Companies of Chicago, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Detroit. Pacific Phono. Co. Denver Dry G. Co. Kipp Link Phono. Co. Harger & Blish. Chandler & Co. Laurence H. Lucker. American Phono. Co. Frank E. Bolway. Girard Phono. Co. Buehn Phono. Co. W. A. Myers. Texas-Okla. Phono. Co. Proudfit Sporting G. Co. C. B. Haynes & Co. Pa. T. M. Co. Columbia Graphophone Co., N. Y. Pathe Phonograph Co., New York and Branches. No. 5. Capacity, 1,500 Records. Models: Place order to-day with your jobber for immediate shipment for as many sections as your stock requires. Each Nos. i and 3;.." $50.50 No. 6 29.50 Four of these units hold 6,000 Records. High Grade Cabinet Work. Glass Doors and Locks. Matches your fixtures. Adds dignity to your business. section holds 300 Victor, Columbia or Pathe, 130 Edison Records. Manufactured by J. B. OGDEN Lynchburg, Va.