The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1916)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD 59 The profit on Columbia Grafonolas and Columbia Double-Disc Records is music enough for any dealer. (Write for "Music Money," a book "full of meat" for those dealers interested in quick and frequent turnover of capital.) Columbia Graphophone Co Woolworth Building, New York HODGE & SHERMAN HAVE UNIQUE GRAFONOLA DISPLAY Tampa, Flav April 9. — Hodge & Sherman, which is recognized as the largest and most progressive furniture house in this city, is devoting a con and fast-growing Columbia clientele in that city. The accompanying photograph shows one of the finest presented to the local trade this season. It Artistic Window Display Featuring the Columbia Grafonola siderable portion of its window displays to featuring the products of the Columbia Graphophone Co. Hodge & Sherman have handled this line for some little time past, and through the use of aggressive merchandising methods coupled with upto-date publicity ideas, have established a profitable represents practically an entire library, fully furnished, with a Columbia Grafonola prominently displayed. The only advertising in the window is a small card headed "Columbia Grafonolas." This display is an excellent example of the "openback" window and its powerful appeal. Bros, have enlarged their talking machine repair shop by the addition of two expert mechanics in that department. Charles J. Schmelzer, president of the Schmelzer Arms Co., Victor jobbers at Kansas City, Mo., has been in the city for several weeks, making the acquaintance of the local jobbers and dealers. Mr. Schmelzer expressed surprise at the growth of the talking machine business on the Coast in the last five years. Miss Florence Hinkle, the well-known American soprano, sang for the first time on the Pacific Coast this month. Before giving her concert on the evening of March 24, at the Trinity Auditorium, the soprano visited the talking machine department of the Southern California Music Co., and was photographed listening to her Victor record of "When the Roses Bloom." As an exponent of perfect and refined vocalism, Miss Hinkle substantiated the opinion of many Eastern critics, namely, that she is the foremost of the entirely American trained singers. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA NEWS ITEMS Increasing Business Creates Great Scarcity in Machines — Fumed Oak in Great Demand — New Diamond Disc House — Other News C. H. Davis, Pacific Coast representative of the Tusco Needle Co., has been making a short stay in our city. Owing to the increase in their business, Barker Among the distinguished visitors at the general offices of the Sonora Phonograph Corp., Inc., 57 Reade street, New York City, recently, was John Herzog, head of the Herzog Art Furniture Co., Saginaw, Mich., and I. Montagnes, of I. Montagnes & Co., Toronto. The Chadwick Furniture Co., of Jacksonville, Fla., has secured the exclusive agency there for the Vitanola talking machine. Los Angeles, Cal., April 4.— Business in Southern California is certainly on the increase, and with only a few exceptions the local dealers report last month as the best March in the history of their business. The only drawback, however, is the scarcity of machines, especially Edison Discs and Victrolas. There are some models in certain finishes that the dealers have hardly been able to get since practically the first of the year. The great cry in California is for fumed oak, and that is just the finish that the jobbers are unable to give us. There is not a Victrola X or XI fumed oak for sale in Los Angeles, and very few XIV in that finish. This scarcity is very unusual at this time of the year, and shows clearly how trade has increased. Los Angeles has a brand new talking machine jobbing house, the Diamond Disc Distributing Co., of 340 South San Pedro street. It will handle all the products formerly carried by the Southern California Music Co., which will comprise Edison Diamond Disc and Amberola machines, and records, the Edison dictating machine, also supplies for the above machines. Orson A. Lovejoy, for a great many years at the head of the Southern California Music Co.'s wholesale department, will have complete charge of the new company. Very recently Chas. Clark, of Pomona, made the Lodge of B. P. O. Elks of that city a present of a Victrola XVI, and a nice assortment of records. Mr. Clark purchased the machine from Brown Bros., of Pomona. SYRACUSE Located right in the heart of New York State is Syracuse, and right in the centre of activity of Syracuse are the warerooms of W. D. Andrews — amidst expresses, traction lines and fast freight service. Drop your orders to Andrews — Victrolas, records and supplies. We'll make good on shipments. W. D. ANDREWS SYRACUSE, N. Y.