The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1916)

68 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD HALLET & DAVIS GET PATHE LINE Arrangements Made Whereby Weil-Known Piano Firm Will Handle the Pathe Pathephone Machines and Records Through Its Dealers — Will Carry Complete Stock to have a distribution through channels which should aid immeasureably in developing and increasing Pathe popularity. Announcement was made this week by the Hallet & Davis Piano Co., whose executive headquarters are at 146 Boylston street, Boston, with New York offices at 18 East Fortysecond street, that this company has secured the complete line of phonographs and records of the Pathe Freres Phonograph Co., 29 West Thirty-eighth street, New York, for distribution among the several hundred piano merchants throughout the country handling the Hallet & Davis pianos and player-pianos. This move manifests once again the progressiveness of this company, which has always been well known for making far-sighted business deals. With the concluding of the arrangements the Hallet & Davis Piano Co. becomes the first piano manufacturer to furnish their dealers with a full outside line of phonographs and records. This company has followed the policy which has been pursued by the house for many years of placing at the disposal of the piano merchants who handle their instruments, a most complete line of product. This concern holds the distinction of being the first Eastern manufacturer to furnish their dealers with a complete line of instruments, as well as having developed the Virtuolo, which has become recognized as one of the most efficient player-pianos on the market. Vrith the new line of Pathe phonographs and Pathe discs, Hallet & Davis dealers will be assured of meeting all competition from whatever angle it may come. E. A. Widmann, president of the Pathe Freres Phonograph Co., referring to the consummation of this deal expressed his keen pleasure at having the Hallet & Davis Co. numbered among the Pathe jobbers. Mr. Widmann states that the many stores handling the Hallet & Davis line will enable the Pathe Freres Co. BROWN DEBATES STEPHENS BILL Advertising Manager of the Victor Co. Has Interesting Debate with E. L. Howe One of the most interesting features of Wednesday's session at the annual convention of the Advertising Clubs of the World, held in Philadelphia last week, was a spirited debate over the Stephens-Ashurst bill which is pending in Congress. This bill seeks to prohibit price-cutting on articles widely advertised and bearing trade-marks. The debate, which was held before the retail advertisers' department of the convention was between E. L. Howe, executive secretary of the National Retail Dry Goods Association, and H. C. Brown, advertising manager of the Victor Talking Machine Co. Mr. Howe spoke in opposition to the bill and Mr. Brown in its favor. Mr. Brown contended that the StephensAshurst measure deserved the support of the advertising men. Price-cutting, he said, had ruined many department stores in New York City, and was mainly responsible for several recent failures. He said it was not a fair way of doing business — that customers who paid less for some articles at bargain sales paid proportionately more on other goods to make up for it. Otherwise, he said, the merchant could not do business. "Price-cutting is merely intended to get people into the stores in order that they may be induced to buy something else, the price of which has been boosted," he said. "Maintaining the price is a protection to the public against exploitation and to the manufacturer, who, by his own efforts and by advertising, has established a market for his wares." He quoted price-cutting advertisements published by one New York firm to prove that it was selling the articles below the wholesale price, a thing it could not do unless it hoped to make up the deficit in some way. "If merchants want to cut prices, let them establish trade-marks of their own," he said. "But it is my belief that the days of bargaining are over. When the department stores are pushing ahead to the extent of making our women wear straw hats in January, things have gone as far as they can." The TALKING MACHINE EXPORTS Figures for April Presented — Exports Show Increase for the Month Washington, D. C, July 7. — In the summary of the exports and imports of the commerce of the United States for the month of April, 1916 (the latest period for which it has been compiled), which has just been issued by the Bureau of Statistics of the • Department of Commerce and Labor, the following figures relating to talking machines and supplies are set forth: Talking machines to the number of 4,410, valued at $127,292, were exported for April, 1916, as compared with 2,748 talking machines, valued at $75,614, sent abroad in the same month of 1915. The total exports of records and supplies for April were valued at $129,558, as compared with $62,861 in April, 1915. For the ten months 32,657 talking machines were exported, valued at $964,238, and records and supplies valued at $793,827 were sent abroad for that period. Wm. S. Scherman, of the Columbia advertising department, left Saturday for a fortnight's vacation — destination unknown. With the characteristic temperament of the modern advertising man Mr. Scherman prefers to wander where his fancy dictates. R. F. Bolton, district manager of the Columbia Co., returned from a week's visit to the upState cities in his territory, which include Rochester, Albany and Buffalo. He states the business outlook in this section is splendid. No. 38 Edison B80 Cabinet No. 58 Victrola Cabinet No. 61 Columbia Cabinet HFR70{^ A RIMPT^l are made for a11 types of talking machines nLI\£<U\i V^/AOll^l lli 1 O Several of the new models are shown above, and you can see that the designs represent the latest word in cabinet architecture. All of these three are excellent sellers and many dealers are making money by showing customers how it is to their advantage to own a Herzog cabinet. HERZOG ART FURNITURE COMPANY, Saginaw, W. S., Mich.