The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1916)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD 43 PACIFIC COAST TRADE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION Flood of New Machines Has Little Permanent Effect on Market — Elaborate Recital Department for Wiley B. Allen Co. — New Reproducer to Be Marketed — The Pathephone in Sacramento — Some Items of Personal Interest — New Owner for Eilers' Department San Francisco, Cal., August 28. — The summer talking machine business on the Pacific Coast has held up fairly well, but the business this year has been divided among almost twice as many dealers as last year and as a rule individual merchants have not been able to make spectacular showings, except those in the wholesale end of the game. The record sales have been exceptional and almost all the time the jobbers have been behind on deliveries, which condition is due to the inability of the factories to supply stock promptly. This month the talking machine and record business improved greatly, the improvement being most noticeable in the action on the higher priced machines. The small novelty talking machines had quite a run, and are still selling well, but there does not appear to be quite as much enthusiasm as early in the season. The new machines introduced on the Coast have been encouragingly received, yet with the exception of two or three of the better makes, no special success is evident. It is the opinion of leading San Francisco dealers that the new makes will speedily sift clown to a few of the best and that the rest will gradually disappear from the market. Indeed, it would seem impossible that the market could absorb all that is being offered now. Talkingmachine departments in the department stores and furniture houses are meeting with considerable success in response to heavy advertising and progressive merchandising. These departments have had the salubrious effect of keeping all the dealers in fighting condition. Wiley B. Allen Co. Adds Recital Department The Wiley B. Allen Co. is the latest San Francisco concern to favor the recital method of stimulating business. Having decided to give recitals, the company has taken no half-way measures, but is preparing to inaugurate the first of September a series of high-class talking machine and player-piano concerts which will embody every feature proven to be of strong appeal. Mrs. G. Norris, formerly recital manager for the Edison Shop, and a well-known organizer of musical entertainments, has charge of the new departure of the Wiley B. Allen Co. and she has already engaged a harpist and violinist for accompanying vocalists. It is planned to have daily concerts during the noon hour and early afternoon. Special publicity will be given the enterprise and the large recital hall on the first floor of the building will be used. Clark Wise Interested in New Reproducer Clark Wise, the well-known '''piano merchant who has a live talking machine department in his Geary street store, is about to enlarge his scope of personal activity in connection with the talking machine industry. He has associated himself with a local inventor who has just had patented a new sound box for phonographs. This sound box, according to those who have heard it, eliminates almost completely every vestige of objectionable sound in playing a record. Mr. Wise will leave shortly for the East to interest manufacturers in the invention and arrange for its marketing. A. W. White, manager of the talking machine department of the Emporium, says business picked up nicely in August and that the better class of machines are now selling more rapidly. Supplies of Tungs-Tone needles are coming in now and that helps Victor business quite a lot. Miss Cramer, the engaging and energetic assistant manager of the Emporium talking machine department, has returned from a very pleasant vacation spent in the wilds of Lake County. Recital Hall in Edison Shop Now Ready The alterations in the pretty little recital hall of the Edison Shop have now been completed and experiments have shown that the acoustics have been wonderfully improved thereby. The weekly recitals were resumed last Saturday, and the opening recital attracted a very interested crowd. Mrs. Josephine Edwards now has charge of the recital arrangements. New Use for Talking Machines A new manufacturing company which will furnish moving picture theatres with musical programs has been opened at 585 Mission street, and this concern will do business under the name of the Magnavox Phono-Player Co. The instrument manufactured is phonographic with a sound-intensifying attachment. Home from Bohemian Club "Jinks" Andrew McCarthy, manager of the Sherman, Clay & Co. talking machine interests, has returned from the annual "jinks" of the Bohemian Club at Bohemian Grove. He was accompanied to the jinks this year by Philip T. Clay, Ernest Urchs, of Steinway & Sons, and C. Arthur Longwell, of the Aeolian Co. F. B. Long Gets Pathephone in Sacramento Frank B. Long, the inventor of the Melodigrand piano, and who has music stores in Sacramento and Los Angeles, has taken the exclusive agency for the Pathephone in Sacramento, and he will also sell the Pathephone machines in his Los Angeles store. The Pathephone Co. is to have an attractive exhibit at the California State Fair to be held in Sacramento the first week in September and Mr. Long will be in charge of the exhibit. Some Personal Items H. V. Burgee, sales manager for the Pathephone Co. in this territory, has returned from a trip over the Coast territory. He arranged for an exclusive Pathephone agency with the Peterson Music Co., of Stockton. Miss Eleonora de Cisneros, the famous diva who is an exclusive Pathe artist, paid a visit to the local Pathephone Shop while here recently on a concert tour. The shop is now being adorned with framed portraits of all their leading artists. F. A. Dennison, Pacific Coast manager for the Columbia Graphophone, has returned from F. A. Dennison and Junior a trip to the branches in the Northwest. He found business in Seattle especially brisk. H. R. Biesen is a new salesman traveling from the Spokane office of the Columbia Co. He is taking the place temporarily vacated by D. A. Maurier, the soldier-boy Columbian who is now shedding vast quantities of perspiration for his country as a member of the National Guard on the Mexican border. A Columbia record which has just been honored by being made a "special" is "You're a Dangerous Girl," sung by Al Jolson, of Oakland, a local celebrity, who has made a great hit as a singer in vaudeville recently. C. A. Adou, representing the Emerson records, has opened an office in Room 655, Monadnock Building, on Market street, San Francisco. He will make this his headquarters for his Coast territory. The Oakland Phonograph Co. has enjoyed a splendid Edison business since B. F. Goldsmith was taken in as partner last month. Mr. Goldsmith was formerly with the Wiley B. Allen Co. in Oakland. O. N. Kruschke, of the Pacific Phonograph Co., has left on a trip over the Northwest. Takes Over Eilers' Department The Eilers talking machine department has been taken over by F. A. Levy, a partner in the business, and associated parties. The department will be run as a separate organization at the same quarters on the first floor of the Eilers Music House. Gus Eilers, the chief owner, has sold out his interest and bought out the Eilers talking machine department at Spokane, Wash., where he has gone to take charge. No material changes will be made in the conduct of the department taken over by Mr. Levy in San Francisco. New Pathephone Publicity The Pathephone has just adopted a novel method of publicity work which no doubt will attract lots of comment. The company is to put out Red Rooster road signs on individual posts at intervals on all the main highways of State. PHONO RECORD HOLDERS Have a patented device to show what they contain — just like a library. The title of the record is written by the owner on the index and that is all that is required to make the most convenient file ever offered. For home use they are put up in handsome cartons containing one dozen, retailing at $1.20 for 10-inch size ; $1.50 for 12-inch size. Shipped to dealers in cases containing one gross. For sample and prices address HENRY ROSENBERG SOLE MANUFACTURER 14-16 WOOSTER ST., NEW YORK