The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1917)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD 83 FROM OUR CHICAGO HEADQUARTERS— (Continued from page 82) perience in this business and has had many years of training both as an executive and on the bench. J. M. Cooper, who is widely known in Chicago trade circles, is to be sales manager and in direct charge of the talking machine cabinet and accessories department of the Geiszl business. He has been connected with the trade for fourteen years and has a thorough knowledge of it from every standpoint. One of the novelties that will be brought out consists of a record case that is constructed in such fashion as to make it possible to carry it about as one would carry a sample case. This case has been designed to hold sixty records and is proving to be especially attractive to salesmen desiring to call upon record customers with the newer selections. It will also be widely sold to machine owners, who possess machines of the smaller type and who have not sufficiently large living rooms to accommodate a full size storage cabinet. THE DEVOLUTION AND EVOLUTION OF THE CABINET By I. A. LUND, Chicago (Mr. Lund is an expert manufacturer of talking machine cabinets. He has not only had experience in this line in this country, but formerly in the furniture manufacturing business in Europe and Canada. His opportunities for observation have been unlimited. His strictures on the present practice in cabinet work are not unkindly, but made with constructive intent.) Taking our cue from the past, whether it be in reference to art, architecture, music or what not, there has never been a time when perfection was attained in any production or when the pro■ ducer thought that perfection had been attained, however valuable it might be, that it did not prove but a prophecy of the future, that there was also something higher — something better to be obtained. Therefore, in whatever we are doing we must, if we do not halt the evolutionary process, see to it that we do our work in no I. A. Lund less satisfactory manner than it has been done in the past, and we must also try to improve on past records. Tradition is valuable as a guide, but does not establish a standard. Tradition has many lessons to teach us, but it is in no sense creative. When referring to talking machine cabinets I do not wish to be misunderstood. I am referring to design, finish and construction from a furniture viewpoint only. I am not discussing the merits or demerits of the motor, the tone arm or the reproducer. I do not claim to speak with authority on these matters. I desire to ask this question. Think of, say, 95 per cent, of the manufacturers of cabinets THE "SCOTFORD REPRODUCER 99 FOR HILL AND DALE RECORDS Its remarkable quality is best told by a sample — which is sent on approval L. K. SCOTFORD 32 SOUTH CLINTON STREET. CHICAGO. ILL. placed on the market during the past eighteen months. Can they say they have not started with "devolution"? That is a strange word, but nevertheless it is a logical one. These manufacturers, the 95 per cent., mind you, have not endeavored, judging from their product, to make something as good or better than the established standards, but something cheaper and worse. How many of the new concerns have started the manufacturing business with the intention of improving on the standard machines. No prophecy as to the future is made, but I will state without fear of successful contradiction that, to be generous, 75 per cent, of the firms who have jumped into the business during the past eighteen months have asked themselves as they jumped, "How much cheaper can we make our machine than those now on the market?" They will fall as rapidly as they sprung up, unless some of them have already learned the lesson that the better class cabinet is coming to stay. Last week I met a friend who was salesmanager of a standard line. I really felt sorry for him when he said that every cheap talking machine sold is taking away the sale of a better one. I am open to correction, but believe that every cheap machine sold creates a future sale for a better one. What the Cheaper Machines Have Done We cannot get away from the fact that the cheaper cabinet has served a purpose. It has educated some people as to the kind of junk that can be placed upon the market, but the ice box with a handle proves to be a boomerang— it returns to the dealer, and the retail customer is stuck with many dollars' worth of records. What is said retail customer going to do to save his investment? Is he going to buy a better talking machine or a talking machine with a better cabinet, or not? To simmer it down, some of these manufacturers have not been making cabinets, they have been making comebacks, and we all know what a ten carat mishap this is as a profit-making proposition. Do not take the shipping records as a criterion, but judge the whole matter in the face of the returns to the factory and the allowances to customers. Then get busy and analyze. Here is where both the furniture and piano manufacturer are due to wake up. The latter is only just realizing that he has not so far been in the running. Some one has put something over on him. He has lost a certain amount of trade which the furniture manufacturer has been capturing. The piano manufacturer has never at any time in the past been willing to admit that canned music could affect him (the player is not in the preserved melody class — far from it). Hunting for the "Can Opener" Now he is finding out that canned music with the talking machine label on it is good for the soul and he is hunting for a can opener. To switch metaphors, he is going into a little preparedness carapagin. Right here, the big improvement in the cabinet will start— with the piano manufacturers, even if they are starting at scratch. In reference to design the piano concerns are just as guilty as the furniture manufacturers have been in the past, except that the former for some reason or other have absolutely isolated (Continued on page 84) ANNOUNCING — The — a jk CONTAINER Patents Pending Simple Practical Accessible Attractive AUTOMATIC Because When the container is withdrawn the weight of the records automatically throws the side rods outward, thus giving the compact container the desired expansion. When a record has been taken from the Automatic Container, the place from which it is taken remains open. Gives increased filing capacity of 50% to 100% For Particulars, Address : FRANK P. READ 27 S. Fifth Ave. CHICAGO, ILL.