The talking machine world (Jan-June 1918)

42 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD January 15, 1918 TRADE CONDITIONS IN THE DOMINION OF CANADA— (Continued from page 39) feet in disposing of a large number of machines on the instalment principle, although from various interviews cash business predominated. There are many more reasons that could be advanced, but these are the principal ones. Record Gift Certificates were never as popular as this year and promise for its future big business in this respect. Why not extend this and make a birthday certificate? D. S. Cluff, representing the Canadian Phonograph Supply Co., London, Ont., Canadian distributors for the Starr machine and records, has just returned from a highly successful trip in the Maritime Provinces, where he opened a large number of new accounts. J. G. Bradt, manager of the Columbia Graphophone Co., Toronto, was a recent visitor to the trade in Montreal. Local Brunswick Shops handling Brunswick talkers include Berlin Phonograph Co., Ltd., 153 St. Catherine street, East, who are East End representatives; Geo. A. Peate, 584 St. Catherine street, West, representatives for Eastern Ontario and Quebec, and the Cowan Piano & Music Co., 633 St. Catherine street, West, West End representatives. H. P. Labelle & Co., Ltd., are now featuring the Starr line in addition to other makes handled. Some of the local branch stores of the United Cigar Stores are featuring Emerson records. The members of the Montreal Publicity Association at a special luncheon at the Rose Room of the Windsor Hotel recently heard an appeal from Mrs. F. W. Stewart on behalf of the Superfluity Shop and the toys made by the returned soldiers. An address was given by G. W. Hopkins, general sales manager of the Columbia Graphophone Co., New York, one of the four men chosen by the United States to handle Government publicity, who spoke on the little things that make big business. Mr. Hopkins was full of valuable hints for salesmen and advertising men as to the best ways of promoting business. S. H. Brown, retail manager of the Berliner Gramophone Co., Ltd., and P. Decker, manager of the 417 store, sent a substantial supply of smokes to Messrs. Dewar and Reece, who recently enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Eighty-nine Columbia Grafonolas constituted a unique showing in the window of Layton Bros, and was the largest number of talking machines ever displayed in a Montreal store window. The publicity thus gained brought most wonderful results. Henderson & Richardson, Board of Trade Building, handle the Stewart, and the day before Christmas had sold their complete stock. They report an increasing interest in Operaphone records. The Edwards Furniture Co., Sherbrooke, Que., are now stocking a line of phonographs. J. A. Hurteau & Co., Ltd., have completed alterations to the interior of their store, adding a number of soundproof booths and new lighting effects throughout. It presents a most attractive appearance. Pathe and Sonora business has never been as good before in December, said this firm. W. J. Whiteside experienced his first Christmas business with the Victor as his leader. He reports being sold out of every model in the store with the exception of one machine which he uses for demonstration purposes. As regards his supply of records it was sadly depleted. The majority of Victors sold were for spot cash and included the higher-priced styles, very little call being noticeable for the smaller types. The Berliner Gram-O-Phone Co., Ltd., evidenced a large demand for the first records of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The Canadian Graphophone Co. report both wholesale and retail Columbia business away in excess of last year as regards the month of December and are well satisfied with the number of Grafonolas and Columbia records disposed of sold as Christmas gifts, the popularity of which is steadily increasing every year. Lieut. "Gitz" Rice has just recorded for the Berliner Gramophone Co. two Victor records, ten-inch, as follows: "Fun in Flanders" (Parts I and II), 18405; "Honey, Will You Miss Me?" and "Take Me Back to the Land of Promise," 216016. Lieut. "Gitz" Rice needs no introduction to Canadians. His fame as an entertainer reaches far beyond his native Montreal. When the call of the Motherland was heard he went overseas with the First Canadian Contingent, and saw action at Neuve Chapelle, Ypres, Festubert, Givnechy, Loos, the Somme and Vimy Ridge. Then he was badly gassed and sent to a hospital in England, and is now in Montreal on sick leave. His ability as an entertainer led to his being detailed to organize entertainments for the men at the front, and he was awarded a commission in order to make his efforts fully effective. Lieut. Rice took charge of all musical entertainments within the Canadian lines, and, with the aid of the various concert and musical troops organized from different regiments, was able to entertain 70,000 soldiers every week. The authenticity of the songs and jokes on these records is vouched for as true to life in the trenches. Other records by Lieut. Rice will be issued in the near future. The Berliner Gram-O-Phone Co., Ltd., have enlarged considerably their two St. Catherine street, West, stores, thus giving them a larger number of demonstration rooms and even with the additional rooms at their disposal customers had to wait their turn in line during Christmas and New Year's week. The report of Charles Culross, Sonora and Aeolian Vocalion representative, is to the effect that the demand was confined largely to the most expensive styles of both makes and which he stated sold with much less effort than the smaller machines. A. Comtois, 1473 Notre Dame street, West, is handling His Master's Voice products. The Berliner Gram-O-Phone Co., Ltd., report a holiday business equal to the record volume established in December of previous year. The rush came in the last three days preceding Christmas and kept up continuously until New Year's Eve. Goodwin's, Ltd., report a good steady flow of trade for Edison Diamond Discs and Amberolas. "We are not so eager for trade that we take all talking machine sales that are offered us," said Manager Henry Hamlet, of Wm. Lee, Ltd., who do an extensive business in Edison Amberolas and Columbia Grafonolas. "We are daily turning down sales that are offered us, as we only want business that is absolutely of a high class nature." Geo. A. Peate, who is handling the Brunswick phonograph in Eastern Ontario and the Province of Quebec, is very optimistic over the future possibilities of this make and predicts a great future for the Brunswick. He has already sold a large number to leading local musicians of national repute, who he states are in a position to judge and compare. Two traveling representatives will start out on the road the first of the year. Sales Manager W. W. O'Hara, of Layton Bros., told your correspondent that on Christmas Eve they were left practically without an Edison machine on the floor, and were cleared out of everything above $200. Columbia Grafonolas and records also shared in the prosperity. "Months ago we placed what we believed sufficient orders to fill all our wants," he said, "but we never anticipated the onslaught which came as an avalanche and cleaned us out." According to Norman F. Rowell, manager of the phonograph department of C. W. Lindsay, Ltd., holiday business this year was unprecedented, and Columbia, Pathe and Sonora machines were the gainers. That the music loving public are being edu cated to the advantages of owning a phonograph was amply demonstrated at the warerooms of J. W. Shaw & Co., where Columbia Grafonolas were sold in large numbers as well as Columbia records. Pathephones and Pathe records enjoyed a brisk demand at the store of G. A. Holland & Son Co. Wm. Lee, Ltd., are handling the new Goldentone needle, which they state is selling freely. NEWS FROM NORTHERN PROVINCES Talking Machine Trade Most Active in Provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta Wm. H. Field, manager, Saskatoon Piano Co., who features "His Master's Voice" lines, is adding a number of sound-proof rooms on the ground floor. The firm is also planning an addition to the rear of the building occupied by them. The Victrola department, at present located in the basement, has been outgrown, and to meet the need of more rooms it was decided to locate these on the ground floor. A Columbia distributing agency has been opened up in Calgary, Alta, by James E. Williams. Nipper, the famous Victor dog, was a prominent and attractive feature in a recent display of Heintzman & Co.'s Moose Jaw store. The Victrolas shown were all of satin finish, and with an attractive arrangement of "His Master's Voice" records the window presented a striking appeal. A later window by reason of its artistic simplicity was particularly good. A cabinet machine and one of table size were shown against a background of denim. The Victrola department of Heintzman & Co., Ltd., at Calgary, is now in charge of B. Gillespie, formerly manager of Western Gramophones Co.'s branch in that city. Mr. Gillespie is a thorough and consistent Victrola enthusiast, and finds a ready response to his enterprise in giving service to the public. Four years ago Mr. Gillespie commenced his Victrola experience with His Master's Voice. Ltd., Toronto, later transferred to Western Gramophone Co., Winnipeg, and then to that firm's branch at Calgary. The Child & Gower Piano Co.. Regina, Sas., are handling a large number of Vocalion phonographs and Columbia Grafonolas. Jos. M. Tees, formerly of Winnipeg, where he was one of the pioneers in the music business, is now a citizen' of Calgary. Mr. Tees is manager of the Imperial Phonograph Co., which firm is featuring Columbia lines. The Hudson Bay Co,, at Calgary, have taken on the Columbia line. The formal announcement of this event took the form of a series of four recitals in their "Temple of Music" on the fifth floor, but which is being removed to the fourth floor. The recital attracted audiences that crowded every available inch of floor space. The programs were of such artistic value and so well rendered as to win from this department's competitors most generous compliments to the work of J. F. Fisher, manager of this branch of the Hudson Bay Co.'s business. Mr. Fisher came west a few months ago from Toronto, where he was on the staff of the Nordheimer Co. The influence of his knowledge of his business, his friendly personality and broad appreciation of the place of music in the lives of the people, is daily reflected in the improved service of his department and appreciation of his patrons. The "no records exchanged" sign is hung conspicuously in the store of Mason & Risch, Regina, Sas. Asked as to the difficulty of enforcing the rule, Mr. Poison, manager, replied that he found it of considerable advantage not to exchange records, as customers naturally preferred unused stock. He told of a Scotsman and his wife who had transferred their record trade to his Victrola department, their explanation being that by doing so they were assured of the records purchased being all new.