The talking machine world (Jan-June 1919)

May is, 1919 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD 57 UNUSUAL PROSPERITY PREVAILING IN PITTSBURGH TRADE Optimism Universal, Owing to Enormous Demand for Machines and Records — Standard Co.'s Victor Record Demonstration — Sonora Activity in Pittsburgh — Buehn & Co. Lease New Quarters Pittsburgh, Pa., May 5. — The month of April will go down in the history of the Pittsburgh talking machine trade as one of the most prosperous from a business standpoint that has been chronicled in many years. On all sides there have been a tremendous number of sales of machines and records, and there is a most pronounced feeling of optimism in the trade here. This busy season has led to the development of larger and more commodious quarters by jobbers, as well as retail dealers, and it can be safely assumed that the year 1919 will be one of the "fat" years for the industry. With the enterprise that has been so signal a feature of the Standard Machine Co., the matter of demonstrating the Victor records for each month is an innovation that has worked out exceedingly well. The dealers' demonstration at which the June Victor records were used was held at the Fort Pitt Hotel on Friday evening. May 2. A number of the principal Victor retail dealers were the guests of the Standard Co. at dinner, after which the demonstration took place. A XIV Victrola was used. The Standard Co. was represented by J. C. Roush, the president, French Nestor and Wallace Russell. This method is one that proves very satisfactory, as it afTords ample opportunity for the dealers to get the "right line" on the new records and to exchange ideas that will be useful in the selling campaign. John Fisher, the well-known and popular manager of the Victor department of the C. C. Mellor Co., reports trade as very brisk both in the jobbing and retail department. The month of April, he stated, showed a marked increase in the business over the same period a year ago. All that he needs, he said, was more Victrolas and more Victor records. "Our business has shown a marked increase in the past month, and the only handicap that we are laboring under is the lack of sufficient Sonora phonographs to fill our orders with," said H. Milton Miller, the Pittsburgh manager of the Sonora jobbing agency. Mr. Miller stated that the popularity of the Sonora phonograph was growing very fast, and that the dealers found it easy to dispose of them, and he predicted that the present season would be a banner one for that line in the Pittsburgh territory. The sales department is under the capable management of Phil Kauffman, who is well known to the talking machine trade. Mr. Kauffman recently returned from Philadelphia, where he attended a conference of the Sonora sales forces and where plans were made for the Sonora offices to henceforth act as distributors for the OkeH records. Another service feature of the Pittsburgh Sonora office is the establishment of a service department. By means of the new department all repair work of Sonora phonographs will be attended to, and dealers who have repair problems can assure their patrons of prompt service right at home. Mr. Kauffman stated that the "Baby Grand" and "Trovatore" styles of the Sonora were the leading sellers. The Sonora jobbing offices are located in the Jenkins Arcade, and the large show windows afford ample facilities for the display of the various styles of machines. Directly opposite the Arcade corridor are the offices of Gray & Martin, retail dealers of the Sonora. The S. Hamilton Co. have opened a new piano and talking machine shop at 902 Wood street, Wilkinsburg. The new place will be under the direction of Miss Hazel McLean. The Columbia Grafonola and Columbia records will be featured. The Buehn Phonograph Co., Edison jobbers, in order to meet the increased demands on their vv^holesale and jobbing department have leased quarters in Stevenson & Foster Building on Seventh avenue, which will be utilized exclusively for the jobbing trade. A. A. Buehn, president and general manager of the company, stated to The World representative that the Edison phonographs and Edison records were in constant demand, and that the present wholesale and jobbing quarters located on the upper floors of the Buehn Building on Wood street was found entirely inadequate for the business. In the new building there will be 10,000 square feet of floor space, and when the work under way is completed the Edison jobbing offices will be a model. The retail business, under the able management of M. M. Mitchell, will be conducted as at present, and there will be additional booths and display rooms installed. H. C. Hornberger, manager of the Kaufmann & Baer Co. talking machine department, stated that sales were keeping up at a remarkable rate. Mr. Hornberger has under his direction a large department in which the Victrola, Aeolian-Vocalion and Columbia Grafonola are on sale as well as the records of the three instruments. The show and demonstration rooms are well arranged and Mr. Hornberger has an efficient corps of assistants. "Our April sales were highly flattering, and the indications are for a continuance of the brisk business that we have been .experiencing," said S. H. Nichols, manager of the Pittsburgh Columbia Graphophone offices. One of the admirable features of the Columbia here is the service department, which has been of great advantage to the Columbia retail dealers. H. J. Brennan, manager of the Pittsburgh offices of the Pathephone Co., just returned from a business trip through the territory served by the company here. He stated that the demand for Pathe machines and Pathe records was quite pronounced. "Our business this past April showed a marked increase over that of April a year ago. I see only a bright future ahead." Miss Bessie Finkelstein, office manager of the Pathe Shop, has resigned and will launch on the sea of matrimony very soon. Her fiance is Samuel Case, of St. Louis. "The Brunswick business is moving along at a very brisk rate, and the only handicap is the lack of certain styles of machines that our trade is calling for," said J. A. Endres, manager of the Pittsburgh distributing offices of the Brunswick. It was pointed out that as fast as consignments of Brunswick machines are received at the local offices they are sent out to dealers and for every machine there is often two or three applicants. A. R. Meyer, manager of the talking machine department of the Joseph Horne Co., stated that it was the "old story" of not having enough merchandise to supply the demand. He, however, said that he was optimistic and felt sure that there were good times ahead when the normal status of the talking machine trade would return. Mr. Meyer, in addition to caring for the department, is secretary of the Pittsburgh Talking Machine Dealers' Association. Herman Lechner, of Lechner & Schoenberger, dealers in the Victrola, Columbia and Edison lines, who is in direct charge of the talking machine department, said that business in all three lines was very brisk. When The World representative called at the department every one of the booths was occupied, and there were many patrons waiting their turn. It is understood that the firm is planning to enlarge. M. O. Giles, Southern representative of the Emerson Phonograph Co., spent several weeks in Pittsburgh conferring wih Jacob Hirsh, Pittsburgh manager of the Emerson Sales Co., and incidentally advising the sales forces. J. C. Roush, president of the Standard Talking Machine Co., Victor distributors, returned from a sojourn in Florida. George W. H. Rewbridge, manager of the Victor jobbing department of the W. F. Frederick Piano Co., spent several days recently at the Victor plant at Camden, N. J. CABINET SUPREMACY 604. 502. 604 Matches Victrola IV Matches Columbia A 606. 506. 506 Matches Victrola VI Matches Columbia B 608 508. Matches Victrola VIII 507. Matches Columbia C 809 809. Matches New Victrola IX 800. Plain Top IQV2" x 23", Columbia D, All Machines 708 702. Matches New Victrola IX 701. Matches Old Victrola IX 703. 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