The talking machine world (Jan-June 1920)

February IS, 1920 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD 63 TRADE CONTINUES MOST ACTIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO Record Trade Grows — Stern Corp. Increases Capital — Dealers' Association Elect Officers — Many New Stores Open — E. C. Johnstone Makes Change — The News of the Month in Detail San Francisco, Cal., February 3. — The postholiday trade in San Francisco was a surprise to the dealers. The demand for records especially was brisk, which no doubt was largely due to the great number of new machines placed during the holidays. Piano records for dancing are coming up strong, though the latest jazz developments promise to hold the interest in jazziness for some time to some. The hit of the month on the Coast is "Dardanella," the foxtrot, and such records as have arrived are selling like waffles after the show. The leading talking machine departments are pretty well cleaned out of large machines and there is a considerable trade from samples for future delivery. The new Brunswick records and the lateral-cut Okeh records are bidding for popularity and the merit of these products certainly will justify the claims made for them by the manufacturers. Arrange to Increase Capital Stock The Stern Talking Machine Corp. experienced a very successful year in 1919 and have just been authorized by the state commissioner of corporations to increase the capital stock to $200,000. Six dividends were paid to the stockholders last year, each payment being one and one-half per cent. There are about sixty shareholders in the company. -Plans are materializing for a far greater expansion of the Rex store business in California than at present. New stores will be opened in the vicinity of San Francisco and also in other sections. The growth of Pathe business with the Stern house is little short of phenomenal. Each Rex store is, of course, independently owned, though dealing exclusively in the lines handled by the Stern corporation. E. C. Johnstone Goes to Portland E. C. Johnstone, until this month manager of the Sonora Phonograph Shop in San Francisco, has left to take charge of the talking machine department of Bush & Lane, of Portland, Ore., the concern which handles the Sonora line in Portland. James L. Loder, the former manager of the Bush & Lane department, is now the manager of the Sonora shop in San Francisco.. L. Gruen Home From the East L. Gruen, Pacific Coast manager of the General Phonograph Corp., returned early in the month from his New York trip. He visited the new factory at Newark, N. J., and is in a posi tion to assure the Coast jobbers that hereafter the output of motors and Okeh records will be increased to take care of the rapidly-growing requirements. Mr. Gruen brought back with him the new Okeh motor, which is a Heineman product, and a number of other new features. Kohler & Chase, who are distributing the Okeh records on the Coast, report a very heavy call for the record of "Dardanella," played by Rega's Dance Orchestra. Kohler & Chase have featured the Okeh records in their San Francisco show windows and both the wholesale and retail businesses are fine. The large initial order of the company has been already exhausted. Talking Machine Dealers Meet The Talking Machine Dealers' Association held their annual meeting in the building of Sherman, Clay & Co. in San Francisco, on January 13. F. A. Levy, president of the California Phonograph Co., was re-elected president; F. P. Corcoran, manager of the Wiley BAllen talking machine department, was elected vice president, and A. W. White, of the White Music Co., Berkeley, was re-elected secretary. Martin Kline, of the Wiley B. Allen Co., and Billy Morton, of Sherman, Clay & Co., were appointed on the social committee. It was decided at the meeting that hereafter there will be two meetings of the associaion every month, one in Oakland and one in San Francisco, and that the usual dinners will be abolished. The banquets, while highly enjoyable in the former era, hindered the transaction of business. Hereafter the social events will be kept separate from the business meetings. Paul J. Levy Shaves Income Tax Paul J. Levy, secretary of the California Phonograph Co., was married to a prominent society belle, Miss Estelle Gassner, of San Francisco, on January 5, and after a honeymoon of almost a month the young couple have taken up their permanent residence in a beautiful, romantic spot in San Mateo. The bridal tour included a motor trop to Southern California. Local Men to the Conventions Andrew McCarthy, head of the talking machine retail and wholesale departments of Sherman, Clay & Co., and Fred Sherman, have gone East to visit the factories and attend the piano convention in New York City. Frank Anrys, general manager of the Wiley B. Allen Co., and J. J. Black, treasurer of the WHY BECAUSE does every one praise this stop O do so many use it exclusively ■ should you adopt this stop now — * it operates perfectly its action is positive the record stops as planned Ask for No. 1340 AUTOMATIC STOP We are manufacturers of a complete line of Talking Machine Hardware. SEND FOR CATALOG WEBER-KNAPP CO. JAMESTOWN NEW YORK (PATENT APPLIED FOR) CHAS. H. YATES 311 Laughlin Bldg. Los Angeles, Cal. Manufacturers' Distributors of High Grade Phonograph Accessories and Supplies. Sterling Reproducers Tone Anns and Attachments Kent Attachments Resurrect one Reproducers Ready Files Ward's Moving Covers Peerless Albums Record Envelopes Globe Transfers Uniform Steel Needles Liberty Stylos Wall Kane Needles Sapphire and Diamond Points Fibre Needles Wade Needle Cotters Record Brashes Tone Clear and Name Plates AND JONESMOTROLAS company, are in the East on a business trip this month. The talking machine department has received a sample assortment of the new Brunswick records and the trade is awaiting (the arrival of stock with considerable eagerness. Columbia Dance Records in Demand The Columbia office reports a greater sale of dance records than song records at the present time, the preference in the former being for instrumental pieces without words. The company enjoyed an increase of 20 per cent in business last year. Machines are coming West with, greater regularity and the dealers will be amply supplied before very long. The Columbia "Dardanella" record is rolling up a splendid success and the "Rose Room Trot," a new record by Art Hickman and Frankie Ellis, is a hit. Victor Man on the Coast B. F. Galland, one of the most live and progressive talking machine men in the country, is in San Francisco as the special factory representative of the Victor Talking Machine Co. He will remain on the Coast several months and his activities will be similar to those formerly performed by James Frye, who is now in the East. Mr. Galland was stationed on the Coast once before and made then a most favorable impression on the trade. Opens Many New Stores The Masterpiece Phonograph Co., of Chicago, has started a factory branch in Berkeley, Cal., at 2157 Center street. The manager is M. Q. Gerke. The San Francisco store, which was opened recently, is at 395 Sutter street and under the management of John Gogburn. Other stores have been opened at Santa Rosa, Fresno and San Jose. Omer Kruschke, of the San Francisco office of the Western Phonograph Co., and F. W. Ashby, manager for the company in Southern California, will attend the annual sales convention of the Pathe company in New York, borough of Brooklyn. Pathe business on the Coast is in a more flourishing condition than ever before. RETURNS FROM SUNNY SOUTH H. L. Willson, vice-president and general manager of the Columbia Graphophone Co., returned to his desk a few days ago after spending two weeks in Florida. Mr. Willson, who is in the best of health and spirits, is entering with renewed energy upon his 1920 activities. "JUST A MOMENT, PLEASE" Have you clipped that coupon on Page 45? Mail it today and receive samples and circulars describing a new envelope service for Victor dealers THAT REALLY ADVERTISES your store. Good, effective advertising at a minimum of expense. Just as effective for the large as for the small Victor dealers. LU-FRANC SALES SERVICE 1202 Dime Bank Building Detroit