The talking machine world (Jan-June 1920)

60 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD May 15, 1920 IP lorentzen Manufacturer of Exclusive Cabinet Hardware and Accessories 60 Grand Street New York City CONDITIONS ACTIVE IN TEXAS Interesting Report From W. C. Buschardt, of Houston, on the General Trade Situation in Southern Texas — Optimistic Over Prospects W. C. Buschardt, of the Southern Drug Co., Houston, Texas, Sonora distributor, was a recent visitor to the executive offices of the Sonora Phonograph Co. Referring to conditions in Texas, Mr. Buschardt gave the following optimistic report: "The Neches Phonograph Co. has been given the exclusive Sonora agency for Beaumont and the three boys who compose this firm are certainly live wires. They want all the high-priced models we can get hold of for them, and when we informed them that it would be ninety days before we could get a $750 model they wanted they stood pat and told us to place their order. "To show the kind of business that the Neches Phonograph Co. does, I'll say that it sold one woman five baby grands two weeks before Christmas. She ordered one for herself and four for relatives as holiday presents. This record of five baby grands to one customer is something that it would be pretty hard for any other dealer to come anywhere near equaling. "Despite the fact that Southern Texas has had a crop failure, due to a great extent to the storm which made havoc at Corpus-Christi, business in Texas is exceptionally good. Though the cotton crop is only about 10 per cent, lumber and oil developments are making up for this. "One section of Houston is known as the oil district, and here are the residences of men in terested in oil, one after the other, splendid houses ranging in value from $25,000 to $100,000 and even higher. "Adams & Allcorn, with stores at Tyler and Waco, Texas, have made extensive improvements and have a very fine home for their Sonora stock. When we first took over the Sonora line," said Mr. Buschardt with a smile, "I ordered quite a number of baby grands and members of our firm, seeing all these baby grands rolling in, were rather fearful that we had overbought on these expensive instruments. 'Let's wait and see,' said I. "The Sonora 'bulge' lines as shown by the baby grand were attractive to our dealers and apparently not only induced them to put extra sales effort on the baby grand, but appealed strongly to their customers, so that in a very short time, in going over our sales sheets, it was apparent that instead of having to be afraid that the baby grands would not move rapidly, we were faced with an alarming shortage of this model." A PAIR OF USEFUL SOUVENIRS American Talking Machine Co. Presents Friends With Rulers and Letter Openers The Christmas season is generally looked upon as the time for presents, but the American Talking Machine Co. has gotten away from the precedent long established and has just presented to its dealers and friends a couple of most convenient articles for desk use, one a celluloid rule of the regulation twelve-inch length, divided into inches and millimeters, and the other a handsome letter opener finished in bronze. Both articles bear the name of the company and the Victor trade-mark. MISSISSIPPI VITAN0LA AGENCIES BAAS MUSIC SHOP'S NEW QUARTERS R. S. Baas, proprietor of the Baas Music Shop, Rock Island, 111., has just secured a new location on the main thoroughfare for his exclusive Victor business and will have his opening September 1. The business was formerly known as the Baxter Piano Co., of which Mr. Baas was manager. The Memphis Furniture Mfg. Co., Memphis, Tenn., distributor for the Vitanola talking machine, has recently established a number of new agencies around Memphis and in the Mississippi Valley. The jobbing of this machine is a new venture for this company and it is rapidly growing under the direction of R. G. Morrow, Jr. OPENS REPAIR DEPARTMENT The Memphis Talking Machine Co., Memphis, Tenn., has recently been incorporated by Olen H. Davis, Charles Gallini and C. A. Pinson. A repair and service department has been opened in Louisville, Ky., by Ben Lowenthal, of the Grafonola Co., to handle repair work for all makes of talking machines and phonographs, including spare parts for Victor, Columbia, Edison, Pathe and1 Meteor instruments. Two experienced factory men have been secured to help in the work of the department. Announcement SONORA PHONOGRAPH PRODUCTS will be distributed direct to the Dealers in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and not through a Sub-distributor, as formerly. Applications for Dealers' Agencies may be made direct to this office. THE MAGNA VOX CO. 2701-2765 East 14th Street Oakland, Gal. Phonograph Division: 616 MISSION STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. Manufacturers of "The Magnavox," Loud Speaking Apparatus, Anti Noise Telephone and Wireless Amplifier