The talking machine world (Jan-June 1922)

90 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD April 15, 1922 SAN FRANCISCO High-Class Musical Entertainments Help Trade — Officers of Local Association Elected — Business Steadily Improves — The News San Francisco, Cal., April 3. — It is conservatively estimated that over 400,000 tickets to highclass musical entertainments have been sold in San Francisco and vicinity during the present music season. That such a showing can be made in the San Francisco Bay region, which has a population of about a million people, fully justifies the claim that this community regards good music as one of the prime necessities of life. Visiting artists love San Francisco, and when they appear before San Francisco audiences they are inspired to do their very best because they know their offerings will be appreciated and that appreciation expressed by unstinted and enthusiastic applause. Data is not available for the sales volume on classic records, but it is safe to say that the demand is fully in proportion to the patronage of the great musical performances. This week, which marks the opening of the Chicago Grand Opera season in San Francisco, the leading talking machine dealers are featuring opera records in their show window and newspaper advertising. Handling Radio Equipment Blossom time is here again, yet business has not revived enough to make the trade gloat over its profits. Conditions are steadily improving, however, and interest in talking machine merchandise is alive. The radio interests have somehow become closely allied to the talking machine interests and some of the talking machine concerns are already handling radio equipment with success. The San Francisco trade, quite generally, sees benefit to the talking machine business in this radio music, for the reason that a wider interest in mechanically recorded music is stimulated among a class of people scientifically inclined. Northern California Association Meets The Music Trades Association of Northern California held its second annual meeting and luncheon on March 14 at the Hotel Stewart in San Francisco. The following were elected directors for the ensuing year: C. H. Hanson, Hanson Music Co., San Francisco; Henry Grobe, San Francisco: Shirley Walker, Sherman, Clay & Co.; Bernard Goldsmith, Oakland Phonograph Co.: F. A. Levy, California Phonograph Co.; RECORD DEALERS AND SHIPPERS Send for Your Sample Today RECO-R APS A Transportation Package for Talking Machine Records cxoss-sfcr/m y/fw DFSCX/PTION ' 8 Cen ter-PosJ m Use. *9 Jiecc-JSap Cc/7i_p/ete *ZO Center-Pcsi AefcreUaed. PREVENTS BREAKAGE Write for Particulars and Samples THE RECO-RAP CO., Inc.. 104 N, 12th St., St. Louis, Mo. George R. Hughes, Wiley B. Allen Co.; Gibson McConnell, Gibson McConnell Co.; Walter Gannon, Kohler Industries; M. V. Thompson, Baldwin Piano Co.; W. A. Craven (for Sacramento), Hauschildt Music Co.; S. S. Hockett (for Fresno), Hockett, Bristol & Cowan; Fred E. Turner (for Stockton), Stewart School Supply Co., and W. B. Reilly (for San Jose), Robinson & Sons Co. Following the regular meeting these directors unanimously elected the following as officers: George R. Hughes, president; Shirley Walker, first vice-president; S. S. Hockett, second vicepresident; F. A. Levy, treasurer, and M. B. Bowman, secretary. Excellent Progress During the Year The Association has made good progress in its first year and Mr. Hughes, who was re-elected president, was congratulated for his activity in promoting the welfare of the music trades. It was decided at the meeting that hereafter there would be a special committee, composed of talking machine dealers, to take up matters pertaining to this branch of the industry. Owing to the many new concerns which have entered the talking machine business there is still much need for getting together on important issues. One of the chief problems is that of handling instalment sales. The policies of certain houses in making fantastic instalment sale inducements have tended to lower the dignity of the business, it is claimed. The Nathan Dohrmann Co., of San Francisco, large dealer in household merchandise, is to add a talking machine department. The Blue Bird machine will be featured. To Distribute Vocalion Records The San Francisco wholesale branch of the Aeolian Co. has been discontinued, and Manager Hull has returned East. The Magnavox Co. has taken the agency for handling Vocalion records in northern California and the Northwest. The popularity of these records is growing fast on the Coast. Morley Somers, manager of the Phonograph Shop, San Francisco, finds March business fully up to last year's record, both in the wholesale and retail ends. The Sonora line has been just placed with Lowell Dixon, jeweler, 1512 Seventh street, Oakland, and with the Garrett Owen Co., which operates two stores in Berkeley. J. W. Boothe, manager of the talking machine department of Barker Bros., Los Angeles, was a business visitor in San Francisco this month. He reported business good in the South. Encouraging Increase in Business The Wiley B. Allen Co., San Francisco, is enjoying an encouraging increase in business. The record sales are fairly heavy and the movement of machines is much brisker. Practically the full line of Brunswick machines is now in stock by reason of new shipments from the factory. Andrew McCarthy, of Sherman, Clay & Co., says the wholesale Victor business is satisfactory on the Coast and that the exclusive Victor dealers are certainly getting their full share of the retail business. Victor Line for Phonograph Studio The latest San Francisco establishment to take on the Victor line is the Phonograph Studio at O'Farrell and Powell streets. W. H. Quarg, the manager, is delighted with the increase in sales this month. The Phonograph Studio caters largely to the night trade in the downtown district and keeps open until 11 p. m. Two shifts of employes are required. The shop also carries the Columbia line. An enlarged show window has been put in adjoining the O'Farrell street entrance. Walter King, the Ellis street phonograph dealer, has closed his establishment. Edison Artists in Recital Helen Davis, the well-known soprano, and Victor Young, the pianist, gave a recital at the Hotel St. Francis on the evening of March 24 under the auspices of the Edison Shop, San Francisco. Admission was by special invitation. A large audience attended to hear the tone test of Edison Re-creations. The Victor department of the Emporium, in this city, has been removed to a more favored position in the large department store and it is now directly facing the elevators on the third floor and very convenient for callers. "JACK" BLISS WITH U. S. MUSIC CO. Popular Music Roll Executive Opens Offices for U. S. Music Co. in New York — Sales Efforts Already Producing Results George H. ("Jack") Bliss, one of the bestknown members of the music roll trade, recently opened an Eastern branch for the United States Music Co., of Chicago, at 122 Fifth avenue, New York. A complete stock of U. S. player rolls has George H. Bliss been installed at this branch, and results to date indicate that Mr. Bliss and his staff will meet with unlimited success. Mr. Bliss, who has rounded out fourteen years in the music roll business in various capacities, came East eight years ago to establish a branch for the Q R S Co. in New York. He was one of the organizers of the Greater New York Music Publishers' and Dealers' Association, and acted as secretary for that organization for four years. He has also been active in the National Piano Travelers' Association, of which he is at present first vice-president. The opening of Eastern headquarters for the United States Music Co. is expected to increase materially the demand for this company's rolls throughout the Eastern territory, and it is probable that further steps, including possibly the opening of a branch factory, will become necessary in the future to meet the requirements of the trade. The music store of McCauley & Powers, Adel, la., has been taken over by Clarence E. Powers. In the future Victor products only1 will be handled at this establishment. Columbia Grafonolas are being featured in an extensive sales drive by the Automatic Music Shop, 844 Grand avenue, New Haven, Conn. ATTENTION Cabinet Manufacturers who are in a position to manufacture cabinets of a new and most desirable kind (Patents pending) , upon a basis either of royalty or of straight order, and at reasonable prices, should write immediately to TRIPLEX ARTISTIC PHONOGRAPH CO. Pershing Road and Ridgeland Ave. BERWYN, ILLINOIS Dealers will be delighted with the TRIPLEX on the floor. Customers say that it is the best they have ever seen.