The talking machine world (Jan-June 1923)

March 15, 1923 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD 99 PORTLAND, ORE. Prosperity on the ff'ay, Says Banker — Business Grows Steadily — Many Concerns Improve and Expand — Month's Trade Chancres Portland, Ore., March 5. — In spite of a heavy snowstorm hitting Portland and tying up business tighter than a drum for over a week, business for the past month was way over that for a similar period of last year and optimism prevails among the music dealers. Emery Olmstead, president of the Northwestern National Bank, who returned this week from a visit to New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and other Eastern cities, says: "If there is a man from the pessimistic ranks who clings to beliefs that business conditions are unimproved and that the financial structure of the country is still going to the 'bow-wows' let him make a trip over the United States and visit those centers of production and financial activity that are indicative of the status of the whole. Everywhere I went I saw much building in progress. This, of course, means much to Oregon with its large number of lumber mills." All such reports are of intense interest to the music dealers, for when lumber is moving in the Pacific Northwest business "booms." Mr. Davis, district manager of the Brunswick phonograph division, says, "Brunswick phonograph prospects for 1923 are showing a marked increase over 1922 business, and throughout the entire territory one meets with many favorable expressions from dealers pertaining to industrial conditions in their territory and every condition points forward to a remarkable Brunswick year. The new Brunswick record release plan in which Brunswick records are released every day is meeting with approval." A new agreement has been made between the wholesale department and the dealers handling the Brunswick line to the extent that all dealers in the city and in the Portland territory have agreed to charge interest on every Brunswick phonograph sold. G. E. Corson, an exclusive Brunswick dealer of The Dalles, Ore., has purchased the E. M. Thompson Music Store at Bend, Ore., and intends to run this store in conjunction with The Dalles store. Jack Price, who has been representing the Wiley B. Allen Co. in Centralia territory for some time, has taken charge of the Wiley B. Allen Co. branch in Centralia. The Paulsen Pharmacy, of Raymond, Wash., has opened a branch store at Pe Ell, Wash. Seth Laraway, owner of the Laraway Music House in Eugene, Ore., reports a very large volume of phonograph sales during the month of December and reports a 50 per cent increase in sales volume in 1923 over the same period in 1922. Elmer Hunt, wholesale manager of Sherman, Clay & Co., reports excellent business and says, "Dealers are ordering heavily on our new flattop Victrolas, Nos. 215 and 220, and from all indications these models are going to prove the best put out by our company for some time. We are receiving more orders for both models than any other two models we have ever carried before." W. L. Brown, who made an extended trip down through the southern part of Oregon recently, reports dealers everywhere in the territory as more optimistic than they have been for two years. Several new Victor dealers signed up during the past month, among whom are the Schneider Music Store, of Myrtle Point, Ore., E. J. Schneider, proprietor, who has a new complete music store and will carry only Victrolas; the Umpqua Drug Co., of Reedsport, Ore. W. A. Burdick, Rexall Druggist, proprietor, will handle Victrolas only and anticipates good business. L. E. Heyne Music Store, of Lebanon, Ore., also has added the Victor line to his stock. George Steelhammer, druggist of Silverton, Ore., and Victor dealer, visited the Portland wholesale department the past month. Another visitor to call on Mr. Hunt was Thomas Young, druggist, of Pendleton, Ore., Victor and Brunswick dealer, who was in Portland on his honeymoon. Among the prominent artists to visit Portland in February were Rachmaninoff, Russian pianist, and Josef Hofmann, pianist, Brunswick artist; Paul Althouse, tenor, Edison artist, and Florence Eastori, soprano, Brunswick artist. A Victrola was purchased from Sherman, Clay & Co. recently for the Multnomah Amateur Athletic Club for use in the gymnasium work of the institution. Professor Mauthe, physical instructor, who has nearly 1,000 pupils in his classes, has a regular pianist for his class work but uses the Victrola for "inspiration" in building new dance steps and exercises between classes. Professor Mauthe says: "I find the Victrola and the wonderful Victor records at my command indispensable for my work. I work out many of my exercises with the aid of the Victrola and the Victor records." The ■ phonograph department of the Powers Furniture Store has been redecorated and the booths made most attractive. The walls are soft gray and a beautiful effect has been accomplished by overglazing the panels with lavender. Gold and peacock blue have been used discriminatingly to give a touch of color to the rooms. P. J. Heintz, manager, announces discontinuing the" Brunswick line. Stock on hand was turned back to the company, as the policy of the Powers Furniture Co. is to charge no interest on goods sold, which did not meet with the new policy of the Brunswick Co. The phonograph department of Lipman, Wolfe & Co., selling the Sonora, Brunswick and Steger phonographs, report good business for February and say the demand for Sonora console models exceeds their supply and many unfilled orders are on hand at the present time The Bush & Lane Piano Co. announces February business the biggest in the history of the establishment and J. H. Gallagher, manager, says: "The Bush & Lane phonograph, Victrola and Columbia Grafonola and Victor and Columbia records did their share toward making a record month." The Music Shop, 354 Yamhill street, L. A. Willard and Bert Guisness, proprietors, has been given the Cheney agency by the G. F. Johnson Piano Co. Carl Jones, representative of the Cheney for this company, reports good business. The G. F. Johnson Co. has secured the Oregon agency for the Swanson portable and reports sales so good that the original order with Radio and phonograph combined in the LYRADION— your customers will prefer this line Lyradion Italian Renaissance Combination radio and phonograph. A beautiful hand-carved cabinet in polychrome finish for large homes and clubs. Wired for Westinghouse "set" or complete with Lyradion 5 stage non-regenerative set. All instruments and batteries completely housed. Radio enthusiasts are expressing their preference for the Lyradion line of attractively housed radio sets in no uncertain terms. While the lady of the house has tolerated the old method of placing batteries and sets on the library table and floors as a matter of necessity m the past, she is now demanding the attractive Lyradion combination radio and phonograph completely housing instruments and batteries and offering dual and perpetual entertainment features. Besides these attractive cabinets harmonize with the furnishings of the modest as well as the most luxurious home surroundings. The wonderful Seabrook amplifying horn used on all models is responsible for the remarkable reproducing qualities of Lyradion instruments. This horn employs entirely new principles of sound reproduction which are fully protected by basic U. S. patents. Lyradion cabinets can be furnished wired complete for Westinghouse two-stage R. C. sets or with Lyradion five-stage non-regenerative receiving sets. Territory is being rapidly allotted — dealers or jobbers should write or wire immediately for proposition. Lyradion Manufacturing Co. Mishawaka, Indiana KENTON W. MIX, Director the factory for this machine has been doubled. James A. Stitt, Western Coast representative of the Hallet & Davis Co., spent several days at the Reed-French Piano Co.'s store, Portland representative of the Hallet & Davis line, while en route home to California after a visit to the factory in Boston. The firm of Harmon & Mains, 109 West Munroe street, South Bend, Ind., is featuring Odeon and Fonotipia records with good effect. A vigorous drive on both these records has been inaugurated. PHONOGRAPHS RECORDS For Portland and adjacent territory Distributing Branch THE BRUNSWICK-B ALKE-COLLENDER CO. 46-48 Fifth St. A. R. McKinley, Branch Mgr.