The talking machine world (Jan-June 1923)

June IS, 1923 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD 115 that it was just right in size, appearance and price to catch on big. Manager T. W. Hindley, of the Aeolian Co.'s Vocalion department, put on a campaign recently in which Emerson consoles were featured. He reports that Victors and Vocalions are also going well. The talking machine department of the Shapleigh Hardware Co., under the management of A. E. Hoeger, is featuring the Harmograph talking machines and records, practically a newcomer in this field. The BrilHantone and giltedge needles and a full line of accessories are carried in Mr. Hoeger's department. Mr. Hoeger is planning a trip through the South. Re-enters the Trade Mrs. Clementine Englemann, who, prior to her marriage a year ago, was well known in talking machine circles in St. Louis as Miss Kimm, is again with the talking machine department of the Kieselhorst Piano Co. The Conroy Piano Co. has discontinued its East St. Louis store, where the Columbia line was handled. Victor Educator Here Miss Marie Finney, of the educational department of the Victor Co., has been spending a few days in and near St. Louis. Miss Finney did some educational work in the Alton, 111., schools, where her appearance had been arranged by the Victor dealer, J. A. Kieselhorst. Tuesday' was spent in Belleville, 111., schools. Miss Finney is on her way to the Missouri Teachers' Colleges in Kirksville and Maryville. E. C. Rauth Honored on GoodWill Tour E. C. Rauth, of the Koerber-Brenner Co., accompanied the Good-Will Tour arranged by the Chamber of Commerce into towns in Illinois and Indiana. A. E. Schanuel, of the Goeder & Schanuel Advertising Co., accompanied him. At Herrin, 111., home of one of the Cline-Vick stores, a special window display greeted Mr. Rauth. This was the work of Miss Fleata Trout, manager of the Victrola department. Record stands and streamers announced, "St. Louis to the Front." At Harrisburg, 111., a special newspaper advertisement was used by L. L. Parker to emphasize the occasion. It read "Welcome to Harrisburg — All Members of the St. Louis 'Good-Will' Tour, and especially E. C. Rauth, vice-president and sales manager, and Arthur Schanuel, special advertising representative of the Koerber-Brenner Co., distributor of Victor products. — Greetings from Lloyd L. Parker, The Music Man." Planning Long Vacation Miss Margaret Hibbeler, of the Victrola department of Hellrung & Grimm House Furnishing Co., and Miss Marie Auberman, of the same department of Scruggs-Vandervoort-Barney Dry Goods Co., will leave early in June for a three months' absence in Colorado. Brunswick "Barney Google" Send-off Through the untiring efforts of R. F. Novy and E. F. Stevenson, of St. Louis, city representatives of the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co., the release of the famous "Barney Google" on Brunswick records was made quite an event, in that life-size colored cut-out replicas of these two world-famous characters were made up by these two enterprising young men for dealers. A large Barney Google was constructed for the Kieselhorst Piano Co. to be placed in front of its establishment, and Barney's posture was that of leaving the Kieselhorst establishment with an air of extreme satisfaction. Equally attractive windows were prepared by the Baldwin Piano Co., Kirkland Piano Co. and the Lehman Piano Co. The Meyer Piano Co. also had an attractive window display on this record. This window attracted so many that traffic was blocked. Miss I-. Pickle, in charge of the record department of the T. D. Music Box, will enjoy a sojourn of two months in Europe sailing on the Belgenland from New York June 13. Gene Rodemich's Brunswick orchestra appeared on the stage of the New Grand Central Theatre week of June 6, featuring Brunswick records and Larry Conley, trombone player. Phonograph Parts and Supplies MOTORS, TONEARMS, SOUNDBOXES, SPRINGS AND NEEDLES OUR SPECIALTY Lowest Prices and Best Qualities Always Available for Delivery Anywhere Send for Bargain List of Repair Parts and Motors THE VAL'S ACCESSORY HOUSE 1000-1002 Pine Street St. Louis, Mo. W. F. Nipper, formerly traveling representative for the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. in southern Tennessee, is now general manager of the Hollenberg Music Co., of Little Rock. The Brunswick Co. has just opened another branch in New Orleans, La., for the further Kieselhort's "Barney Google" Window ance of 100 per cent service to its dealers in that vicinity. This branch is a pait of the St. Louis branch and is under the jurisdiction of R. W. Jackson, branch manager of St. Louis. The first Victor and the last, with 30 years between, is an exhibit which has been attracting attention to the Famous & Barr Co. Koerber-Brenner Dealers Meet The "Summer slump," which was analyzed and visualized in the Koerber-Brenner advance list of July, was further analyzed and in a measure pulverized at the monthly meeting of the Koerber-Brenner Victor dealers at the Century Boat Club here on the evening of May 31. The advance list presented a picture which it called "The Valley Ahead." It showed an automobile on the edge of June, which was about to slip into the deep valley of June, July and August, representative of the way business dips for most merchants. This was the explanation: "To strike an average we took ten different dealers, five in St. I-ouis and five in other towns, and as widely varying in size and conditions as we could find. Then we dug into our books for the dope on what we shipped to them each month last year. "After a lot of careful figuring we found that, if we took 100 per cent to represent an average month's business for the ten dealers, the business actually done during the various months of the year ran above or below 100 per cent as shown on the picture. For instance, January was 140, or 40 per cent above the average, while July was 60, or 40 per cent below. "Right now you're right on the edge of the valley — just where the automobile is on the picture — the beginning of the steep descent. It may be easy and pleasant to go coasting along down hill, with the motor idling or shut of?. But it's lots pleasanter to bowl along on the level, even if you do have to step on the gas. "It isn't to 'rub it in' that we dig up figures and draw pictures. The road leads down through the valley (at least it did last year); there isn't any other road. The only way to keep sales from taking a downward course is to bridge the valley." So when the forty-five or fifty dealers got together at the club, after eating to brace their spirits, they talked "Summer slump." Val Reis, Frank Horning, William Bauer and T. W. Hindley were the principal speakers. They all agreed that the thing to do with the Summer slump was to fight it. With Mr. Hindley as song leader and Mrs. Hindley at the piano they sang some of the old songs. What with the talking and singing there was no time left for demonstration of July records, but they had Victrola with their meal and Victrola for the dancing which followed. ORO-TONE No. 5 PLAYS ALL RECORDS ON THE VICTOR Plays Edison records with ordinary fibre needle. Showing Position for Playing Edison or Other Vertical Cut Records LIST PRICE No. 5 Victor Automatic NICKEL FINISH $6.00 Hear the wonderful volume and quality of tone produced with the ordinary fibre needle on the Edison record. The special exclusive features — AUTOMATIC weight adjustment— AUTOMATIC needle center and the AUTOMATIC correct position of the reproducer on the record for either vertical or lateral cut records — are heartily commended. The change from playing vertical to lateral cut records and viceversa is accomplished with a simple turn of the hand. GOLD FINISH _$8.00 Usual discount to Dealers. Please furnish references if you are not rated. ^•i'rnt4'aji-i \w 1000 George Street Chicago, 111. Patent Applied for Showing Position for Playing Victor or Other Lateral-cut Records