The talking machine world (Jan-June 1925)

112 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD April 15, 1925 Indications Point to Brisk Movement of Portables This Summer in St. Louis Field More Optimistic Spirit in Trade as Spring Brings Trade Betterment — Melville L. Wilkinson Passes Away — Artist Tie-Up — Winners in Sales Contest — Other Important Activities St. Louis, Mo., April 7. — The talking machine business, in common with all branches of music merchandising, was draggy in March, but April opened with some improvement, especially in small machines and records. Among the large machines combinations of talking machine and radio are in best demand. The indications are for a lively movement of portables this Spring, as opportunities for outdoor use increase. The radio business continues to increase. Melville L. Wilkinson Passes Away Melville L Wilkinson, president of the Scruggs, Vandervoort & Barney Co., died recently from heart trouble following an operation. Frank M. Mayfield, who has been one of the vice-presidents of the firm, has been elected to succeed him. The talking machine department, under the direction of Manager Hosier, will continue as before. E. W. Lee With Artophone Corp. E. W. Guttenberger, for the past two or three years manager of the Kansas City branch of the Artophone Corp., has returned to St. Louis to rejoin the local Artophone organization. His successor at Kansas City is E. W. Lee, formerly manager of the phonograph department of the Jones Store there. Okeh records will be made by the Arcadia Peacock Orchestra, Charles Creath's "Jazz Maniacs" and others, at the Artophone Corp.'s place of business for four days, beginning April 6. H. S. Schiele, vice-president of the Artophone Corp., has returned from a week's trip to Memphis and Nashville, Tenn. Visits Cyclone Belt L. S. Buchanan and E. E. Fay, president and vice-president of the Buchanan-Fay Music Co., have returned from an automobile trip through the cyclone belt of Illinois to ascertain the fate of the Starr talking machines in the hands of the dealers in towns that were partially destroyed by the big storm last month. H. L. Mount in New Post Harry L. Mount, who has been in charge of the talking machine department of the Union House Furnishing Co. since it acquired the business of the Field-Lippman Piano Co., has taken a position with the Wurlitzer Co. Lessing Alch is his successor at the Union department.. Successful Artist Tie-Up The popular Dixie Stars, Al Bernard and Russel Robinson, now exclusive Brunswick artists, appeared at the Seale Music Shop, Hot Springs, Ark., during their recent engagement there. Their appearance was so successful that Mr. Seale not only sold all their records that he had Dixie Stars at Seale Store on hand, but secured orders for a considerable quantity to be delivered later. Widener, Inc., in New Home The talking machine shop of Widener, Inc., was moved April 1 from 1008 Olive street to 516 Locust street, in the same building with the Hunleth Music Co. Harry A. Diehl, who has been with the Chicago Talking Machine Co. and other concerns, is the new manager, succeeding H. J. Arbucke, who has gone to Florida. E. D. Follin, general manager, was here from Boston at the time of the removal. W. G. Fuhri a Visitor W. G. Fuhri, general manager of the Columbia Phonograph Co., New York, was a visitor. A. F. Odell, an Edison dealer of Quincy, 111., was a recent visitor to the Silverstone Music Co. Exhibit Lines Up Prospects The Melody Music Shop, exclusive Brunswick dealer, Memphis, Tenn., arranged an extremely attractive and inviting display of Brunswick Radiolas at the Merchants' Exposition which was held at the Memphis Auditorium in that city recently. Saul Bluestein, manager of the Melody Music Shop, advises that a large number of very live prospects were lined up. Doubles Sales Volume The Baldwin Piano Co., St. Louis, exclusive Brunswick dealer, reports that the phonograph business for January and February of this yeai was exactly double the business for the same period of 1924. Incidentally their phonograph business for 1924 was 100 per cent over the 1923 volume. Columbia Distributors Busy Manager C. R. Salmon, of the Columbia Distributors, reports that the portable business has opened up big and he expects to have a big portable season. Columbia Distributors are to job, in addition to the other portables that they now carry, the Regal and Pal portables. Art Gillham, the Whispering Pianist, an exclusive Columbia artist, appeared at Nugent's in their phonograph and radio department recently and sang some of his well-known numbers. There was a large crowd and Nugent's sold a great quantity of Gillham's records, which he autographed for the customers. Columbia Distributors have opened quite a low new accounts in the past thirty days and report business excellent. Desmond Des Foldes, a special representative of the foreign record department of* the Columbia Co., New York City, visited Manager Salmon on his way to the Pacific Coast. Effective Window Tie-Up With Opera It was opera week in St. Louis, with the San Carlo Opera Company singing repertoire at the Odeon, and C. O. Thompson, manager of the talking machine department of the Kieselhorst Piano Co., thought it called for something spe Kieselhorst Tie-Up With Opera cial, so, with the help of Miss Helen Moore, of his department, he fixed up the window shown here, which was such a knockout that it blocked traffic on Olive street. New Music Stores Opened Two new talking machine stores were opened here recently. The first, a branch of the Kaemmerer Music Shops, Inc., is located at 6315 Delmar boulevard and will carry a full line of Brunswick instruments. The other is the Tivoli Music Shop and is a branch of the FG Shop, of 327 De Baliviere avenue. Winners in Sales Contest In the contest arranged by the Koerber-Brenner Co., Victor distributor, in co-operation with the Victor Co., for St: Louis salesmen, extending over a month, Miss Helen Moore, of the Kieselhorst Piano Co. talking machine department, won three of the prizes, for unit sales, for album sales and a special one offered by F. K. Dolbeer, general sales manager of the Victor Co. C. J. Hunt, of Hellrung & Grimm, won first prize for machine sales, Mr. Blong, of the Wurlitzer Co., second, and Harry L. Mount, of the Union House Furnishing Co., third. Miss Guinsberg, of Glazier's, won the volume prize. Brief but Interesting E. A. Kieselhorst, who represents the talking machine dealers on the directorate of the Better Business Bureau, has been taking subscriptions for the ensuing year and reports that they have been considerably more liberal than in previous years. Nick Lucas, Brunswick artist, and billed as the "Crooning Troubadour," is scheduled to appear at the New Grand Central Theatre in St. Louis two weeks, beginning April 11. Increase Your Record Sales 'Pre offers the dealer many advantages 1. Most complete list of race records. 3. Wonderful catalog of Rare Record Im 2. Best list of old-time selections, including portations. new releases by Fiddlin' John Carson, 4 Complete catalog of all foreign languages. Henry Whitter and Roba Stanley, etc. 5. First with the late dance and song hits. Write for the catalog of the type of records you are interested in. TSne Artophone Corporation 1103 Olive Street, St. Louis, Mo. 203 Kansas City Life Building, Kansas City, Mo. Wholesale distributors F REED -El S EM A NN RADIO RECEIVERS, Honest Quaker line of main springs and repair parts, complete line of portable, console and upright phonographs, full line of all phonograph accessories. OKJL QW I