The talking machine world (Jan-June 1925)

64 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD May 15, 1925 Intensive Campaigns Bring Up the Sales Volume in the Pittsburgh District Outstanding Event of Month Was Big Victor Sales Campaign — Miss Hildegarde Wehrle in New Post — Drive on Sonora Portables — Death of L. J. Schoenberger Other Activities of the Month Pittsburgh, Pa., May 7. — 0,ne of the outstanding events in talking machine circles in Pittsburgh in connection with the Victor Sales Drive was the banquet held at the Fort Pitt Hotel on Thursday evening April 23, when more than 250 persons were present from Pittsburgh and vicinity. The Standard Talking Machine Co. and W. F. Frederick Piano Co. co-operated in making the affair a rousing success. The guests were seated at small tables grouped according to the firms and stores represented. E. B. Heyser and George Rewbridge headed the W. F. Frederick Piano Co. delegation. At the C. C. Mellor Co. table was seated W. C. Dierks, H. H. Fleer, Anthony L. Herrle, Miss M. Ferrall, E. Kantner, Mrs. M. L. Gardner, who was formerly in charge of the educational department of the C. C. Mellor Co., and C. C. Latus. J. C. Roush, Wallace Russell, Thomas T. Evans and Mr. McCormick, of the Standard Co., were much in evidence greeting the guests and seeing that everybody had a good time. E'uring the dinner an orchestra furnished music and a number of songs were sung. Following the dinner there were brief addresses by Miss Streeter, Mr. Morgan, Mr. Mayer and Mr. Egner, when the details of the campaign were announced by Mr. Egner. After the speaking there was dancing, which lasted until midnight. Among the firms represented at the banquet were Boggs & Buhl, S. Hamilton Co., Joseph Home Co., Kaufmann & Baer Co., Kaufmann's department store, Spear & Co., and the Rudolph Wurlitzer Co. The campaign started on Friday, February 24, and continues until midnight May 29. Following the appearance of the Eight Popular Victor Artists in Unioritown, Pa., on April 23, the Morning Herald of that city paid a tribute editorially to the merits of these artists collectively and, individually. W. F. Frederick Co. was thanked for bringing these artists to the city. Miss Hildegarde Wehrle, for a number of years connected with the talking machine department of the S. Hamilton Co. at the main store, 815 Liberty avenue, relinquished her position there recently and is now associated with the Columbia Music Co., the Edison, Brunswick and Columbia dealer. Miss Wehrle is widely known to the trade and enjoys the reputation of being one of the best-informed persons in the retail talking machine business. , The Pittsburgh Post, on April 26, ran a lengthy article describing the Music Master Corporation and the activities of Walter L. Eckhardt, the president. In the article a photograph of Mr. Eckhardt was used. The Pennsylvania Phonograph Distributing Co., Sonora distributor, with offices in the Wabash Building, in this city, is making a special drive on the new Sonora portable, which sells at $35, and the Sonora Portable De Luxe, which is priced at $65. With the coming of the Spring and Summer months there is always a big demand for portables and the local Sonora dealers are making appropriate window displays of the two types of Sonora Portables. Sales of the Brunswick phonographs and Brunswick Radiolas are reported as very satisfactory by the local Brunswick offices. Much interest is being taken by music lovers in the weekly programs that are broadcast by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. and the fact that one of the major prizes in the last Brunswick Memory Contest was awarded to a Pittsburgher has stirred up much local interest in the Brunswick products. The Buehn Phonograph Co., Edison distributor, reports a good demand for the Edison lines. A. A. Buehn, treasurer of the company, stated that the outlook was very satisfactory for a neat volume of business. Reports from the Buehn Co. travelers indicate that local Edison dealers are much pleased with the inquiries that are being made by prospective purchasers of Edison phonographs. The Esenbe Co., distributor of the Atwater Kent equipment, Colin B. Kennedy equipment, Pooley radio cabinets, Music Master loud speakers and Pennsylvania radio phones, are gratified over the general trend of business. The wedding of Mrs. Catherine Norris Leech, of Greenville, Pa., and Chauncey R. Parsons, manager of the talking machine department of the Rosenbaum Co., was solemnized in Christ Methodist Episcopal Church on Thursday eve ning, April 30. Edward Kuntz presided at the organ. The bride is soprano at Christ Church, while Mr. Parsons is tenor at Shadyside Presbyterian Church. Death of L. J. Schoenberger Louis J. Schoenberger, secretary of the Lechner & Schoenberger Co., piano dealers and Edison, Victor and Brunswick dealers, died at his home here on May 3 after a brief illness. Mr. Schoenberger was fifty years of age and is survived by his widow, two sons and four daughters, one brother, Homer, and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Schoenberger. The father is president of the firm. Interment was made on May 6. Mr. Schoenberger was widely known to the trade and had been a member of the firm since its formation over thirty years ago. Radio Instruction Book Is in Its Sixth Edition French Battery & Carbon Co.'s Publication, "Ray-O-Vac Radio Trouble Finder and Broadcasting Station Directory," Popular The French Battery & Carbon Co., Madison, Wis., manufacturer of Ray-O-Vac dry cell batteries, has just issued a sixth edition of its popular publication "Ray-O-Vac Radio Trouble Finder and Broadcasting Station Directory." This booklet is being distributed generally by Ray-O-Vac jobbers and dealers and in addition a return postal card is being included in each "B" battery carton. When the postal card is returned to the company by the consumer, one of the booklets is immediately forwarded. The success of this1 interesting publication is due primarily to its practical value, for included in its contents are important paragraphs relative to information for the beginner, types of radio receiving sets, loud speakers, radio batteries, battery chart, how to test Ray-O-Vac batteries, vacuum tubes, tuning units, locating and eliminating trouble, simple repairs', a directory of broadcasting stations and illustrations of the various Ray-O-Vac dry cell batteries, including the B, A and C batteries. The fact that the publication is in its sixth edition is a tangible indication of its value to the trade. Issue Attractive Series of Gennett Folders Special Record Catalog and Musical Instrument Folders Also Issued by Starr Piano Co. The Starr Piano Co., Richmond, Ind., manufacturer of Starr phonographs and Gennett records, issued recently a very attractive series of folders, featuring Gennett records in the Italian, Spanish and German languages. A special catalog listing Gennett records designed especially for the Latin-American trade, together with a photograph of Starr phonographs, is being used to excellent advantage in the development of this important export business. The catalog is attractively illustrated and gives the music lover an adequate idea of the vast resources of the Starr organization. Another interesting folder issued under the direction of R. C. Ball, advertising manager of the company, is devoted .to Starr musical instruments for educational purposes. Featured in this folder are the Star style XXVII phonograph, designed exclusively for class use; the Starr style l/z phonograph, the Starr pianos style D upright and the Princess Grand. The Starr XXVII phonograph has met with exceptional success everywhere and is ideally adapted for class use, for it may be pushed about the room by the touch of the hand and is extremely light in weight. It is equipped with a movable shelf for records and Silver Grain Spruce horn. The K. G. Walter Radio Corp., New York, was recently incorporated at Albany, with a capital stock of $5,000. The incorporators are S. Kay, D. M. Caterer and R. Greenburg. Exclusively Wholesale Service in the PITTSBURGH DISTRICT Colin B. Kennedy Equipment Atwater Kent Equipment Pooley Radio Cabinets French Ray-O-Vac Batteries Exide Storage Batteries Gold Seal Homchargers Music Master Loud Speakers Weston Radio Plugs Pennsylvania Radiophones Brach Antenna Sets ESENBE GO SWARTZ & BUEHN \J m 909 Penn Avenue Telephone: Atlantic 0539 Pittsburgh, Pa. Catering especially to music dealers