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THE
42
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
With ike Makers and Sellers of Talking Machines
LYON & HEALY ENTERPRISE.
DOUGLAS PHONOGRAPH CO.
Pushing Trade Among Talking Machine Lovers
in the Telephone Field.
Their Showrooms Decorated With
Holiday
Favors—Handsome Display of Stock Made—
A Beautiful Line of Record Cabinets.
(Special to The Keview.)
Chicago, 111., Dec. 11, 1905.
Talking machine dealers will doubtless be in-
terested in the methods adopted by Lyon &
Healy of securing talking machine trade. One
of their most recent circulars gives an idea
of how they push the Victor among telephone
subscribers. The communication is as follows:
"To the Owner of the Telephone:—As you are
the owner of a telephone and appreciate its ad-
vantages you will be interested in another sound-
producing instrument, which is even more won-
derful in its construction and the satisfaction
it gives—the Victor talking machine.
"The Victor now helps largely to make life
worth living in thousands of Chicago's best
homes. We know this from the enormous de-
mand for records. It is no exaggeration to say
that the new Tapering Arm Victor is a revela-
tion as a producer or refined home entertain-
ment. It brings the original voices of Caruso,
Melba, Tamagno, Eames, and other stars of
grand opera into the privacy of your home—not
an imitation, but the voices themselves.
"You will also have at your command Sousa's
Band, the gems of comic opera, all the popular
song hits, sacred music, dance music (loud
enough for dancing), coon songs, recitations—
25,000 records, including about everything you
or members of your family would care to listen
to on any occasion.
"If you have not heard the latest improved
type of Victor, which is far ahead of all previous
types, do so without delay. Continuous compli-
mentary concerts are given daily from 12 to
5:30 in Victor Hall, six steps within our Adams
street door. All the choicest new records are
played and visitors are not asked to buy.
"At the rate Victors are now going out we
shall not have enough for the holiday trade.
Select yours now before the inevitable Christmas
rush. We will hc-Jd and deliver when requested.
"As the drain on most pocket books is severe
just at this season we suggest that you pay us
only for the records noio and for the machine
in January, February, March and April.
"We sincerely hope you will take advantage
of this special nothing down proposition, as it is
practically giving you thirty days free use of
the Victor at a time when it will certainly prove
very enjoyable."
PHONOGRAPH AND TELEPHONE.
United States Consul-General Guenther re-
ports that Hans Starcke, of Elberfeld, Germany,
has just obtained a patent for a device by which
a phonograph is connected with a telephone.
Even should nobody be present when a tele-
phonic call is made, the words are recorded upon
the phonograph and can be repeated ad libitum
at any time.
The Columbia Phonograph Co. control four
stores in Brooklyn—915 Broadway, 125 Myrtle
avenue, 389 Grand street and 124 Flatbush
avenue.
J. L. Orme & Son, Ottawa, Out., who represent
the Columbia line in that city, are carrying a vast
number of records and machines in stock. They
have recently provided a number of special rooms
for displaying their instruments.
The salesroom of the Douglas Phonograph Co.,
89 Chombers street, New York, is bright with
Christmas decorations. The store is festooned
the entire length, and the spacious show win-
dow filled with holly, amid which is shown one
of Edison's first phonographs, using the tinfoil
record. The tasteful and attractive display is
the work of E. A. Merritt of the traveling staff.
Of course, with the other features on their spa-
cious and handsomely furnished floor, the com-
pany's exhibit of record cabinets is undoubtedly
one of the largest, most complete and elegant
in the country. They cover all styles of de-
signs and finishes, ranging in cost from a mod-
erate figure to the highest price goods in solid
mahogany, white and gold, vernis martin and
burnished gold. The Douglas Co. are entitled lo
great credit for placing such a line on the mar-
ket, and in which they are undoubtedly the
pioneers.
TALK A PHONE CO. TO MOVE.
To Larger and More Central Quarters in New
York.
Finding that their present quarters in New
York at 244 West 23d street were not suitable
for the business, for many reasons, the Talk-o-
Phone Co. will sublet the place and remove to a
more central location nearer Broadway and the
channels of trade. The company had taken a
long lease on the above premises, with four
years before the expiration, and Manager Reed
is making arrangements to vacate as early as
possible, which will doubtless be accomplished
on or about the first of the year. The new quar-
ters in view, for which negotiations are prac-
tically closed, are spoken of as ideal from every
consideration for carrying on a talking machine
business of the magnitude contemplated by the
company in their New York branch house.
CELEBRATES GOLDEN JUBILEE.
James S. Topham's Great Record as Manufac-
turer of All Kinds of Leather Goods.
(Special to The Review.)
Washington, D. C, Dec. 11, 1905.
James S. Topham, the pioneer manufacturer of
travelers' and leather goods in this city, and who
lately has made a specialty of cases for talking
machines, recently celebrated the half century
mark of a continuous and sucessful mercantile
career. For nearly half of the time the national
capital has been in existence Mr. Topham has
held an enviable position in Washington business
circles. He is a practical leather worker, and
knows the business from A to Z. He has filled
some of the largest government contracts for the
army, and has supplied all of the Presidents since
Lincoln with leather goods.
Mr. Topham's business is located at 1219 P
street, where he has one of the largest establish-
ments of its kind in the country. Mr. Topham
was seventy-three years of age on June 18 last,
and is still active and daily attends to his busi-
ness affairs, assisted by his sons, who like him-
self have from youth thoroughly learned the trade
and business. Reliability and progress have been
the watchwords of the Topham house, and this
applies to their specialties in talking machine
goods as to everything else they manufacture.
The Columbia Phonograph Co. have leased a
store at Eighth and Market streets, Wilmington.
EXPLAINS PHYCHI 'J PHENOMENA.
Del., where they will display their line of
The Rev. Dr. I. K. Funk read a paper on
graphophonea and records as soon as alteration^
art completed.,
"Psychic Phenomena," before (he. Presbyterian
Ministers' Association, at 156 Fifth avenue, last
week. He said that he did not regard spirit-
ualism as being proved, but, on the other hand,
he believed that, there were many psychic phen-
omena which deserved careful investigation at
the hands of scientific investigators. In his paper
Dr. Funk said: "After much and careful inves-
tigation covering a number of years, I think I
am within bounds in saying that nine-tenths of
what passes as psychic phenomena is fraudulent.
Of the remaining one-tenth, coincidence would
explain some; some telepathy and clairvoyance
would explain. It is the remainder of this one-
tenth that gives pause to eminent scientists. It
is altogether right that scientists should be con-
servative," he continued, "but not too conserva-
tive. In our own day, when Edison's phono-
graph was exhibited to the Frenchi Academy,
the member Bouilland denounced the exhibitor
and seized him by the collar, shouting 'Wretch!
we are not to be made dupes cf by a. ventrilo-
quist.' " In public addresses and literature the
talking machine is much quoted these ji$.ys.
ZONOPHONE RECORDS AGAIN CUT.
The Universal Talking Machine Co. Announce
Another Reduction—What Next?
Thursday the Universal Talking Machine Mfg.
Co.. New York, notified the trade that their retail
price on 10-inch disc records would be fifty cents,
instead of sixty, as announced last week—a cut
of ten cents, the wholesale price to be thirty-five
instead of thirty-six cents. These figures are the
lowest yet quoted, and the trade is wondering
what is the next move on the board.
TALKING MACHINE EXHIBITION.
April 29, 1906, is the date set for the interna-
tional meeting at Paris of those interested in the
talking machine. A complete showing will be
made of everything tnat bears upon the subject,
including all new inventions in part and complete.
The largest houses of Paris have promised their
best machines and their best records. In connec-
tion with the talking machine exhibit will be
shown everything that pertains to the cinemato-
graph as well, and it is believed that the enter-
tainment will oe without precede'nt.
A very graceful tribute to the artistic value of
the talking machine has been paid by Mme.
Gounod, wife of the celebrated composer, who
wrote Mme. Melba recently, telling her how de-
lighted she was when she heard the gramophone
record of the "Ave Marie" which was sung by
Mine. Alellia with violin obligato by Kubelik.
Jobbing houses of standing have equipped their
(raveling men with the advance records so in
going their rounds the dealers will be saved the
trouble of coming to headquarters in order to
make their selections.
Anything'
tnd
Everything'
in
TALKING
MACHINES
Wholesale
VAN BUREN ST.
James I. Lyons, 192-194 E. CHICAGO