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THE: MUSIC TRADE:
TRADE NOTES FROM QUAKER CITY.
Victor Co. Secures Additional Land to Meet
Growing Business—How Talking Machines
Pay—The Posting of Bulletins—Manager
Goodwin
Reports
Activity—Doctor
Puts
Victor
to Good Use—Department
Store
Trade—News of Interest.
(Special to The Review.)
Philadelphia, Jan. 29, 1905.
The Victor Talking Machine Co., of Camden,
have acquired additional land adjoining their
present plant at Front and Cooper streets and
will, it is understood, add additional buildings
in the near future. In almost all departments
work is being "rushed," and a great deal of over-
time is being put in. Manager L. F. Geissler is
looking after details in a masterly manner and
is given excellent assistance by a willing corps
of capable assistants. Briefly put, the company
is behind orders, but is doing all it can
to catch up. Two incidents worthy of note
developed the past week. One shows the
tremendous force of a good advertising phrase.
Madam Bernhardt wanted her 4-foot dog housed
at the Bellevue-Stratford, Philadelphia's gilt-edge
holtelry. The manager wouldn't have it. "We'll
put the dog out on our farm," he said to Ma-
dame's agent. "We are connected by telephone
with the farm, and every day the dog can hear
'His master's voice'—or rather, the divine
Sara's." But Bernhardt wouldn't have it, and
went to another hotel. The picture of a dog lis-
tening to the human voice recorded by the Vic-
tor Company being objectionable to the guileless
denizens of China, this concern is accommo-
datingly providing the Chinese with advertising
cards showing a venerable resident of the Flow-
ery Kingdom listening soulfully to the dulcet
tones of Victor records "spieling off" Chinese
ditties and solos. The Victor Co. have their own
printing plant on Federal street, Camden, and
all hands there are very busy.
An uptown Philadelphia jeweler and optician
has added a small stock of talking machines and
supplies to his store, and in referring to the fact
said: "I was led into the matter by a number
of my friends who owned talking machines.
Their machines got out of order and they asked
me to repair or mend them. I got interested, in-
dustriously studied the mechanism of the ma-
chines, ascertained where supplies could be
secured, and am now prepared to do almost any
kind of repairing. My skill as an optician and
jeweler stood me in good stead, and it is my ad-
vice to brother opticians to look into the phono-
graph field and add it as a side line. While now
I only carry enough stock to oblige a few cus-
tomers, if I see a good opening I intend to go
into it quite heavily. It is an interesting and
attractive field, to my notion, and a profitable
one as well. One thing against it for the small
dealer, it seems to me, is that he can't afford to
carry the enormous stock of cylinders and discs
made necessary by customers' demands. They
want a record at once; do not want to 'wait un-
til it is sent for.'"
REVIEW
is probably the largest retailer and jobber of
talking machines and supplies in Camden, N. J.,
and handles both Edison and Victor goods. Dur-
ing the holiday season he showed his faith in
printers' ink by taking entire page advertise-
ments in the local newspapers, and then hired
additional clerks to take care of the extra busi
ness. Mr. Smith has been honored with a num-
ber of political appointments in his resident city
and is now a member of the State Democratic
Executive Committee. He was a trade visitor to
New York this month, and kept his eyes open
for novelties.
T. R. Goodwin, manager of the Columbia Pho-
nograph Co.'s new Camden, N. J., branch sales-
room, reports satisfactory business. The sales-
room is at Broadway and Mickle streets, in the
Hall Block, and at night attention is effectively
called to the stand by changeable electric light
signs as well as talking Columbias, which inform
passersby that latest songs and compositions can
be secured within. The showrooms are neatly
furnished, and a number of sample phonographs
are all ready to be shown visitors. Although
open but a short time, sales are increasing.
Dr. H. G. Bonwill, 921 South Fifth street, Cam-
den, N. J., has put a Victor phonograph to emi-
nently practical use. The doctor, having a very
large office practice, must see patients one at a
time, and to interest waiting callers in the ante-
room he sets a talking machine going
with lively, entertaining airs. The result
is pleasing to doctor and callers. The
latter forget their impatience in "having to
wait," and the doctor realizes his clients are,
so far as possible, enjoying good music. An at-
tendant changes records, etc. D r . Bonwill's
thoughtful idea is good enough to be copied by
other physicians.
All the large department stores of Philadelphia
now have a regular talking machine section,
presided over by a competent manager. During
the holidays extra advertising resulted in boom-
ing sales of records, machines and supplies. As
a rule all makes of machines and supplies are
handled, customers being left to choose as they
please. One department store exactly doubled
its sales over 1904 and intends going into the
business on a larger scale than ever, having
faith in its worth and permanency.
Local jobbing houses say there are many news
stands, cigar stores, and similar stands putting
in small retail stocks of talking machines and
supplies, showing that the demand from sub-
urban points is growing.
47
month. Their display of Edison, Victor and Co-
lumbia goods was a good one, properly arranged
and admirably handled.
Merrill L. Bardwell, formerly of the Powers
store in Buffalo, has returned to Pittsburg and
entered the employ of the Columbia Phonograph
Co., in charge of floor sales.
Michael Bard, of the firm of Bard Bros., of
Wheeling, spent a few days in Pittsburg early in
January. Bard Bros, have been exceptionally
successful in their new venture in Wheeling,
and the senior partner looks forward to winning
still greater laurels in the future. Their suc-
cess only shows what can be accomplished when
there is specialization in the direction of selling
talking machines.
In course of an illustrated article the Pitts-
burg Post says some complimentary things of
the enterprise of the Theo. F. Bentel Co., and
adds: "They carry at all times about 100,000
cylinder records and 50,000 disc, ranging in price
from 35 cents up to the grand opera records at
$5 each. They supply over 750 dealers in Penn-
sylvania, New York, Ohio, West Virginia and
Kentucky, from the wholesale department. In
the retail department machines and records are
sent all over the world, including South America.
"Over 2,300 active retail customers buy from
the firm weekly, and they dispose of about 50,000
Edison records every month. Among their cus-
tomers are numbered many Pittsburg million-
aires. The institution is the largest purchaser of
Edison records in the country.
"The Theo. F . Bentel Co. i3 capitalized at
$100,000, all paid in, and is officered as follows:
Theo. F. Bentel, president and treasurer; W. J.
Tipper, vice-president, and Edwin E. Natcher,
secretary.
"The firm believes in judicious newspaper ad-
vertising, and, like John Wanamaker, lays aside
2 per cent, of its income for this purpose. This
was the result of a long correspondence had with
Mr. Wanamaker on the subject by Mr. Bentel.
When first starting into business Mr. Bentel took
up the question of advertising with Mr. Wana-
maker, and suggestions were passed back and
forth and finally a decision was reached as to
the percentage of income to be used for adver-
tising."
MEETING ALL ALIKE AS TO PRICES.
An Interesting Chat on a Subject of Interest
to Members of the Trade.
One of the shrewdest men in the trade, emi-
nently successful and president of a concern with
a world reputation, in advising with a buyer and
WHAT PITTSBURGIANS ARE DOING. jobber,
told him to treat his customers all alike
New Six-Story Building for The Columbia Com-
as to price. "Have one selling figure on your
pany—Handsome Quarters for Manager Mc-
machines, records and accessories, and stick to
Murtry—Powers & Henry Enlarge—Hamil-
it," he remarked, "until Hades freezes over. Any
ton Co.'s New Department—Bard Bros. Suc-
other policy is hazardous, if not suicidal." These
cess—Bentel Co.'s Success Shows Business
observations came up in the course of a conver-
Possibilities.
sation regarding the status of jobbers as such as
distinguished from dealers who are only heavy
(Sperlal to The Review.)
buyers,
a matter which has been referred to in
Pittsburg, Pa., Jan. 29, 1906.
Manager McMurtry of the Columbia Co. has previous issues of The Review. Judging from
just closed a lease for the six-story building at present practices, which the future may change,
Said an Eighth street retailer: "I have found 636 Penn avenue, and has already a force of car- though it does not. seem likely, the discussion
that posting a bulletin of new records increases penters a t work fitting the same up for occu- seems fruitless and a waste of time and energy.
the demand for them. I bought a marking out- pancy by the different departments of the com- It is held the manufacturers are disinclined to
fit and have my clerk stamp out the list of new pany. The building will be known as the Co- make any distinctions. That one time a company
tunes, songs, etc., and post them conspicuously lumbia Phonograph Building. It is a modern of high standing, with transactions in every sec-
in the show window. These lists attract immedi- fireproof structure with a handsome terra cotta tion of the globe, had three different discounts;
ate attention, and I get lots of orders to send for front and will be of itself a constant advertise- but the plan would not work, so It was sur-
the records at once. Of course I announce I ment for the business of the company. It is rendered and the system adopted now in vogue on
sales to jobbers and dealers, with no intermediate
take orders subject to delivery and require a hoped to occupy the building by the first of
differences as to terms than is allowed on quan-
small deposit with each order. It seems to me all February.
companies making records should send every
Messrs. Powers & Henry of the Talking Ma- tity purchased. So the applicability of treating
retailer printed slips each month to post in con- chine Co. have enlarged the capacity of their all alike in this connection is readily recognized.
spicuous places. It would boom sales, and the store by adding a room on the second floor, di-
Speaking of great orders, report is that John
companies would be the gainer. The lists should rectly overhead, and connecting the same with
be printed in type large enough to be easily read their ground floor by a handsome stairway. The M. Smyth Co., Chicago, and an installment house
at a distance of ten feet. Of course the com- windows of their store during the holiday sea- concern known throughout the West, recently en-
gaged to buy 155.000 disc records from an East-
panies ought to send them gratis."
son were perhaps the most tastefully decorated
ern manufacturer for early delivery.
Charles B. Robertson, 4074 Lancaster avenue, of any talking machine store in the city. The
is attending to the talking machine wants of basic colors used were white and gold, and the
J. L. Orme & Son, Ottawa, Ont., who represent
West Philadelphia patrons, and has a tastefully effect was very striking indeed.
the Columbia line in that city, are carrying a vast
equipped showroom. His Christmas trade was
The talking machine department of the music number of records and machines in stock. They
very good and regular business is increasing.
store of the S. Hamilton Co., which was opened have recently provided a number of special rooms
John A. Smith, Broadway near Chestnut street, just before the holidays, had a very prosperous for displaying their instruments.