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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
VICTOR CO. CLOSES GREAT BUSINESS IN 1914.
Great Advertising Campaign in Big Cities Just Before Holidays Secures Wonderful Results—
Heavy Shipments for January Demands—Optimistic Regarding Outlook.
(Special to The Review.)
PHILADELPHIA, PA., December 28.—The Victor
Talking Machine Co. will this week close one of
the greatest business years in the history of this
institution. The sales of Victor-Victrolas in all
parts of the country were phenomenal, and De-
cember in particular broke all records.
The great advertising campaign carried on by the
Victor Co. in the daily papers in New York, Chi-
cago and other points was undoubtedly a great
stimulus in developing business, demonstrating
afresh that advertising, when backed by the right
products, pays.
In order to supply the demands for January's
business, owing to cleaned-out shelves of jobbers
in many sections of the country, the Victor Co. on
Thursday shipped ninety-eight truckloads of talk-
ing machines by express and sixty-nine truckloads
by freight. All departments of the great Victor
institution have performed wonders in meeting the
great demands made upon them, particularly dur-
.ng December.
The officers of the Victor Co. are most op-
timistic regarding the outlook for the new year,
and expect an even greater volume of trade than
that closed in 1914.
BUSINESS OUTLOOK PLEASES.
John A. B. Cromelin Says December Was Best
Month in History of Columbia Co.—Enthu-
siastic Regarding Future—A Visitor from
Rochestei
Conditions in the South.
John A. B. Cromelin, general manager of the
Columbia Graphophone Co., who has been confined
to his home for ten days with an attack of grippe,
returned to his desk Monday, and resumed his
handling of the multitude of details incidental to
Columbia executive affairs. Mr. Cromelin, in re-
ferring to the general business situation, was en-
thusiastic in his optimistic predictions, as the Co-
lumbia Co. closed in December had the greatest
month in its history. The immense factory at
Bridgeport, Conn., is working three shifts a day,
and the total business closed by the company was
limited by the factory output, -which was far from
LATEST VICTOR PUBLICITY.
MAY BE MEMORY CHAMPION.
sufficient to fill the needs of their dealers. Co-
Some Superb Advertising Matter Prepared for
Friends of Hyman Landau, Talking Machine
lumbia business has been phenomenal, and Mr.
Dealers to Boom January Trade.
Man of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Declares He Has
Cromelin has just cause to feel enthused with the
Best Memory in the City—Proof Submitted.
The Victor Talking Machine Co. sent out to
popularity that the Columbia products are achiev-
(Special to The Review.)
its dealers this week a large amount of advertising
ing.
WILKES-BARRE, PA., December 26.—In a proposed
matter to assist them in securing a record-breaking
E. E. Robinson, vice-president and general man-
January business. January is considered by a large contest to decide what man has the best memory ager of the Grafonola Co.. Rochester, N. Y., was
proportion of the trade as the best record selling in the city of Wilkes-Barre, Hyman Landau, of
a visitor to New York this week. He stated that
month in the year, owing to the fact that so many the Landau Music & Jewelry Store, is supported by his company has closed a splendid holiday trade,
machines have been purchased for Christmas pres- many of his fellow citizens, who declare that he being handicapped by a shortage of machines and
ents that a vast amount of new record business will carry off the honors in that line very easily.
records, particularly in the higher-priced machines.
Mr. Landau is credited with being able to give
has. naturally been created.
The advertising department of the Columbia
One of the most important features of this Jan- without hesitation the number of any record in Co. has just issued an attractive poster featuring
the
catalog
of
the
Victor
Talking
Machine
Co.
once
uary advertising literature was a window poster of
Pavlowa, the prominent danseuse. It is designed
John McCormack to present the new Victor record he is acquainted with the name of the selection de- in several colors and calls attention to a Pavlowa
sired.
It
is
stated
that
a
customer
entered
the
of "Tipperary" which this eminent artist recently
dance article in the Ladies' Home Journal.
recorded. This window poster represents the Landau store recently and gave a list of records
H. A. Yerkes, manager of the wholesale depart-
desired.
Mr.
Landau
did
not
have
to
look
up
a
highest development of the printing and engraving
ment
of the Columbia Co., and New England dis-
arts, and its design, coloring and general make-up single number, but when he came to a certain selec- trict manager, is expected back to-day from a trip
tion
informed
the
customer
that
he
had
already
equal in dignity and attractiveness the most artistic
through the South, on which he visited the promi-
publicity ever issued by the Victor Co., whose efforts purchased that record before. The customer de- nent Southern cities of Atlanta and Birmingham,
nied
the
fact,
but
was
persuaded
to
call
up
his
home
in this particular field have won the praise of ad-
which are included in his territory. Mr. Yerkes 1
vertising and sales experts throughout the country. and found that the talking machine man was right. report of conditions in these cities indicate that
Mr. Landau's chief competitor for the memory
Included in the general advertising matter for
business in the South is steadily approaching a nor-
the month were two hangers devoted to the Victor prize is John T. Lenahan, one of the most noted mal status, with the people adjusting their affairs
educational division, featuring American history criminal attorneys in the State and also a for- to the new conditions which confront them.
series and Shakespearean records. This usual mer Congressman, who is credited with a remark-
batch of monthly literature included for the first able memory regarding legal matters.
time a sheet of foreign and domestic numerical
(Special to The Review.)
NEW MANAGERJN WORCESTER.
pasters, which were introduced a short while since
MILWAUKEE, WIS., December 28.—The Milwau-
by the New York Talking Machine Co., Victor dis- C. H. Schaeffer Takes Charge of Barnard, Sum-
kee agency for the Pathephone talking machine
ner & Putnam Co. Department—Other News.
tributer, with signal success.
line, manufactured by the Pathe Freres Phono-
graph Co., has been taken up by the Billings &
(Special to The Review.)
E. P. H. ALLEN WITH EDISON STAFF.
WORCESTER, MASS., December 28.—C. H. Schaeffer
Sons Piano Co., 504 Grand avenue. The line is
E. P. Huyler Allen has recently been added to the has been appointed manager of the talking machine being featured in the window displays at the store.
sales force of the Thomas A. Edison, Inc. Mr. Al- department of the Barnard, Sumner & Putnam Good sales of Mehlin, Holland, Cable-Nelson and
len's association in the musical business has beenpf
Co. Although a comparatively new man to the Billings & Sons pianos and players are reported.
such an extensive nature that he is well qualified talking machine business, he has been well coached
to fill the position he now holds. He is the former by W. C. Clifford, who is well-known to the trade.
LOOKS FOR BIGJHJSINESS IN 1915
general sales manager of the Keen-O-Phone Co., This house carries the Edison diamond disc and
Discussing the business situation and the out-
of Philadelphia. Mr. Allen has been connected with
Columbia outfits and the holiday business has thus look for the new year, George E. Brightson, presi-
piano concerns for a number of years—among
far been excellent.
dent of the Sonora Phonograph Corporation, 57
them the Aeolian Co., Lautcr Co., and Schu-
Reade street, New York, said to The Review on
bert Piano Co. Mr. Allen's success with the new
SPECIAL RED SEAL PAMPHLET.
Monday: "I am pleased to say that we are enjoy-
Edison diamond disc has already been very marked,
The Victor Talking Machine Co. advised its ing a very fine business, and we believe that the
and he is greatly encouraged with the reception
trade this week that it has in preparation a special coming year will be a big one for all in the phono-
that the Edison disc is being given by the trade.
graph business."
Red Seal pamphlet listing records by a number of
prominent Victor Red Seal artists. The company'
states that it was impossible to present these rec-
ords in the regular monthly bulletins owing to the
Office Records and Big Stock of Victor Goods
reduction in size of these bulletins during the sum-
Go Up in Flames in Atlanta, Ga.
mer months. It is suggested that these records
CSpecial to The Review.)
should
be presented to the public during the pres-
ATLANTA, GA., December 28.—The Elyea-Austell
ent
opera
season.
Co., the prominent Victor talking machine dis-
This special Red Seal list as announced in this
tributer and dealer of this city, suffered a heavy
loss last week when the second floor of the com- preliminary folder includes recordings by such
famous artists as Caruso, Bori,. Amato, Emmy
pany's building was gutted by fire and a large stock
of machines and records, as well as the office equip- Destinn, Fritz Kreisler, Melba, Schumann-Heink
ment and books of the company, were destroyed and many others.
SECURE PATHEPHONE AGENCY.
SUFFER HEAVT FIRE LOSS.
RECORDS - 2
by fire. Water and smoke also badly damaged
stock that was not reached directly by the flames.
The total loss to the talking machine company and
a neighboring concern was estimated at $100,000,
of which the former bore the heaviest share.
CTOR SUPPLIES
H. H. Swanson has opened a talking machine
store in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Boyle's Broken Dollar Store at Warrensburg,
Mo., has opened a talking machine department.
JBesi Ser*is/ce itSrJte /o
Largest Distributors
Chicago