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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
69
RECORD=BREAKING COLUMBIA SALES
INAUGURATE ^OCALION WEEK
ANOTHER COLUMBIA FACTORY
April Business Will Probably Establish a New
Record—New Street Car Cards—Featuring
Louis Graveuere—Some Recent Visitors
Special Programs Arranged for Vocalion Week
at Aeolian Hall—Extensive Advertising Used
Three-Story Addition to Present Factory Being
Planned—Second Addition Since the First of
the Year—Will Be Ready July 1
The Aeolian Co. inaugurated on Monday a
special week at Aeolian Hall which they desig-
nated as "Vocalion Week." As its name implies,
this week is being devoted to a presentation of
the Aeolian-Vocalion, and a number of features
have been introduced to appeal to the music-lov-
ing public.
Four times daily a program of selected music
is being presented free of charge in the Vocalion
salons, and it is a tribute to Aeolian prestige and
publicity that during the first half of the week
every one of these recitals was well attended.
This program included a record by Pablo
Casals, with Miss Louise V. Stallings, a popular
soprano, illustrating the use of the Graduola, an
exclusive Vocalion feature; a selection by Miss
Stallings accompanied by the Vocalion, and sev-
eral numbers by Miss Ruth Cramer, a well-
known danseuse, the music being furnished by
the Vocalion.
Six-column advertisements appeared in all of
the leading Sunday newspapers announcing
Vocalion Week, and needless to state this adver-
tising was dignified and high grade in every
particular. The illustration used consisted of a
group picture of three of the most popular
models of art style Aeolian-Vocalions which
have achieved marked success in the compara-
tively short while they have been on the market.
R. F. Bolton, district manager of the Columbia
Graphophone Co., New York, reports the clos-
ing of a phenomenal April business. Although
the month's figures have not been officially com-
piled, there is every indication that the sales
totals will be ahead of last month, which was
the previous record breaker for this division.
This record is even more impressive, when it is
considered that last month's sales figures were,
ahead of last December, a previously unheard of
comparison. Local Columbia dealers are natur-
ally well pleased with the general situation,
and are evidencing their confidence in the future
by placing large orders for Grafonolas and rec-
ords for summer and early fall delivery.
Miss Wanda Hilborn, of the Columbia Co.'s
educational division, left Monday for a fort-
night's trip through New York State. The
activities of this important department are stead-
ily increasing, and since the first of the year, a
large number of schools in the leading cities
have placed orders for Columbia school equip-
ment.
The Columbia advertising department has
just prepared for the use of Columbia dealers
a new series of attractive car cards of unique
and original design. These cards present an
artistic set of illustrations which by reason of
their distinctiveness are well calculated to at-
tract the favorable attention and interest of
passengers.
The Columbia Co. is using considerable news-
paper advertising to feature the new Columbia
records by Louis Graveuere, the famous bari-
tone, who recently signed an exclusive contract
with the Columbia Co. Mr. Graveuere's records
went on sale last Thursday, and the demand
already established points to these records
achieving signal success.
H. A. Yerkes, Central West district manager,
and H. C. Groves, manager of the Washington
store of the Columbia Co., were visitors this
week at the executive offices, with optimistic
reports of conditions in their territories.
Hugh McLean, of McLean Bros., 384 High
street, Holyoke, Mass, a successful furniture
house of that city, was a visitor to New York
this week. McLean Bros, opened a talking
machine department a few months ago which
has achieved gratifying success. The products
of the Pathe Freres Phonograph Co. are handled
exclusively in this department, and Mr. McLean
states that the demand for Pathephones and
Pathe discs has far exceeded expectations. The
new Pathe records are meeting with marked
favor while the Pathephones retailing at $100
and upwards are proving very popular.
EDUCATIONAL RECORDS WANTED
DEATH OF GEORGE BLACKMAN
A. H. MAYERS OPENS NEW STORE
The Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Com-
merce reports that an inquiry has come in from
Siberia from a dealer who desires samples and
price lists of talking machine disc records used
to teach the English language to Russians. Full
information may be obtained by addressing the
Department at the district office, Room 409
Custom House, New York City, mentioning for-
eign trade opportunity No. 20,844.
George Blackman, a brother of J. Newcomb
Blackman, president of the Blackman Talking
Machine Co., New York, Victor distributor,
died suddenly last Thursday from pneumonia.
Mr. Blackman had been associated with the talk-
ing machine industry a number of years ago,
and was well known in the local trade. He is
survived by a wife and child. The funeral serv-
ices were held on Sunday.
Adolph H. Mayer, the well-known local
talking machine dealer, held the formal opening
of his new store at 783 Ninth avenue, near Fifty-
third street, on Wednesday of this week, Mr.
Mayers having removed recently from 790
Ninth avenue, where he had been located for a
number of years, to the new address. Mr.
Mayers, who specializes on the Victor line,
also conducts a retail store at 1983 Broadwav
SUCCESS W1THJTHE PATHEPHONE
Away with the Winding Crank!
"If only we didn't have to wind all the time."
How many times your customers have said this!
The Motrola does away with winding by hand—makes complete
the enjoyment of every selection.
Simple to attach—just unscrew the winding crank and put the
Motrola in its place. Connected with electric current it winds auto-
matically, insuring true tone and even time. Costs practically nothing
to run. It can't get out of order.
Be one of the first to have a Motrola for demonstrating purposes.
Prices and all other information sent on request
JONES-MOTROLA, Inc.
171 Madison Avenue
New York, N. Y.
The American Graphophone Co. recently
awarded a contract to Samuel Austin & Son Co.
for the erection of a three-story addition to the
Columbia plant at Bridgeport, Conn., making
the second large building addition to the factory
this year. The proposed building will be 400
feet long and 25 feet wide.
The addition is an extension of the building
where the offices were located before the factory
was rearranged. The building will be used for
manufacturing purposes and will also contain
the shipping department. The work started on
April 20 and the contract calls for completion
within two months from that date. The building
will be entirely of brick, steel and wood, along
modern lines and fireproof construction.
"SUPREME" SONORA INTRODUCED
Recital Held on Tuesday Afternoon of This
Week to Demonstrate $1,000 Instrument
The formal introduction of the new "Su-
preme" Sonora phonograph which sells at
$1,000, took place at the Sonora Salons, 668
Fifth avenue, New York, on Tuesday afternoon
of this week before a most select audience,
gathered by personal invitation to listen to a
demonstration of the instrument.
In sending out the invitations to the demon-
stration, George E. Brightson, president of the
Sonora Phonograph Corp., declared that tho
newest instrument would prove a revelation to
those who heard it for the first time and before
the conclusion of the program, those who at-
tended agreed with him.
One of the particularly interesting features
of the program was the exhibition of dancing
given by Miss Queenie Smith, premier dancer
of the Metropolitan Opera House Ballet
School, to the accompaniment of music from
the "Supreme" Sonora.
Refreshments were
served to the audience during the intermission.