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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
48
ELABORATE EDISON POSTERS ISSUED
Series of Elaborately Designed Hangers in Colors
Prepared for Use of Retailer—Call Attention
to Many Classes of Music
Thos. A. Edison, Inc., have recently issued
some particularly effective posters of special de-
sign and produced in a variety of colors and
which are planned for use in the store or show
windows of the retailers. The posters feature
a variety of Edison Re-creations. One, for in-
stance, draws attention to the hits of the musical
comedy, "Her Soldier Boy," two scenes from
the play being shown in panels at the top. Then
there are posters of grand opera numbers by
prominent artists, including: Mme. Matzenauer;
Messrs. Jorn, Middleton, Ciccolini, Mme. Rap-
pold and others. The hits of "The Century
Girl" and numerous popular songs of the day
are also featured in poster form, as are a series
of Hawaiian selections and numerous re-crea-
tions of patriotic music.
NATIONAL ANTHEMJ3Y McCORMACK
Record of "Star Spangled Banner" Just Issued
by Victor Co. the First Made by Noted Tenor
After Taking Out Citizenship Papers
The Victor Co. have taken excellent advant-
age of the patriotic wave at present sweeping
the country, by issuing record 64,664 bearing
"The Star Spangled Banner," sung by John Mc-
Cormack, assisted by a male chorus.
It is
stated that the song is the first recorded by
McCormack after taking out his first American
citizenship papers, which naturally adds interest.
Both dealers and jobbers have placed orders
for the record that indicates that they are fully
appreciative of its possibilities.
NEW BILL TO FIXRETAIL PRICES
Measure Introduced in Present Congress by
Representative Stephens of Nebraska
WASHINGTON,.D. C, April 16.—That the fight
for a Federal law that will provide for the
maintenance of prices on trade-marked patented
goods has not yet been given up has been mani-
fested through the introduction in the present
Congress, by Representative D. B. Stephens of
Nebraska, of a bill that apparently has for its
ultimate object the legalizing of contracts be-
tween manufacturer and retailer to fix and
maintain resale prices. The bill has been pre-
sented as being designed "to protect the public
against dishonest advertising and false pretenses
in merchandising." The -bill itself, however,
does not apparently work directly or indirectly
against fraudulent advertising, but does provide
that, under certain conditions, the manufacturers
may determine the price at whiGh their products
may be offered to the public by the retail dealer.
The measure is considered by many of those in-
terested in price maintenance to be rather am-
biguous in that it does not provide penalties for
the failure of the retailer to observe a fixed price
in selling goods.
FEATURING COLUMBIA TONE
The Columbia Graphophone Co. is using in
this week's issue of the Saturday Evening Post
a striking full page advertisement under the
heading of "Tone." The text of this adver-
tisement emphasizes the tone qualities of the
Columbia Grafonola calling attention to the
brilliant and natural tone which characterizes
the reproduction of records on this machine.
The illustrations used are the Columbia sound
box and the Columbia Grafonola 200.
The Emerson Phonograph Co. has leased
20,000 square feet of space in the Little & Ives
Building, 425-435 East Twenty-fourth street,
New York.
TALKING MACHINE EXPORTS
COLUMBIA MANAGERIAL CHANGES
The Figures for February Presented—Exports
Show Increase for the Month
Announcement in This Connection Made by W.
C. Fuhri, U. S. Manager Columbia Co.
WASHINGTON, D. C, April 16.—In the summary
of the exports and imports of the commerce of
the United States for the month of February,
1917 (the latest period for which it has been com-
piled), which has just been issued by the Bureau
of Statistics of the Department of Commerce
and Labor, the following figures regarding
talking machines and supplies appear:
Talking machines to the number of 3,786,
valued at* $90,633, were exported for February,
1917, as compared with 4,575 talking machines,
valued at $105,892, sent abroad in the same
month of 1916. The total exports of records
and supplies for February, 1917, were valued at
$89,180, as compared with $64,930 in February,
1916. For the eight months 48,797 talking ma-
chines were exported, valued at $1,213,742 in
1917, and 25,140, valued at $748,530, in 1916,
while records and supplies valued at $955,115
were sent abroad during 1917, as against $566,038
in 1916.
W. C. Fuhri, U. S. manager of the Columbia
Graphophone Co., New York, announced this
week the following changes in the personnel of
the company's wholesale managers:
B, L.
Brown, former manager of the headquarters at
Louisville, Ky., has been transferred to the man-
agement of the Indianapolis division. F. F.
Dawson, of the trade promotion department, is
temporarily in charge of the Louisville store.
A. W. Roos, former manager at Indianapolis,
is now a member of the Columbia Co.'s whole-
sale division at Cleveland, O., succeeding G. R.
Madson, who is no longer in the Columbia Co.'s
service.
O. M. Keiss, former manager at Toledo, O.,
is now manager of the Columbia division at
Buffalo, N. Y. W. L. Sprague, previously man-
ager at Buffalo, is in charge of the Columbia
headquarters at Minneapolis, Minn.
NEW ASS0CIAT10NJN WASHINGTON
Retail Talking Machine Dealers Form Organ-
ization With Percy S. Foster as President
WASHINGTON, D. C, April 16.—The retail talking
machine dealers of this city recently perfected
a new local association known as the Associa-
tion of Talking Machine & Retail Dealers of
the District of Columbia, and have elected the
following officers: Percy S. Foster, head of the
Percy S. Foster Piano Co., president; O. J.
DeMoll, president of O. J. DeMoll & Co., vice-
president; Hugo Worch, treasurer, and Harry
C. Grove, secretary. Mr. Foster has long been
secretary of the National Association of Piano
Merchants, and is intimately acquainted with
music trade affairs. Mr. DeMoll is also promi-
nent in association work, and is secretary of the
Piano Trade Golf Association. The other of-
ficers are also prominent in trade circles, Mr.
Grove being president of H. G. Grove, Inc.,
who recently took over the retail store of the
Columbia Graphophone Co. here.
The new association is the direct result of a
campaign carried on by French Nestor while
he was here as manager for Cohen & Hughes,
Victor distributors. Mr. Nestor then made a
connection with the Standard Talking Machine
Co., Pittsburgh, but before leaving for his new
post gave a luncheon to his friends in the Wash-
ington trade at which the association matter
was discussed and brought to a head.
The charter members of the new organization,
which plans to bring about several reforms in
the trade, include Percy S- Foster Piano Co., E.
F. Droop & Sons Co., O. J. DeMoll & Co.,
Cohen & Hughes, S. Kann & Sons Co., Hugo
Worch, R. C. Rogers Co., the Sport Mart, Inc.,
Harry C. Grove, Inc., House & Herman, An-
tonio Durso, the Arthur Jordan Piano Co., and
James Lansburgs & Co.
AN EXCELLENT PATRIOTIC DISPLAY
Columbia Graphophone Co. Branch in Portland,
Ore., Arranges Most Attractive Window
Among the branch stores of the Columbia
Graphophone Co. which took particular interest
in arranging a patriotic window and thereby
entering into competition for window displays
conducted by the Columbia Co. during February
was the Columbia store at 429 Washington
street, Portland, Ore. The Portland store ar-
ranged a thoroughly attractive window with the
figure of a young lady draped in the Stars and
Stripes and labeled "America" as the center-
piece. Several of the most popular patriotic
records were featured with the machines.
SPECIAL P0STERJ)F DANCE MUSIC
Victor Co. Issues Attractive Hanger on Which
Four Dance Selections Are Listed
The Victor Talking Machine Co. has just is-
sued an attention compelling poster listing two
special Jass band and orchestra dance selec-
tions, the numbers being "Dixieland" Jass Band,
and "Livery Stable Blues," played by the orig-
inal "Dixieland Jass Band" and "Poor Butter-
fly" and "Allah's Holiday," two fox-trots,
played by Joseph C. Smith and his orchestra.
All the selections are particularly popular just
at this time, and the poster will serve to in-
crease interest in them.
CONVENTION OFvEDISON DEALERS
National Gathering to Be Held at Waldorf-
Astoria, New York, on July 12 and 13
A national convention of Edison phonograph
dealers will be held at the Waldorf-Astoria, New
York, on July 12 and 13. Details of the conven-
tion and the official program will be announced
at a later date. Those in charge of the conven-
tion report that dealers from all sections of the
country have promised to attend the meeting.
JOINS THE TRAVELING STAFF
Morris W. Owens, associated with the New
York Talking Machine Co., Victor distributor,
for the past year, has become a member of
the company's traveling staff and will visit the
trade in New England. He succeeds O. P. Kil-
bourn, who resigned a few weeks ago. Mr.
Owens is thoroughly competent to co-operate
with the Victor dealers in his territory, as he
has had detailed experience in all phases of
Victor merchandising, having been connected
for several years with Owens & Beers.
FEATURING COLUMBIA DEPARTMENT
DALLAS, TEX., April 14.—The Will A. Watkins
Co., of this city, has been using successful pub-
licity in the local newspapers to feature its Co-
lumbia Grafonola department. The company
recently announced the inauguration of a "Red
Star" service for Columbia records, and its cam-
paign on this new departure is meeting with
splendid results.
NEW INCORPORATION
The Voice Recorder Co., Inc., was incor-
porated this week under the laws of the State
of New York to manufacture phonographs and
accessories.
T h e capital of this concern is
$150,000, and the incorporators are V. H. Emer-
son, Jr., R. W. Ovington and M. R. Braceville,
New York.
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