Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
FEBRUARY 4,
1922
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
47
FOUR NEW V1CTROLAS ANNOUNCED
FINANCIAL COMMITTEE APPOINTED
WINDOW DISPLAY MAKES SALES
Four New Machines Similar in Design to the
Popular Victrola 300, and With List Prices
Ranging From $115 to $350, Ready Soon
Columbia Co. Noteholders Organize to Ar-
range Financial Matters
Novel Arrangement of Machines and Records to
Simulate Automobile Helps Landau Store to
Sell Eight Machines a Day—Clever Sales Plan
The Victor Talking Machine Co. this week
formally announced the fact that there are now
in process of manufacture four new instrument
models of the console type which are of a char-
acter and offered at prices that should provide
for them an immediate and strong demand. The
preparation of the new models has long been
rumored and the official announcement regard-
ing them has been received with particular in-
terest.
The new instruments are to be known as Vic-
trola 240. listed at $115; Victrola 260, listed at
$160; Victrola 280, listed at $200, and Victrola
330, at $350, the last two being also equipped for
electrical operation at a cost of $65 additional.
The four new models are similar in general out-
line to the distinctly popular Victrola 300, which
was in such strong demand during the past year,
and for that reason should make an immediate
appeal to the public. Victrolas 240 and 260 are
provided with nickel-plated equipment and Vic-
trolas 280 and 330 with gold-plated tone arm,
sound box, etc.
Victor retailers are urged to advise whole-
salers regarding their requirements so that they
may receive an adequate supply of the new
models as soon as possible after the factory be-
gins to ship.
COLUMBIA FOR GLOBE THEATRE
Period Model Graces Ladies' Smoking Room at
Prominent New York Theatre
The illustration herewith shows the Columbia
Louis XVI Period Model in position in the
Ladies' Smoking Room, Globe Theatre, New
York. This model was chosen with discrimi-
nating care so as to match the coloring of the
Grafonola in Ladies' Smoking Room
walls as well as the other furniture in the room.
Mr. Slocum, manager of the theatre, states that
it has attracted much attention and many ladies
have asked about it. Two selections that are also
coming in for their share of commendations are
"Blue Danube Blues" and "Ka-Lu-A," numbers
recorded from "Good Morning, Dearie," now
playing at the Globe. These selections are
played during the period between the acts.
INCREASES CAPITAL TO $60,000
The Phonograph Shop, Inc., of Dallas, Tex.,
has filed an amendment to its charter providing
for an increase of capital stock of this concern
from $20,000 to $60,000.
A committee has been formed of representa-
tive holders of the $6,000,000 five-year 8 per cent
notes of the Columbia Graphophone Co. This
committee, which is to seek deposits of 8 per
cent notes, is the result of the efforts of various
committees representing substantially all of the
company's bank and merchandise creditors who
have been engaged for some time in preparing
a plan to readjust the company's indebtedness
without interference with the continuation or
development of this business. These bank and
merchandise creditors hold about 75 per cent of
the Columbia Graphophone Co.'s total indebted-
ness.
It is understood that the committee of note-
holders just formed has made arrangements
whereby, on February 1, coupons on 8 per cent
notes which shall be deposited will be acquired
by a committee representing bank creditors.
This arrangement, it is felt, would assure to the
noteholders depositing their holdings the interest
payment due on February 1.
A request to holders of 8 per cent notes is ex-
pected shortly, inviting deposits of their notes on
or before February 15. The Guaranty Trust Co.
will probably be the depositary, and notes so de-
posited should include all coupons payable from
February 1 and other subsequent coupons.
The committee is composed of Harold Stanley,
president Guaranty Co.; G. Hermann Kinnicutt,
of Kissel, Kinnicutt & Co.; Bayard Dominick,
of Dominick & Dominick; A. W. Butler, of But-
ler, Herrick & Kipp.
COLUMBIA SECURES AL HERMAN
Prominent Vaudeville Artist to Record Exclu-
sively for Columbia Giaphophone Co.
The Columbia Graphophone Co. announced
this week that it has secured Al Herman, the well-
known vaudeville comedian, as an exclusive
Columbia artist. This comedian is perhaps one of
the most popular vaudeville artists in the country
to-day, and his records will no doubt be looked
for by record enthusiasts everywhere.
The first records to be released appear in the
February list and.consist of numbers which Mr.
Herman has featured in this year's production of
the "Greenwich Village Follies" and the "Music
Box Revue." The first number is "I Hold Her
Hand and She Holds Mine" from the "Follies' "
show and the second is "They Call It Dancing,"
from the "Music Box Revue." In the March list
the company is to release a double-faced record
by Al Herman of "Which Hazel" and "You're
Outa Luck."
Other well-known artists on the vaudeville
stage whose records appear in the February list
are Yernon Dalhart, tenor, and Al Bernard,
baritone, who are represented by a duet record.
The first number is entitled "I Want My
Mammy," a new lyric written around the theme
of home and the South.
JOHN CHAS. THOMAS GOES TO ITALY
Popular Baritone and Vocalion Artist to Study
Under Jean De Reszke
John Charles Thomas, noted musical comedy
baritone and exclusive Vocalion record artist,
recently made his farewell appearance in New
York prior to sailing for Italy, where he will
spend some time as a pupil of Jean de Reszke.
With the additional training thus received it is
believed that Mr. Thomas will find a new pin-
nacle awaiting him among American baritones
in the grand opera field.
HAZLETON, PA., January 30.—Two talking ma-
chines so arranged that the sound-box doors of
the rear instrument made the "side doors" of the
automobile, which the arrangement represented,
with records for wheels and another for a steer-
ing wheel, and with winding crank for the crank
of the "flivver" and needle-boxes for lamps, have
made so good a selling display that the Landau
Music Store has sold an average of eight ma-
chines a day since November 21 and expects to
keep up the sales during 1922. The window
display has held hundreds of people in front of it
every day since it was first put in.
Leo Landau and William Bronson, who run
the store and who arranged the display, also sold
200 records of "Ma" and "My Sunny Tennessee"
by use of the "automobile." The front talking
machine was kept in continual operation day and
night by a Motrola and a reverser which
brought the needle around to the edge of the rec-
ord after the whole disc had been covered. It
was found that one tungstone needle and one
record were worn out by twenty-four hours'
steady operation. This feature of the display
was watched with interest by many, who won-
dered how long the needle and the record could
be used. As a record is played in two and a half
minutes, this demonstration of its durability was
quite a selling argument for both the machine
and for the selection itself and over 200 of the
records were sold in one week to persons who
watched the display and checked up on the
change of the discs.
SIGN SELLS SELECTED RECORDS
Live Dealer Places Sign at Store Entrance Ad-
vertising One Record at a Time
A plan which is proving of considerable suc-
cess in boosting sales of selected records has
been originated by a talking machine dealer in
Texas. This consists of a painted sign placed
before the street entrance of the store, advertis-
ing only one record at a time. This merchant
contends that the interested passer-by will not
hesitate to come into the store because he will
have something definite to ask for. When the
prospective customer is once inside the estab-
lishment the rest is up to the sales force. Of
course, the advertisement can be changed as
often as the dealer desires and attention may
be centered on a different record each day.
INVENTION ATTRACTS INTEREST
Several members of the local trade have ex-
pressed keen interest in a new invention recently
completed by Hugo Schroeder, who has
perfected several improvements in the automo-
bile field. Mr. Schroeder's invention, when at-
tached to a talking machine, will play from one
to twelve records consecutively, or will repeat
the whole or a part of any record. The inven-
tion is noteworthy for its simplicity, as it is con-
trolled entirely by two buttons and does not
mar or injure the cabinet in any way. After
each record is played it is thrown off auto-
matically, and the succeeding record is placed
on the turntable ready for playing.
J. H. JONES JOINS DROOP CO.
WASHINGTON, D. C, January 30.—J. H. Jones,
formerly concert tour manager for several Victor
artists, has joined the staff of the wholesale Vic-
tor sales department of E. F. Droop & Sons Co.
here. He will travel in the Virginias.