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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, APRIL, 19J+1
Combination
Business
Phonographs ... Records ...
Radio-Phonographs
Increase in Combination Business
Foretells Hundred Million Record Sales
19
Capehart Remote
Control Apparatus
Extended and remote control equip-
ment recently introduced for use with
Capehart combination-radio instruments
was demonstrated to metropolitan Cape-
hart dealers and their salesmen at a two-
day convention March 11th and 12th at
the Park Central Hotel, New York. The
program was under the direction of F. B.
"Ted" Ostman, national service manager
of the Capehart Division of Farnsworth
Television & Radio Corp., Marion, Ind.
New techniques for applying remote
control and reception instruments through-
by DANIEL WEBSTER
TREMENDOUS increase in the number
J. of phonograph owners last year and
again this season is being registered in
the record departments of many leading
piano merchants and greatly stimulating
store traffic. Recent low prices for fully
automatic combinations have stimulated
the purchase of such instruments by cus-
tomers who had originally planned on a
straight radio. This is a distinct market
from those who bought players or table
combinations and should be closely
studied by the record manager.
Recent record sales have surprised
those dealers who remember the big vol-
ume of twenty years ago. In 1940, a total
of 75,000,000 records were sold, doubling
the preceding year's big business. This
year should see the figure pushed to a
hundred million, approaching the all-time
high of 110,000.000 reached before radio
invaded the field of home entertainment.
As proof of the expected increase this
year, an examination of the potential mar-
ket shows how fast it is growing. Last year
there were about 1,500,000 machines of
all types, from simple player to complete
automatic, sold. This was a 33% increase
in phonograph ownership, bringing the
total in homes to 6,000,000. These are this
year's new record buyers. Sales of com-
binations so far in 1941 indicate that about
the same number of new players will be
added as last year. That means a 67 %
increase in the number of record pro-
spects in two years.
Important in the per capita purchase of
records is the length of time the phono-
graph has been owned. Most records are
bought in the first two years of playing.
Since 1941 will see two-thirds of the phon-
ograph owners in this catagory, the record
sale for each customer should be high.
The defense program will make 1942
unique in recent merchandising years.
Prices of combinations should hold steady
or increase, protecting the dealer's inven-
tory. As for records, they are made
largely of shellac, which looks like a very
scarce commodity in America for the next
few years.
Spurring this price tilting trend is the
growing income of a class of customer
who has not enjoyed large spending pow-
er for some years. People who have been
content with low-priced radio and table
players will want large automatic com-
binations. The alert piano dealer will
know how to build up these prospects and
persuade present phonograph owners
that they should have the latest and best.
Piano dealers are strongly entrenched to
make the greatest gains from this year's
unusual conditions. They have prestige in
their cities, the hallmark of authority in
both music and quality. With a greater
proportion of their prospects seeking to
buy the best, these merchants should cap-
ture a large proportion of this valuable
business.
Columbia Signs
Lotte Lehmann
The Columbia Recording Corp. has
signed a contract with Lotte Lehmann to
record exclusively on Columbia Master-
works records, it was announced last
month by Edward Wallerstein. president
of the company. Mme Lehmann began re-
cording last month and an album of her
discs will be released in the near future.
Mme. Lehmann, whose art as an opera
singer and recitalist has been acclaimed
throughout the world, is the latest addi-
tion to the roster of Columbia artists,
which now numbers such outstanding
singers as Rise Stevens, Josephine An-
toine, Charles Kullman, Roland Hayes,
John Carter, Carlo Morelli and Nelson
Eddy.
The Corporation will also release the
first American recordings ever made by
Bruno Walter, famous symphony and
opera conductor, as a special release in
advance of the May Masterworks release
list.
Capehart Officials Demonstrate Remote Control
out a home, and also for making various
types of outdoor installations, were ex-
plained at afternoon sessions by H. L.
Naylor, Eastern field manager, and Win
Campbell, factory representative.
Pierre Boucheron, general sales man-
ager for all Capehart and Farnsworth
combination and radio products presided
at the evening sales meetings. He was
assisted by Richard Vaughn, Capehart
district sales manager and by C. W.
Emley, Capehart's New England sales
manager.
"The metropolitan New York market is
prime now for the sale of combination-
radio instruments with extended and re-
mote control installations, ranging in price
between $2,000 and $3,000." said Mr.
Boucheron, to the guests present at the
evening session.
The apparatus recently perfected by the
company's electronic research labora-
tories at Fort Wayne makes it possible to
start, stop, increase, or diminish volume,
and to select or reject either side of 20 re-
cordings by push-button control. Radio
programs may be similarly selected. Sim-
plified methods of installing control ap-
paratus and speakers in many different
rooms of a residence, as well as out-doors
in such locations as swimming pools and
gardens, were demonstrated by members
of the Capehart technical staff.
A special meeting for the large sales
and service staff of Liberty Music Shops
was held on the evening of March 12th.
General meetings were also held the fol-
lowing week for Capehart dealers in
Boston and Hartford districts.