[78-L] my first Monarch (Early Sleeves?)

[Sean Miller]

This raises a question I've had for a long time now regarding "area
exclusivity".  Over the years, I've collected record dusters, sleeves and
record "bags" from Albany, NY dealers that carried Victor records and
machines.  In the early 1920s, there were at least four dealers that carried
Victor records and machines within two or three blocks of one another.  The
Strand Temple of Music on State Street "Albany's Biggest Victrola Retailer"
wasn't just a Victor dealer, they carried instruments, sheet music and the
like in what I believe was an enormous place, the building is still there
and it's quite a sight.  You also had Boardman and Gray down the street on
Broadway which carried Edison and Victor as well as their own line of
instruments.  Over on North Pearl Street, just up a block or two you had
McClure and Dorwaldt "Home of the Ampico" at 64 and at 101 North Pearl there
was the Thomas Music Store which carried "Pianos, Victrolas and everything
musical".  Somehow I don't think Victor cared how many dealers they had in
any given area as long as the dealers themselves continued to buy and carry
their product.

Anyone else have examples like this?  I realize that at least three of these
businesses didn't only rely on selling phonographs and records, but I've
always been curious!

Sean

-----Original Message-----
From: 78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com
[mailto:78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com] On Behalf Of Michael Biel
Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 8:55 PM
To: 78-L Mail List
Subject: Re: [78-L] my first Monarch (Early Sleeves?)


All of the above.  The major labels, Victor, Columbia, and Edison, sold 
thru franchised dealers which also sold the phonographs.  Not allof the 
franchises were exclusive, meaning some of the stores could possibly be 
franchised by two of the labels.  Some of the stores had area 
exclusivity and others might have a competitor across town.  All this 
was governed by price controls so customers would be greeted by the same 
prices in each store.  These controls and franchise agreements started 
to break down as the patents expired in the late teens, but Victor 
started screwing up price controls when they let dealers sell off single 
sided Red Seals cheap when they were doubled, and then selling off the 
regular acoustical players when the Orthophonnic was about to be released.