The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Picked up this Sonora floor model about 7 years ago and have combed through hundreds of Sonora ads and info with no matches. I guess the model #'s are of no use in identifying these machines? I have found several identical models pictured on internet but never any model designation. This seems to be one of the few models with a single door cabinet. It is possibly one of those less popular models that never made a showing in Sonora ads. Anyone now anything about this model?

This is a model just like ours. We have found very little reference to the single door style with the curved sides.

There is this full color Sonora advertisement from December 1917 that shows this model as "Intermezzo". The black & white ad from Saturday Evening Post, 1918, also shows this same model, named Intermezzo.
That same name was used on a two-door model, with a different grill styling, in other(later)advertisements, so that makes it confusing to accurately name the single door model.

Please see the great book by R. J. Wakeman on the Sonora, there is a copy available to read on the APS website.

Well thanks so very much Ed and Nancy! It's so very awesome to be able to finally give this beauty a name. I have been wondering about this for a long time. So that settles it then, it is infact an Intermezzo model. Apparently they made modifications over time and produced another updated version of the model later on. Or its possible that there were other custom versions of same model available at different costs. Either way I can put this to rest and finally call her by name! Thanks again for your help!

Mr. Wakeman's Sonora book also identified the various models. (See below) I would guess that the 1921, $175 Intermezzo was the two-door model.

Phonographs (Acoustic) Upright Floor Models

Baby Grand -- $125 in 1914; $150 in 1916, $160 in 1917, $200 in 1921
Barcarolle -- $60 in 1916, $150 in 1923
Elite -- $175 in 1916, $180 in 1917
Elite (2nd style) -- $260 in 1919, $265 in 1921
Etude -- $100 in 1921, $115 in 1923
Excelsior -- $50 in 1914
Grand -- $200 in 1914; $225 in 1916, $275 in 1917, $325 in 1921
Imperial -- $100 in 1914, $110 in 1917
Imperial (2nd style) -- $105 in 1917, $140 in 1921
Invincible -- $350 in 1916, $390 in 1921
Invincible (2nd style) -- $500 in 1917
Intermezzo -- $135 in 1917, $140 in 1917; $175 in 1921
Jewel -- $35 in 1914
Laureate -- $190 in 1916, $200 in 1917
Marquette -- $125 in 1922
Melodie -- $45 in 1916, $60 in 1921, $75 in 1923
Mendelssohn -- $55 in 1917
Minuet -- 1920
Nocturne -- 1920
Peerless -- $75 in 1914
Rosary -- $150 in 1914
Supreme -- $1000 in 1916
Troubadour -- $75 in 1916, $85 in 1917
Trovatore -- $100 in 1919