Odd items found inside phonographs

[JohnM]

In 1970, I bought an oak coin-op 15.5" Regina music box from the elderly daughter of the original owners for $300. It originally was in the family's ice-cream parlor in Bloomington, Indiana. When I removed the front inside panel, the coin-box contained a couple hundred Indian-head pennies in practically new condition!

[alang]

I found an card that was an invitation to a prom inside the horn area of my Amberola 1-A. The purple card is about the size of a business card and was printed in a fancy gold print. Is that a dance card? There were no names on the back.

Another time I found a 1910 dime in the concave area of the cast cygnet bracket on my Fireside.

It's so exciting to find a treasure inside a phonograph. Both of my items will stay with the machine with a little note.

Great thread! Jerry

Jerry, that's a great idea. I'll do that with my lucky penny and future finds. I'll probably make an exception for dead things though
Oh yes, just remembered: my unnamed horn machine had a complete (empty) wasp nest inside the case
I agree, great thread!
Andreas

[Brad]

Behind the tip out record storage section of a floor model Columbia, I found lots of papers (all old and nothing interesting), some piano music and a kids doll. I have always wanted to, but never have, found any money in phonograph (though I did find some cash in a record album once).

[Victrolaman]

I have found everything from deal dried out mice, a old dollar bill from the 30's
I found a baby tooth once in the back of a victor 17???
Very strange. But the guy who found the large pair of women's underware I don't know if anyone can top that geesh.
I hope they were clean at least

[JerryVan1]

Inside a Victrola XVI cabinet that I garbage picked, I found a new-old-stock brass Orthophonic reproducer. It was way down in the bottom, behind the record storage shelves.

Also, found a bundle of papers inside an Orthophonic 8-9. Mostly receipts from time payments on furniture and applainces fromt he 20's & 30's. As part of the bundle I also found the receipt for the very phonograph the bundle was in.

[SonnyPhono]

This thread should be updated every time someone finds something unexpected in a new phonograph. It's pretty interesting.

I have found two record repeaters when removing the motors for cleaning and an 1881 Morgan silver dollar in excellent condition.

[beaumonde]

I'm sure we've had this thread before, but I suspect that many of the folks now perusing the forum were not doing so a few years ago.

In my Victor 1-5 portable the guy I bought it from found this photo (dated 12/26) of the original owner:

[Couch Potato]

I bought a Victrola X upright and it had the skeleton of 3 inch long lizzard in it. Other then that just a few coins, dust and grease.

[barnettrp21122]

Beaumonde:
That picture is extraordinary! So many mid-twenties things in one shot: Girl in kimono, satin slippers, marcelled hair, reading Cosmopolitan Magazine, with Felix the Cat and plenty of the latest hits on the shelf below the Victrola! And you have that very machine! How neat is that!?
Maybe present owners of vintage machines could stage such a photo with THEIR favorite machine and tuck a copy in for the next owner to see!
Thanks for posting this.
Bob

[Tinkerbell]

In my Victor 1-5 portable the guy I bought it from found this photo (dated 12/26) of the original owner:

I'd love to have that Felix the Cat alone!!