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Model: "Electrola" Lamp Phonograph,"A Combination of Electrolier and Phonograph operated by electricity"
Serial No.:101
Years Made:, First announced to the trade in 1915, Patent information is from 1916
Original Cost: Unknown
Case/Cabinet Size: Case is solid brass, Measuring 15" at the base and 37 ½" high including the shade.
Turntable: 10"
Reproducer: Unmarked Generic reproducer
Motor: General Electric Motor
Horn Dimension: 2" opening up by the light bulb where the sound comes out.
Reproduction Parts: The harp to hold the shade was missing, a reproduction was fabricated. Shade is reproduction to match the period ad that I have shown.
Current Value: I have seen only two of these lamps, at one time I owned both. Not really enough market sales to establish a market value.
Interesting Facts: I have been fascinated with Lamp Phonographs for many years and thought that I had seen all the different ones that were available in the short period of time that these were fashionable. I have quite a few in my collection, including two Lampographs that were made here in St. Louis. I was quite surprised when I first discovered this lamp a couple of years ago. Soon after buying this one, Ron Haring came up with another one that I purchased. The serial number on my first one was 101, while the second serial number was 108. I assume that they started at 100. If anyone out there is aware of another one, I would be interested in knowing. I have shown a copy of an original article that I found online from some magazine, I have not been able to verify which magazine that it came from. I would think that it was possibly Talking Machine World, but as of yet I have not verified this. I did find the original patent listed in the Talking Machine World. It is in the June 15, 1916 edition, page 98. It also appears in the Dec., 1916 edition, page 98. The patent number is #1,185,987, issued to George E. Emerson. In the patent application, they explain how the sound waves passing through the heat generated by the light bulb increases and diffuses the sound waves just like a horn. If you do a word search for "Emerson" in the Talking Machine World for 1916, you will find several articles mentioning this lamp including the Patent drawings.The term "Electrola" and the description that I used in the Model information came directly from an article in Talking Machine World. The fact that I have seen so few of these my 42 years of collecting makes me believe that it was a short-lived product by the Emerson Phonograph Corp. Once again, if anyone else is aware of another one of these, please let me know. I would be very interested in the serial number.As you can see, the bottom domed piece lifts up and locks in place when it is rotated. This gives access to the turntable and tone arm. It is mostly solid brass, with some pieces being steel. The brass trim pieces are soldered on. I hope you enjoy this unusual phonograph.
