Columbia Frankenola?

[Wolfe]

What is this?


http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/atq/4711483900.html

[estott]

Baby Regent- aside from the turntable felt I see nothing wrong. Columbia had quite a few models disguised as furniture- this ad shows some earlier models when they used doors instead of louvers:

[victorIIvictor]

Robert Baumbach, on page 113 of his Columbia (Disc) Phonograph Companion Volume II, shows this as a Baby Regent (late), introduced in 1913 and originally selling for $100. The book says the width was 28 inches and the depth was 28 inches, and this example falls within that range. This model was available in both mahogany and quartered oak. What Baumbach means by Baby Regent (late) is shown on the previous page; the Baby Regent (early) was introduced in 1911, had doors rather than louvers (= instant lawsuit from Victor), and no shelf.

I think this is rather attractive, in a wacky sort of way. "Columbia Grafonola: we're Number Two, so we try harder… to be weirder."

Best wishes, Mark

[Wolfe]

It is wacky. But I can't say that I would want it.

Glad to know that it's legitimate Columbia product at least.

[phonogfp]

If you think about it, the Columbia Grafonolas weren't really wacky at the time. Columbia's cabinetry sought to blend into existing furniture styles and functions. Only in light of Victor's Victrola do they come off in hindsight as a bit eccentric. But the Victrola didn't really look like anything. Who could have guessed that the Victrola's shape would quickly come to be recognizable as an expensive (at first) talking machine, and that hundreds of other brands would copy it? The Victrola created a distinctive new market, as many other consumer products have done since, and eventually everything else looked like "less."

I must admit that, had I been phonograph shopping around 1910 from a purely aesthetic perspective, I might have chosen a Grafonola.

George P.

[Curt A]

Dittoes, George...

I would have wanted one of these Baby Regents back at that time (still would), since it was a practical piece of furniture and a phonograph. Try setting a lamp, family pictures or whatever on top of your Victrola... when you want to use it, you have to unload it to open the lid. It also works great if you have a Fairy Phonograph Lamp - you can play two records at the same time...

[victorIIvictor]

George P wrote, "If you think about it, the Columbia Grafonolas weren't really wacky at the time."

To be sure, Columbia was going out of its way to please (especially) the feminine market by attempting to create attractive, even functional furniture which just happened to also be a phonograph. As I understand it, the women, having significant input into phonograph purchase choices (and indeed, all household spending), were the ones who were most opposed to external horn machines. In those times, after all, who had the job of dusting those? This Baby Regent was an attempt to appeal to that market, and so was not really wacky at the time, as you say.

However, in attempting to find this model in Robert Baumbach's book to answer Wolfe's query, visions of Grafonolas disguised as grand pianos danced before my eyes as I flipped the pages. It's difficult to believe those were not regarded by many as kitsch at the time. (For what it's worth, I think they are kitsch now, which is not to say I don't like them--they do make me smile.)

Curt A wrote, "…it was a practical piece of furniture and a phonograph. Try setting a lamp, family pictures or whatever on top of your Victrola... when you want to use it, you have to unload it to open the lid."

But Curt, you're not SUPPOSED to set anything on top of your Victrola. Like the Red Death, the Victrola "held illimitable dominion over all."

(I had to get my Edgar Allan Poe quote in, because…)

Happy Halloween, everyone!

--Mark

[Wolfe]

However, in attempting to find this model in Robert Baumbach's book to answer Wolfe's query, visions of Grafonolas disguised as grand pianos danced before my eyes as I flipped the pages. It's difficult to believe those were not regarded by many as kitsch at the time. (For what it's worth, I think they are kitsch now, which is not to say I don't like them--they do make me smile.)

I agree. But when I play my loud Borbee's Jass Orchestra records, I want something more than that.

[dutchman]

Baby Regent- aside from the turntable felt I see nothing wrong. Columbia had quite a few models disguised as furniture- this ad shows some earlier models when they used doors instead of louvers:

I have the middle buffet table model (Regent Junior) shown in Estott's attachment. Neat, front and back are identical and the player can be operated from the left end or turn it around and play it from the right end.

Bill K

[FloridaClay]

While I don't own one (yet at least), I rather like these machines precisely because they are different, and pretty well executed as well. Victrola lookalikes, one after another, can get rather boring.

Clay