Could this be the earliest crapophone in history?

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Meltrope3
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Could this be the earliest crapophone in history?

Post by Meltrope3 »

Acoustic phono-nostalgia in the atomic age. About mid-1950s I'm guessing?

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/atq/4780602426.html

An electric pickup, record changer, knobs all over the case--and an ersatz morning glory horn!

I'm strangely drawn to this mass of contradictions...Whenever somebody sits down to the history of the crapophone, this beast will surely be in the first chapter.

Phonofreak
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Re: Could this be the earliest crapophone in history?

Post by Phonofreak »

No, this is not a crap-o-phone. This was made by a company called Guild.They made a series of novelty radios to mimic telephones, spice cabinets, treasure chests, and desks. This is an example to mimic a phonograph, which they called the Grafonola. It mimics a Columbia in an odd sort of way. It had a matching stand. It plays AM(I'm not sure about FM). It plays 3 speeds of records, LP, 45, and 78. In decent operating condition, they are quite collectible. The Guild company made these radios in the mid 50's.
Harvey Kravitz

Meltrope3
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Re: Could this be the earliest crapophone in history?

Post by Meltrope3 »

What fun! An imaginative blend of cutting-edge technology with nostalgic retro styling. And too functional, and too well made, to be considered a crapophone, I agree.

Meltrope3
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Re: Could this be the earliest crapophone in history?

Post by Meltrope3 »

Come to think of it, a collector friend here in Austin has a phonograph disguised as a treasure chest...I'd say very likely that it's another Guild product.

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De Soto Frank
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Re: Could this be the earliest crapophone in history?

Post by De Soto Frank »

Hmmmm.... sometimes the line between "whimsy" and "crapophone" gets a little blurry... ;)


( Actually, maybe not... this Guild machine was never intended to deceive anyone... the crap-o-phones we see all over the inter-webs are not so innocent... )

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De Soto Frank

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alang
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Re: Could this be the earliest crapophone in history?

Post by alang »

Meltrope3 wrote:Come to think of it, a collector friend here in Austin has a phonograph disguised as a treasure chest...I'd say very likely that it's another Guild product.
Not sure exactly what your friend has, but there was a kid's phonograph in the 1930s that was inside a treasure chest. Long before Guild I think.

Andreas

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Re: Could this be the earliest crapophone in history?

Post by Meltrope3 »

Here's a photo of the Guild Grafonola with its matching stand. Somebody got a deal on this one, whether it works or not.

https://www.ebth.com/items/1209891-the- ... et-speaker

And here's a video of one in action. These definitely look like well made machines.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwCZ-4Yovv4

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De Soto Frank
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Re: Could this be the earliest crapophone in history?

Post by De Soto Frank »

I wonder if they had to pay a license fee to Columbia to use the "Grafonola" name ?

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De Soto Frank

spin78's
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Re: Could this be the earliest crapophone in history?

Post by spin78's »

Apparently Desilu studios had one. I remember seeing it on the later "I Love Lucy" shows, and also on several "Here's Lucy" shows.

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Torjazzer
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Re: Could this be the earliest crapophone in history?

Post by Torjazzer »

Actually they aren't as bad as one might suppose. They are actually quite well made and an honest homage, although a decidedly kitschy one. I would have and display one as an inside joke to other collectors of the real thing.
One of these showed up in a bland waste of time called The Artist. Set in the late 1920s to early 1930s, it featured a scene wherein the main character listened to his 33rpm vinyl LPs on this model of turntable. It was one of many inaccuracies in the film. Naturally, it won an armful of awards. And then Jesus wept and killed a puppy.

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