Unique Electric Phonograph - Orola

[Mardi67]

I am researching an Orola phonograph by the Oro-Fone Company of Chicago. I believe it was from the early to mid 1920's. It has a very unusual shape, much like a chafing dish. I was just wondering if anyone has seen one of these before of if you know anything about the company. I'm also trying to get an idea what something like this would be worth. We have not plugged it in as yet. My friend wants to check it out first to make sure he doesn't burn out the motor. So, we don't know if it works.

I've attached several images. I'm not sure why they look sideways and upside down, but if you click on them they show up right-side-up.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me on this.

[phonolamplighter]

Darling machine! Great find and we are JEALOUS!

The Oro-Tone Company was incorporated June, 1922. 1000 George Street, Chicago, Illinois. Motto or slogan was "Quality First"

The General Mfg. Corp & Recordeon Phonograph Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin also made a model with the same name, "Orola".

Congratulations,

[Curt A]

Interesting find... it looks like you could bake a casserole and listen to your favorite record at the same time...

[Oceangoer1]

If that tonearm is original, I would say the machine is definitely very late 20's to early 30's. It's very neat!

-Connor

[tomb]

did kitchen aid get its mixer idea from this. that is a nice find. I a have wanted to pick one up for years but the price was always high and I di not have the cash,
. The way things are going now I will need a nice inheritance. Tom B

[Lucius1958]

Interesting, since the trend of "disguised" phonographs seems to have been mostly during the acoustic era.

From its size and shape, may I assume that it was meant to be patched into a radio? There does not seem to be room for an amp or speaker. Is there a separate wire (or a port for such) that would have connected it?

Bill

[phonolamplighter]

Just a little more info about the Oro-Tone Company--

This was mainly a phonograph parts manufacturing business. Their products included Oro-Tone tone arms, reproducers, indestructible diaphragm, Victor-Edison and Edison-Victor attachments(allowing the play of all records on these machines), and a portable talking machine known as 'Porto-Type' which sold for about $35.

There was also a manufacturing plant in Canada making the Oro-Tone products for the Canadian phonograph trade.
Other supplies and parts were steel needles, sapphire and diamond points, fibre needle cutters, automatic stops, motors and various radio supplies as well.

By 1925 they introduced a 3-in-1 recording attachment for making home recordings and a 'radio tone arm'.

1926 brought more radio products such as radio speaker tubes.

In 1927, new plating equipment in their updated factory allowed for gold, nickel, and oxidized copper and bronze plating.

The first electric pick-up tone arms were introduced in August of 1928.

Here is a sampling of some advertisements featuring these products.

[Pathe Logical]

Interesting machine! I know of another one of their models in a dark, faux wood-grained finish, however, I believe it has a different tonearm. I'll see if I can get pictures and post them at a later date.

Bob

[jukejunkie]

Here is the one I restored for a friend about 10 years a go. I think this pickup is more appropriate to the machine and date it at very late 1920's

[bigshot]

I want to grill up some steaks on that!