Funny photo of Spanish artists with a gramophone

[Inigo]

This photo from an old magazine shows three singers 'listening' to a gramophone which doesn't seem to play anything! Two of the personages were famous singers, Emilio Sagi-Barba and Luisa Vela, who were married. Their Spanish recordings were also issued by Victor in the US.

Screenshot_2020-09-22-20-36-58-045_com.miui.gallery.jpg

[nostalgia]

Thanks for sharing, it is always nice to see such old photos of (horn) gramophones.

[Inigo]

If you zoom the photo, you'll see the soundbox turned upside, and the tonearm removed from the playing position!

[CarlosV]

The machine looks interesting, could it be a Spanish HMV?

[Inigo]

Surely it was. The magazine tells the photo was taken at the Gramophone premises of Alvaro Ureña in Calle de Prim, 1, Madrid. He was a dealer in gramophones and records, among other things modern, since the late 1880s until the 1930s at least. Many of our 78s carry the label of this magnificent store. He also was a well known gramophone promoter. He gave gramophone concerts at his premises for the press and the aristocracy, including the king. The photo must have been taken somewhere in the 1910s. I'd bet it was prior to 1915, as they call it 'Gramophone'. In 1915 the Spanish society was created, independent since then from the French branch, which had worked in Spain until that year under a Spanish agency named Compañía Francesa Del Gramophone. After the Spanish agency was given a higher status of branch, name changed to Compañía del Gramófono S.A.E., and records were labelled equally, but 'Gramófono' instead of 'Gramophone', the other company credits in the small lettering on the labels taking also notice of the owners status change. This would have to be because of the popularity of the gramophone among the wealthy people and the increase of sales, due in part to promoters as Mr. Ureña.

[CarlosV]

Thanks for the piece of history, Inigo. Too bad these Spanish HMVs are so scarce, I've seen a couple in the Phonogalerie in Paris that looked very nice, with ornate colorful cases that are a far cry from their stern English and German counterparts.