The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Henry wrote:Uneeda (the biscuit) is an obvious play on "you need a" (biscuit), a now-extinct Nabisco product.

Having taken a look to the actual box by Nabisco, where the word "biscuit" strictly follows the word "uneeda", in same size and font, it is absolutely obvious that the pun is fully intended, and this makes uneeda a no less asinine example to bring on the redactor's side.



Although period literature clearly affirms that the name amberol has no meaning, I am nonetheless fully persuaded that it had been intentionally chosen to suggest that the newly formulated material was just as durable, just as cristalline, just as pure, just as precious, just as nice to look at as mineral amber, and/or to suggest that amber was one of its components (although not true). Nothing would convince me otherwise.

Victor seems to get credit for the "ola" suffix denoting an internal horn talking machine. But the Pianola cabinet piano player from the Aeolian Co. had been on the market for about six years by the time the Victrola hit the market. The story that Eldridge Johnson said " Why, it sounds like a viola!" upon hearing the prototype has always seemed to me like something dreamed up by the Victor advertising department in order to cover their tracks . I've always thought this is why Victor didn't go after Edison and Columbia for the use of their use of "ola" in the Amberola and Graphonola.

I miss Uneeda Biscuit and Sapolio

Shinola was actually an ingredient of Diamond Discs, at least for a while ...

Our guest bathroom features an example of that last-mentioned product, available as a convenient reference, should any guest lose his/her bearings.

Edisone wrote:Shinola was actually an ingredient of Diamond Discs, at least for a while ...

Actually, the ingredient was "Shino": a lead resinate, not the proverbial shoe polish...

Bill

So is someone makes an internal horn "Crapophone," would it be called a "Crapola?"

Thank you Dave, I'm glad you asked. It goes back to Edison's teen years and his first love Amber Kowalski. It was a mostly unfulfilled love, due to her father's strict Shaker beliefs. Still, Edison managed but one glorious meeting with her, when he shared his all. It was many years later, when a new record format was to be introduced, that brought to mind for Edison that 4 minutes of ecstasy they had shared. It had to be named after Amber, hence the name Amberola was born. The record also reminded him of her, cylindrical and with an odd blue hue.

Hey Jerry!
I can see this getting quoted in some future reference on Edison records. Since it is on the internet, it must be true! Very entertaining. (To me at least)
Dave

RAK402 wrote:So is someone makes an internal horn "Crapophone," would it be called a "Crapola?"

Correct. That's how the suffix "-ola" is meant to be used.