The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

If you adjusted those numbers for inflation:

$40.00 in 1972 is equal to $228.34 today.
$70.00 in 1973 is equal to $386.75 today.

Rich Gordon

rgordon939 wrote:If you adjusted those numbers for inflation:

$40.00 in 1972 is equal to $228.34 today.
$70.00 in 1973 is equal to $386.75 today.

Rich Gordon

Amazing how things have changed in 40+ years!

Bill

Here's another sample listing. This one is from Neuman Miller Parts List from 1971, most of these are reproduction parts, a few are NOS:
Amberola 30 grille $3.00
Victor Exhibition reproducer rubber flange $3.75
Edison Standard gear cover for 2 min $2.25
(NOS) Edison crank, screw type $6.50
(NOS) Edison crank, slip on type, $6.50
Edison needle in bar for C reproducer $5.00
Berliner or Eldridge Johnson crank $4.75
Reproducer for Columbia Q. B, AT & Busy Bee $16.50
Edison Diamond Disc reproducer $14.50

If only I had a time machine!!!

If you had a time machine, you could go back to 1910 and get original, perfect-condition NNS parts. (NNS= new, new stock)

I found a few other catalogues with prices as follows:

AGC, Fall/Winter 1968
Edison Concert A (exc condition, w/5 cylinders) $625
Edison Suitcase Standard (no horn, w/6cyl, nice) $145
Columbia Disc Graphophone BWT (exc condition) $159
Photograph, original, T.A. Edison, Autographed by Edison, framed $95

Hathaway & Bowers, May 1971
Style 240 Reginaphone (Ornate lions head cabinet) $1495
Regina Hexaphone (restored condition with records)$1195

Frank Adams, Spring 1974
Nipper Dog, (Large, came in original carton) $150
Victor Victrola 9-55 (orthophonic radio-phonograph)$2000
Victor Victrola 10-50 (exc condition) $1500

I want a time machine for my birthday! Russie

I bought my first Victrola at a rummage sale in 1962, when I was in the 7th Grade. It was (and still is!) a mahogany VVX floor model in perfect condition, and included the owner's manual. It cost me $8.00

The Good Old Days! And I fed it with hundreds of one-sided Victors and Columbias from Goodwill, priced at 75¢ (though it might have been as high as 79¢!). I'd go every week or so, and there was always a new haul of 5 or so good records: lots of Carusos, and once even a Tamagno.

Here's yet another earlier price list. This one is from W.H. Miller of Troy, Ohio dated December 15,1961

Victor Victrola VV-XVI, very nice, $30
Columbia Graphophone A, WA, DC model, nice $125
Columbia Graphophone Grand AB w/lid & 5 large
cylinders, beautiful $250
Victor E front mounted horn, Concert reproducer
in excellent condition $50
Edison Triumph, early one, no horn $75

Blue Amberol records, good condition 35 cents ea
Edison 4 minute wax cylinders, good cond 50 cents ea
Edison Diamond Disc records, good cond 25 cents ea
Victor and Columbia Acoustic records 10 cents ea

When I was young but old enough to want phonographs nearly any machine that came up at an auction sold for 50 cents to maybe 5 dollars. I recall a friend who did collect horn machines put me on to a Edison William and Mary Console at antique shop which was full of many records, some electrical but I didn't know it at the time. It went for a grand total of 12.00 and I thought it was a lot.. That would have been about 1960. I had a lot of machines which I parted with in those days for very little. I think the Louis XV Edison in Walnut I sold for 40.00 and the Sonora Grand in American Walnut for 80.00. The Columbia desk model brought around 25.00. This would have been in the 1962 range. My only Credenza which I kept until a couple years ago I paid 40.00 for in the same period and thought I paid a fortune for it. Any 78 record sold for 10 cents a piece at local thrift shop that had a whole basement full of them when people were dumping them for LP's. I didn't buy it because I thought it was way too much, but an art case gold Chinese "L" door Victor was at an antique dealer who wanted 100.00 for it, I passed. There were too many to recall but sadly most were parted with as it sort of the case today where I don't really have a large collection due to space considerations. I did just pick up the Columbia 800 but for way more than I paid for the 810 in the mid 70's. I think I paid the dealer around 150 for it then, now I paid 600 for the slightly less fancy machine. ( In reality though I think when its finish is restored to remove the crazing the case on it is not much less desirable than the 810).

Larry

Larry, Wow, great background! I wish more people would share their stories here. I love hearing of them. Russie