The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Can anybody please tell me which model Victor the Search Light horn was originally intended for? Thanks!

They came in more than one size so I think they were available for most Victors. At Union, many years ago, I remember seeing one fitted to a Standard Type X disk machine. It accommodated the brass elbow and looked really great. I wish I'd bought it! Jerry

Thanks, Jerry.

I note there is one on Ebay currently at $1250 or offers on. It seems a tad expensive? I suppose you need a base that looks like a lamp stand?! I can't imagine which Victor base it would look the best on but I do like it in a weird gimmicky way. It is very clever and draws your eye into the optical illusion that is the inside of the bell.

I too like Searchlight horns, but the eBay example is indeed expensive. I'm wondering if the outside at least has been repainted. The Searchlight horns I've seen have a gold stripe on every third external rib.

George P.

If you like good Union stories... Back in the days that the first day of Union was spent in the parking lot, dozens of cars and trucks were lined up to get into the parking lot. I saw a large group of people around a particular van. There was lots of commotion. This guys prices were such that almost everything he pulled out was quickly sold. I wondered what else he had for sale so I walked around to the passenger side of the van. In the passenger seat there was a small all brass Search Light horn. The owner thought so much of the horn that he had the seat belt around the horn. I managed to get his attention and asked what machine went with the brass horn. He replied that it went with a nice big case Vic 1. The price was low so I bought the outfit without actually seeing the machine. I was not disappointed. I had a nice big case Vic 1 at home so I sat the machine minus the horn on the tailgate of my truck and sold it for $50 less than my purchase price a short time later. Jerry Blais

I had never heard of one of these horns until this thread. Can anyone say what the idea was? Was it just for looks, or was there some acoustic reason behind the design.

and thanks for posting the pictures! Fascinating.

WOW!

That is one superb horn!

Am I correct to think that the black steel horns were painted differently inside to immitate a search light whereas the brass horns were left plain (polished brass as per picture) but retained the same identical shape? The example on eBay appears to have a brown/orange centre to look like a light. Also, is the bright area around the inside of the bell on the eBay example, simply the result of camera flash or should it actually be painted to look like a reflection?

I believe this horn was discussed previously...

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... =2&t=12628

extremely high price from a generally overpriced seller.

these aren't super common but they definitely show up often enough. I found a decently repainted (black) one for a cylinder rather than disc player at the last wayne show for $30, which I just paid rather than try to bargain him down at all. I've got another one (from ebay five or six years ago, about $100... I also saw an original one sell at a local phonograph-specific auction a couple years ago for about $150) in a bold red color, which I thought was truer to the original design, which I understand - according to the books - was to emulate search lights used by the military and coast guard at the time.

Examples I've seen were painted on the inside to resemble a flower. Petal shapes were painted on the metal with no reference to the ribbed design. The exteriors were a solid color going with the inside. There may have been a variety of schemes and most are rusting badly, the maker neglected to use a proper base coat.

Here's a scan of page 28 from Antique Phonograph Gadgets, Gizmos, and Gimmicks (1999). Searchlight horns were decorated in a variety of patterns. Schweg has shown a photo of his outstanding example on this forum, but I don't know which thread. Sometimes these horns were offered painted, other times anodized in gold, red, or silver. As noted above, time has not been kind to most Searchlight horn finishes. Jerry's is the only brass Searchlight horn I've seen.

George P.