New thread - new thoughts

[briankeith]

A friend of mine from Ithaca New York stopped over this past weekend He is a big time early radio collector, mainly wireless battery sets but also early electric sets. All circa 1919-1929. He asked me a reasonable question during our hobby talks. What did people do with those old crank phonographs when the electrics starting flooding the market?
He wondered how many were put out on the curb in order to make room for the "latest & greatest" new electric models which sometimes also housed the biggest and baddest 8 tube radio set. Maybe they were just moved up into the attic or out to the barn? I know money was very tight back in the late 1920's and early 1930's. Unlike today when people line up to buy the newest I-Phone, flat screen tv, or whatever. So many talking machines have survived in rather good working condition I find it hard to believe that they were just put out on the curb just to make room for the latest invention - like we do now-a-days.

[Jerry B.]

The radio provided free access to the latest recording. I imagine people enjoyed their phonographs until they could afford a radio. Once the radio was purchased, the phono was moved into the attic. Maybe people didn't get rid of their phonographs for several reasons. Perhaps they believed Edison and thought the radio was a fad. (not likely) A talking machine was always a major investment in discretionary money making it difficult to just throw out, so in the attic they went. We must have lost a great deal of talking machines to the WW-II scrap drives. Can someone post a photo of a phono junk yard? Thanks, Jerry

[Player-Tone]

You also can't play your favorite songs whenever you want with the radio, I bet people kept their phonographs for that reason too. We like our songs on demand; same reason people still buy CD and MP3 players today.

[estott]

At the beginning of the Electrola age the records could still be played on acoustic machines very well - especially the Orthophonic style machines. I've seen films of the early 30's with Credenzas still in use in upper class settings.

[Kevan]

All I know is my first phonograph was past down from my mothers aunt, to my mother as a box full of parts and then to me. An Amberola 30 to boot. I don't think they had the heart to throw it to the curb and I sure am happy to play it when my mother comes to town. Her eyes sparkle and I hear the same old story of when she was 6 years old.............

Kevan

[rizbone]

They were all re-purposed.

[Kevan]

I think that shot is from It's a Wonderful Life?

[Player-Tone]

They were all re-purposed.

Lol.

[rizbone]

I think that shot is from It's a Wonderful Life?

Yep

[Uncle Vanya]

They were all re-purposed.

The machine featured in this scen was a Victor CD-20 " Counter Demnstrator", modified for the film by a prop man, who attached a (totally unnecessary, as the motor was electric) Heinemann crank to the side of the machine, and replaced the Electrola pick-up with a com,on "salt and pepper" sound box.