Ramos-Eubank Phonograph Mfg Co of Richmond, VA - pics added

[zenith82]

Hello,

I picked up a group of four machines over the weekend, one of which is a "Ramosola" manufactured by the Ramos-Eubank Phonograph Manufacturing Co in Richmond, Virginia. The phono is really nothing special - it has a rather plain cabinet and uses a two-spring Heineman motor and tone arm that I have seen on several other phonographs made during the World War I era boom.

I used to live near Richmond and actively hunted phonographs and radios in that area for over a decade and never saw one of these in person. I had read of the company years ago and actively sought one of their phonographs, as it had a local connection to where I lived. I know the company was chartered in 1919, but beyond that, I have not been able to find anything else about them. I have not seen any advertising or any other indication that they were ever in business beyond the 1919 charter. Before this weekend's find, I thought that the company had gone under before they ever built any machines.

Has anyone else seen one of these or does anyone know anything about the company? I can post some pictures if they would be helpful.

Thanks,
Tom

[JohnM]

Hello,

I picked up a group of four machines over the weekend, one of which is a "Ramosola" manufactured by the Ramos-Eubank Phonograph Manufacturing Co in Richmond, Virginia. The phono is really nothing special - it has a rather plain cabinet and uses a two-spring Heineman motor and tone arm that I have seen on several other phonographs made during the World War I era boom.

I used to live near Richmond and actively hunted phonographs and radios in that area for over a decade and never saw one of these in person. I had read of the company years ago and actively sought one of their phonographs, as it had a local connection to where I lived. I know the company was chartered in 1919, but beyond that, I have not been able to find anything else about them. I have not seen any advertising or any other indication that they were ever in business beyond the 1919 charter. Before this weekend's find, I thought that the company had gone under before they ever built any machines.

Has anyone else seen one of these or does anyone know anything about the company? I can post some pictures if they would be helpful.

Thanks,
Tom

Don't know anything about a Ramosola other than what you have already stated, but I wanted to respond to your searching for phonographs around Richmond, Virginia. I used to live in Mendota, Virginia in the mountains and I sought out regional stuff, too. I thought I'd share this with you. Unfortunately, I parted with it few years ago.

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... stle+Grand

[Joe_DS]

I had a few minutes to search, and all I came up with, so far, is this trade ad that appeared in the Talking Machine World -- (Vol. 15 Aug-DEC, 1919) -- https://archive.org/details/talkingmachinew15bill

(I did a simple word search for Ramos, using the Read Online version, though you have the option of downloading each volume as a PDF file.)

I see, via Google Book Search, that the company is listed in various business indexes at least through 1922, so you might want to check the Talking Machine World issues Vol. 16 through 18 to see if you spot anything.

For more TMW volumes -- https://archive.org/search.php?query=Ta ... pe%3Atexts

HTH,
Joe

[Lucius1958]

I had a few minutes to search, and all I came up with, so far, is this trade ad that appeared in the Talking Machine World -- (Vol. 15 Aug-DEC, 1919) -- https://archive.org/details/talkingmachinew15bill

Ramsola.JPG

(I did a simple word search for Ramos, using the Read Online version, though you have the option of downloading each volume as a PDF file.)

I see, via Google Book Search, that the company is listed in various business indexes at least through 1922, so you might want to check the Talking Machine World issues Vol. 16 through 18 to see if you spot anything.

For more TMW volumes -- https://archive.org/search.php?query=Ta ... pe%3Atexts

HTH,
Joe

That slogan…. I wonder whether they had any problems with Edison's lawyers…?

[zenith82]

I went through TMW (thanks for the link, Joe!) and only found the same ad in the May through August 1919 issues. There was also a single paragraph article in the October 1919 issue "Incorporated in Richmond, VA" about the officers of the firm. After that, nothing. The last advertisement seems to be August 1919 and there are no pictures or engravings of any of their machines.

All Google book searches that mention the company as an actual business are all in 1919. The Nov 20, 1919, issue of Iron Age mentions "The Ramos-Eubank Phonograph Mfg Co, Richmond, VA, recently organized plans to build a factory for the manufacture of talking machines. John S. Ramos is president and manager." No mention anywhere of a factory actually being built or phonographs produced and this is the latest date of anything I can find about the company.

Also, there is a 1920 Annual Report of the Virginia State Corporation Commission that lists the charter date of the company as being September 22, 1919, with maximum capital stock of $50K - no doubt, the subject of the paragraph in the October 1919 TMW. I see a mention in the 1922 Annual Report (possible cessation of business/disposition of assets?), but the scanned version is not on google.

I went a step further and researched John S. Ramos. His family was apparently from the Richmond area and his father was a well-known church musician in the area. John Ramos apparently relocated to Wilmington, NC, around 1910 and started the Ramos Typewriter Company, which I am guessing was a dealership as my wife is an avid typewriter collector and has never heard of a typewriter named Ramos. He sought a City Councilman position in 1911. In 1914, he was a dealer for Remington typewriters. This must not have lasted long, as in 1918, there was an announcement that John S. Ramos, a former Wilmington resident and currently a traveling salesman with the Sterling Products Co., of Cleveland, was in town visiting friends. He apparently returned to Richmond in 1919 and tried to start the phonograph company. The final mention in Wilmington, NC, was that Mr and Mrs John S. Ramos as guests in town in June 1919, and working in a statement that he was the president of the Ramos-Eubank Phonograph Mfg Co in Richmond, the only phonograph manufacturer in the South (nothing like free advertising!).

John Ramos seems to have faded into obscurity after 1919, as I can't find anything about him beyond the incorporation of the phonograph company. He died in Texas in 1964 at age 79.

I get the impression that this company never really left the starting gate. The evidence seems to point to a company that was hastily stood up during the boom by a young entrepreneur with little experience who changed careers fairly frequently. He probably produced a few machines and made plans for expansion, then ran into trouble. The address given in the ads in the May-August 1919 TMW issues is a small turn-of-the-century building that would not be capable of housing a business that produced anything in volume. It is currently a small neighborhood convenience store with what looks like a single apartment above.

If you know of anyone who has a Ramos-Eubank phono in their collection, I'd love to hear about it!




John,

That Biggs is a nice looking machine! I've never seen one in person.



I will try to get pics of my machine tonight.

[zenith82]

Here are a few pictures. She's not exactly a looker and the construction quality is average at best, but she'll occupy a space in my collection as a curiosity if nothing else.

Edit: Sorry if the photos come up big, but apparently it takes Photobucket a while to update once you re-size.