The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I've seen two Victrolas that were autographed by Louisa Tetrazzini. I wondered if anyone else has seen a machine that was autographed by a celebrity. Jerry Blais

Jerry, are you starting to become forgetful...??.... .
http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... d+victrola

Wayne, What would be do without you???

I'm fine with new threads on previously discussed topics. One can't keep resurrecting a first thread on a particular topic, too complicated! I've no autographed machines unfortunately, only autographed checks (autographed by me) for machines I've purchased over the years... .

Valecnik wrote:I'm fine with new threads on previously discussed topics. One can't keep resurrecting a first thread on a particular topic, too complicated! I've no autographed machines unfortunately, only autographed checks (autographed by me) for machines I've purchased over the years... .

Hey, I just brought up the fact this machine has already been mentioned because it's so cool and the first thread has the whole story. Therefore, it should be added to this.......I think.... .

Valecnik wrote:I'm fine with new threads on previously discussed topics. One can't keep resurrecting a first thread on a particular topic, too complicated! I've no autographed machines unfortunately, only autographed checks (autographed by me) for machines I've purchased over the years... .

Autographed records, yes; autographed machines, no.

However, I do have several autographed checks in my collection, including Edison, Orville Wright, several US presidents, movie and TV stars, etc. Some of these are surprisingly common and inexpensive. They are readily available on ebay, but don't jump at the first example you see there because many dealers price them towards collectors who don't know how common they really are.

This is a touch in the wrong era, but I saw this Dual 1004 changer offered on eBay several years ago. It's autographed on the platter mat by Paul McCartney of the Beatles with some other scratching that I can't make out. The 1004 dates from about the time that the Beatles were just getting popular and is a model that was not sold in the USA. The 1006 which dates from about 1964 was the first Dual model that got active marketing in the USA and opened the US market for this famous German brand.

As the former owner of the autographed Victrola XVII, I have to think that Tetrazzini must have been invited to a Victor showroom as a promotion, probably just for a day or two. I can picture signs in the window, or newspaper, saying "buy a Victrola today and have Luisa Tetrazzini autograph your Victrola!!!" I'm guessing there were not more than about ten or fifteen that were so autographed, so finding two of them today is quite a feat! Marc.

marcapra wrote:As the former owner of the autographed Victrola XVII, I have to think that Tetrazzini must have been invited to a Victor showroom as a promotion, probably just for a day or two. I can picture signs in the window, or newspaper, saying "buy a Victrola today and have Luisa Tetrazzini autograph your Victrola!!!" I'm guessing there were not more than about ten or fifteen that were so autographed, so finding two of them today is quite a feat! Marc.

If you go through the Talking Machine World archives online, you'll see articles in almost every issue about artists making appearances at various Victor dealers (and obviously others, too) to coincide with concert tours in the area. I'm certain I can recall reading at least a few particular ones about Tetrazzini touring on the west coast and making appearances at various dealers in the LA and San Francisco areas. Tetrazzini was quite a personality and known to be very generous and outgoing to her fans. I've got quite a few autographed records of hers and a couple of photos. In this area, particularly the city of Albany which had six Victor dealers alone downtown, touring artists would make the rounds of each dealer for an hour or so the afternoon before the evening's performace at the Armory or one of the local theatres. We have a pretty neat online source for local newspapers from the 1880s on that I've gotten lost in for hours at a time searching for things like this, it's fascinating, and it's given the local history buff in me some great insight into how the phonograph business worked around here, this was most certainly "Victor" territory, although one of the largest Edison distributors was located right in the city. One of these days, I'll write up a post about the area and post some articles and adverts about how things worked around here. I've built up quite a collection of stuff some of you may find interesting.

Sean

gregbogantz wrote:This is a touch in the wrong era, but I saw this Dual 1004 changer offered on eBay several years ago. It's autographed on the platter mat by Paul McCartney of the Beatles with some other scratching that I can't make out. The 1004 dates from about the time that the Beatles were just getting popular and is a model that was not sold in the USA. The 1006 which dates from about 1964 was the first Dual model that got active marketing in the USA and opened the US market for this famous German brand.

I didn't see a smiley face, so I assume you didn't realize that the "scratching" was John Lennon's signature. Those are quite early signatures too (1963-64).