The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

First was a "hat box" phonograph:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/201368519662

Second was a Watchtower Society machine, but this one is designed to play vertically! No, not vertical records, it's like an old "Close 'n Play", but sideways:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/111689473315

I didn't buy either, but was watching both. Does anyone have more info on either or both of these?

The hat box machine uses Sonora parts, and I am pretty certain they were taken from one of their reflector portables and modified to fit the hat box. The covering looks like Naugahyde.


Those Watchtower portables are interesting

The Watchtower machines are quite unusual. Made for the Jehovah's Witnesses, they would play sermons recorded by Judge Rutherford. I have owned a few of them over the years and they tend to draw a good price.

I was watching the 'hatbox' auction. Some time ago I ran across this Radio Dismuke topic stating the phonograph appears in the 1932 movie "Three on a Match":
http://www.radiodismuke.com/forum/lofiv ... t2066.html When this auction came up I noticed the Sonora parts. I read somewhere that Sonora's assets were auctioned in 1930 when they went out of business. I suppose a possibility is Sonora's old portable stock was bought up and repackaged and sold in this 'hatbox'.

That is quite a surprise to me!

I have a friend that is Jehovah Witness and she said they have one of their machines at the headquarters building in a glass case with some of the records. I thought that was interesting. I've also seen some of the needles for these machines on ebay from time to time.

Dan

I have a Watchtower vertical playing machine.edisonplayer

The Watchtower vertical playing machine was intended to be held while the record played. They came about because too many regular machines were being destroyed by irate people that stomped on the machine while it played. Evidently some people did not appreciate being disturbed by the Jehovah Witness people. Jerry