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Just brought home a nice VV-XI today and found a needle tin touting IMPORTED OPERA NEEDLES. Is there such a thing as Opera Needles, or is it simply a fancy way to say steel needles?

The tin was full of bamboo needles. Pretty sure they aren't the original contents, don't think 200 of them would fit in this small tin.

Thanks! Cliff

Just had a chance to take a close look at the phonograph I got yesterday. It was purchased at the same place as the needle tin that it came with, THE TALKING MACHINE SHOP in Chicago. Cool!

Cliff

I think the "Opera" designation was just a needle a certain thickness i.e. "loud". Company's liked to attach a name to size, instead of just "soft","loud","extra loud".

Even Berliner (Canada) named one size "Gramophone".... .

It was good marketing practice to offer "their" own needles, record dusters, etc....as a way to make more $$$$.

Dealer branded items are another whole collecting field.

I'm thinking dealer branded items from THE TALKING MACHINE SHOP in Chicago must be plentiful. They most likely serviced a large part of the midwest, maybe even folks west of the Mississippi, in the early/mid 'teens, which is when this machine was made..

Cliff

CDBPDX wrote:I'm thinking dealer branded items from THE TALKING MACHINE SHOP in Chicago must be plentiful. They most likely serviced a large part of the midwest, maybe even folks west of the Mississippi, in the early/mid 'teens, which is when this machine was made..

Cliff

Possibly, however I would think Lyons & Healy would have been the largest (maybe even the oldest) in that part of the US.

You know, Europeans' take there opera very seriously, and if they are using special needle, then so do I!

Here's another opera tin...
James.

At least one opera singer had her own name put on a needle tin :

Maybe the needles were used to keep yourself and your guest awake during recitatives.