The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

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J

As you guys know , I'm a paper fanatic. I have more old magazines than Toronto Public Library...well not really but you catch my drift. I recently ran on to this ad and even though the magazine was in appalling shape I decided to upload it. It appeared in the December 1925 Cosmopolitan. It's the earliest magazine ad for Orthophonic machines that I've ever seen: note it's the two door Credenza. There were an incredible number of newspaper ads in December '25 but very few in magazines. This of course was the result of the amazing barrage of publicity...even by today's standards...surrounding Victor Day and the introduction of the Orthophonic Victrola. Was it R D Darell that said you'd have had to be living in a cave in the fall of 1925 in order to not be aware of the NEW ORTHOPHONIC VICTROLA? Excuse the condition of the magazine, but I've never seen this ad anywhere else.



Jim

i have that same ad framed in my office. i bought it several years ago on e-bay.

That's very nice support material to show the design principles of the big re-entrant horn! I bought a transparent Ampli-Phone from Bob Baumbach at Union this year and keep it near a Credenza in the 'museum' to demonstrate the horn shape. Would it be possible to send me a PDF of the ad? I'd like to have one hanging above the 2-door Credenza!

John M

A very interesting ad to be sure. I guess I didn't realize the fact the enclosed wood panels on the front were wider looking on this early model. Gives it a bit of a wider effect than the latter. I love reading old ads though and its a fine example.

Jim,

That's a fantastic advert. I think that's the first one I've seen featuring the two door Credenza. Very neat.

Regards,
John

Finally did a decent scan of this ad with my newish scanner. Cleaned up quite well , actually. The original was in wretched shape.

Jim

Thanks, Jim!