The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I found these photos recently and was glad to see them again. In the early 70s, when I was in my early teens, this place down in Soquel, California (near Santa Cruz) was like a Mecca for me.

Tom Pollard ran a restoration / sale shop / hobby room off of his house, on the other side of the garage. It was nearly big enough to be a separate house. Front part was for display and the back was where the work was done.

My father snapped these pictures of the front part while I was looking through the stacks of records off in the corner. In hindsight, it would have been great to shoot a full panorama, but we always figured there would be a "next time" since we were there so often.

Thought I would post them here so that others could see. These should be large enough to pick out some interesting details.

Schmaltz,
Thank you for those photos! We must be about the same age. I grew up on the other side of the country and didn't make it to California until 1981 (and left in 2001) -- but I remember Tom and used to buy parts from him when I was in high school. We spoke on the phone a number of times. A very nice man. When exactly did he pass away?

That looks like a backmount Talk-O-Phone 'Eagle' in the second photo!

I'd love to have that coffee grinder! It would be perfect for my (non-electrified) camp. Hey, wait a minute---isn't that the extremely rare Caffeinophone? The one with the double vertical turntables?

JohnM wrote:I remember Tom and used to buy parts from him when I was in high school. We spoke on the phone a number of times. A very nice man. When exactly did he pass away?

Early 80s, I think, was when we got the postcard from his wife telling us that he had passed away. Somewhere in that time frame; wish I could be more specific.

Henry wrote:I'd love to have that coffee grinder! It would be perfect for my (non-electrified) camp. Hey, wait a minute---isn't that the extremely rare Caffeinophone? The one with the double vertical turntables?

Yes, the "music that plays all night."

Schmaltz,

Wonderful photos! That room looks like heaven!

Regards,
John

I thought I recognized the name, and after a little googling, spotted this reference:

Musical Americana has been in the business of selling and servicing antique phonographs for more than 50 years. Until his retirement in 1975, the company was owned and operated by Tom Pollard of Soquel, California. At that time the entire business was purchased by Bob Fulwider, and Dale Hoyt, and the company was named Musical Americana. In 1978 Dale Hoyt retired from the business and Bob Fulwider ran the business until his death in early 1990. Dwayne and Donna Wyatt purchased the company July 1990 and changed the name to Wyatt's Musical Americana. (From: http://www.wyattsmusical.com/introduction.html )

I did a search at legacy.com -- http://www.legacy.com/obituaries.asp?Page=ObitFinder -- for obituaries/social security death information for Tom Pollard during the 1980s. (I searched for both Tom and Thomas Pollard). Interestingly, the name is relatively common, but I did find a specific reference to a Tom Pollard, living in the Watsonville/Santa Cruz area (the only one listed) who was born May 22, 1902, and died Oct. 1, 1982.

Ortho_Fan wrote:I thought I recognized the name, and after a little googling, spotted this reference:

Musical Americana has been in the business of selling and servicing antique phonographs for more than 50 years. Until his retirement in 1975, the company was owned and operated by Tom Pollard of Soquel, California.

Yes, that's correct. Wyatt's Musical Americana is the remaining vestige of Pollard's business.

.. the name is relatively common, but I did find a specific reference to a Tom Pollard, living in the Watsonville/Santa Cruz area (the only one listed) who was born May 22, 1902, and died Oct. 1, 1982.

That was him. Thanks for doing the research and nailing it down to a specific date.