The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

This is great! I would love to see/hear one.

Imagine having that strapped to your wrist!
I've seen the ad before, but never the real thing. I cant imagine they sold very well, and judging by the look on that womans face & the horn pushed in her ear, I cant imagine they worked very well either.

Good point...she looks pretty enthralled huh?!

Isn't that a close up of the woman standing in the giant Credenza on the Victor Bldg?

Brad wrote:Isn't that a close up of the woman standing in the giant Credenza on the Victor Bldg?

I was thinking that this is something I'm willing to believe is an April Fool's joke!

Yep...maybe I posted it a bit too early. But I'm with you that this is probably fake.

bbphonoguy wrote:I was thinking that this is something I'm willing to believe is an April Fool's joke!

Possibly not. There actually was a miniature gramophone constructed earlier, in the 1920s, for Queen Mary's Doll's House -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Mary ... s%27_House

It played the smallest records ever produced. A few were even sold to the public --



From: http://www.tastebymerrell.com/shop/view_item/708900865

I've never seen any clear photographs of the gramophone, itself, but have spotted grainy color postcards from time to time on ebay.

Interesting. The Watch Case phonograph pictured above is from 1936, but there was actually an an earlier (1928) reference to a slightly different looking version--identifying the actress Gwen Lee -- http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0497344/ (Don't think they would have faked that, since Ms. Lee would likely have sued them.)
From Google Book Search -- Click Here

I'm willing to believe that these existed, people have always been building "World's Smallest" items as stunts. It's doubtful that these went into anything like production.

estott wrote:I'm willing to believe that these existed, people have always been building "World's Smallest" items as stunts. It's doubtful that these went into anything like production.

A more contemporary version did go into production, but it used a battery powered motor, instead of spring-wound. Rather anemic sound quality, but considering it's all acoustic, not to bad for its size:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMwdR__UCcc[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE5krSqgswc[/youtube]

I remember seeing these for sale on eBay a few years ago. (Wished I had gotten one!)