The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I hope someone can help educate me here. I have little knowledge about talking machines, but a great love for quality antique pieces. Today my wife and I came across an old talking machine in excellent condition, both cosmetically and operationally. We bought it without realizing it's apparent uniqueness. It is a Shell-o-phone, using a conch shell for it's speaker.

I can find very little on this device online, only that the company appeared to be in business in 1919 and went out of business very quickly. They were in Chicago. That is all we know.

Can anyone provide more background on this? Were many produced? What the value might be? I have no interest in selling it, but want to make sure I paid a reasonable price ( I suspect I did).

Thank you for any response!

Found this in an earlier forum post... there's not much else to be found on the internet though, other than what you already know and/or found. Sorry!

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... f=2&t=2155

Tinkerbell, thank you. I missed that thread, and it is actually helpful to me. That author seems to be the same person who posted a nice video on the Shell-O-Phone on YouTube. I am going to contact him to see if he has learned any more since he purchased it.

I must admit I got a bit excited when he said he has only been able to identify two of these. Makes it feel kind of special!

Thanks again!

srqwebguy wrote: I must admit I got a bit excited when he said he has only been able to identify two of these. Makes it feel kind of special!

As well it should... by all appearances, it seems to be quite rare. Great find, by the way, (I saw your other thread with the pictures).

I, too, saw the Youtube video for the other machine in operation, but as it contained the same information as the earlier thread, I elected to point you to the thread instead.

It would be interesting to see if you could locate more information regarding your machine. That being said, however, it may be challenging due to its relative obscurity. Heck, I am having trouble obtaining information on my very early model Brunswick, and Brunswick is a fairly common name. (I wrote to the company, and even they seem to have no early records anymore.)

As the patent date is listed online as 9/6/1919, you might consider trying a patent search first... just a thought. With any luck, the other forum member/lucky owner will have some additional information.

Congratulations on finding a Shell-O
-Phone! This was one of the hundreds of brands that popped up after the fundamental patents of the Victor Talking Machine Company expired, and certainly one of the most unique. I am the fellow who posted the video of my Shell-O-Phone on YouTube. I don't have any new information to share other than the Shell-O-Phone offices were in the same building as Babson Brothers, who were major Edison jobbers in Chicago. I wonder if there was a concentration of phonograph companies on that block?
I am aware of only three Shell-O-Phones, but of course, there may be more. Is the hardware on your example gold or nickel plated? Is the tone arm and reproducer gold or nickel plated? Is there a tapered wooden horn in the sound chamber or is the chamber just an open 'box' in the cabinet? Without divulging anything you don't wish to divulge, where did you find it?

John, I've posted pictures on your thread at http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... f=2&t=2155.

I also emailed you, but don't know if you got that. I am not at a place where I can elaborate, but will be back later today with the info you asked about.