The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I have a piece of phonograph furniture I recently obtained, however I cannot determine the quality of the piece's value.

It is a working Wilhorn or Wilborn (New York Chicago) brand 78 player. It also has a Straube Piano & Music (Hammond, Ind) label on it.
Beneath the speaker is a Thompson Radio which I am unsure if it actually works or not.
The record player works well. Also 15-20 records from about 1920...

Thanks!
Justin

Chicago

unseen, I'd say it's probably worth at least five bucks. why don't you post a photo or two. that would be a good start, especially if you're not even sure on the make/model.

and never say "Neutrodyne" around Nipper

I have not even attempted to dust this piece, this is as I purchased it.

Wilborn appears to be the actual brand name of the phonograph, which was most likely made by one of the many small companies that opened shortly after patent held by Victor & Columbia ran out in 1918/19.
Chicago seems to have been where a good number of these companies operated from.
Straube manufactured pianos and player pianos, but I could only find one reference to where "& music" was added to the title- Everything else only refers to them as "Straube Piano Co.", including advertising from 1923.
The reference to Straube Piano & MUSIC co, is on a fairly plain grand piano, and no date has been attributed to it unfortunately, but to me it looks early to mid 1920s.
My gut feeling is that Straube probably added phonographs to their stock line for a couple years just after the war (buying them wholesale from an outside manufacturer), and also added "& music" to the name, but reverted back to their normal line and name by 1923, finding either the phonographs were poor sellers with so much competition around, or it was simply unprofitable for them to continue selling them.
The radio would be an aftermarket addition to the machine, and appears to be a 1925 Thompson Radio Model V-50 "GRANDETTE", and if professionally installed, would have probably been added around 1925/26.
Then again, the original owner may have installed the radio at anytime, just to combine both music makers into one cabinet.

It might pay to search newspaper achives, and check newspapers in & around the Hammond/Chicago area, from about 1919 until 1923, and if you have no luck there, extend the search up to about 1930.
You might find advertising that indicates the company name change, or you may even find advertising for your phonograph that includes a price, model number or other relevant information. It's even possible that Straube offered an upgrade survice to install the radio at some time.

Below is (I think) a picture of the radio as sold complete, & the May 1923 ad that refers to the company as "Straube Piano Co".

Thanks a lot Shane.

I thought that radio might have been an add on, by the owner.