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Edison made a special machine for the military during the First World War. What, if anything, did Victor do for that market?

They made guns and airplane wings.

https://victorrecords.com/victorandthew ... en%20plant.

At the Eldridge R Johnson Victrola Museum, in Dover, Delaware, there was a bit of information somewhere about VTMCo using the brass-making stuff they used to do tonearms, for producing brass ammunition casings. Whether this was .30-06 for the Springfield rifle, or if it was larger stuff for artillery, I have no idea.

As for a Victor equivalent to the Edison Army-Navy phonograph, the Victrola product lines at the time had the virtue of being a lot more portable than the clumsy Edison product. A small Victor or Victrola (probably the Victrola as the old horn type Victors were a bit clumsy) would have been just fine. I am not aware of any troop-specific Victrola alterations, but I do have in my collection a 1917 Victrola VV-IV. It is light, small, and functional.

It seems odd looking at footage of the Great War that anyone would have had an interest in playing records in all that. It seems like it was an absolute waste of life.

Any of the small tabletop models could have been used. In fact this was promoted in the ads of the period.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/1918-vict ... 755105982/

As noted, the Edison Army/Navy phonograph was clumsy--as well as "_ut busting heavy."

OrthoFan

VanEpsFan1914 wrote: Fri Feb 17, 2023 12:38 pm It seems odd looking at footage of the Great War that anyone would have had an interest in playing records in all that. It seems like it was an absolute waste of life.

Far from being set back by the Great War, the gramophone industry boomed. Both sides were quick to appreciate the gramophone's value as a morale booster. Hundreds of gramophones and thousands of records were sent to the Western Front.
Records of patriotic songs such as "Tipperary" and "Till the Boys come home" were rushed out.
Of course the troops wanted to play records. They were a welcome reminder of home.

Today the popular songs of the First World War are still better remembered than those of the Second.

Thanks, everybody. The Victor ads I've seen seem to feature the Victrola IX more than I would have expected, given that it was the "top-end" table model, both relatively expensive and heavy. Of Victor's standard line, I'd have expected the simpler, more compact IV or VI to be more common choices. Also, the ads with photographs look "doctored" to my eye, with the Victrola added later. Thoughts?

Just sort of picked up at Solid Cowhide for 12 bob, and 12 shilling. Is that the covering of the wood or is the whole thing made from cowhide. Twould make sense in a way.

slammer wrote: Mon Feb 20, 2023 3:13 am Just sort of picked up at Solid Cowhide for 12 bob, and 12 shilling. Is that the covering of the wood or is the whole thing made from cowhide. Twould make sense in a way.

The cases were made of wood and there were three alternative coverings. In price order (highest first) they were Brown Cowhide, Brown Compressed Fibre and Black Leathercloth.

epigramophone wrote: Mon Feb 20, 2023 4:02 am

slammer wrote: Mon Feb 20, 2023 3:13 am Just sort of picked up at Solid Cowhide for 12 bob, and 12 shilling. Is that the covering of the wood or is the whole thing made from cowhide. Twould make sense in a way.

The cases were made of wood and there were three alternative coverings. In price order (highest first) they were Brown Cowhide, Brown Compressed Fibre and Black Leathercloth.

It´s official. I was born too late.