The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I watched a movie over the weekend called the Story of G.I. Joe about the life of Ernie Pyle in WW11. Part way into the movie is a scene of a soldier trying to get this phonograph he found to play. I recognized it immediately as a Lyric phonograph made by the Lyraphone Co. in the late teens. They only made machines for less than a year then stopped and focused on vertical cut records. The stamped metal case is wrapped with an embossed material and the tone arm is made of rubber which was the result of two patents. On all of the machines that I have ever seen (3) the tonearm has been replaced as I don't think the rubber held up through the years. I noticed in the movie while the soldier was carrying the machine around, the tonearm was flopping around so it still had the original tonearm. I picked my machine up a couple of years ago but never thought I would see it in a movie.

A good looking phonograph.
Nice color too.

James.

One of these machines was sold in the last Stanton's auction. As I recall it was in good condition, missing the tonearm and reproducer of course.
Interesting machines, and very seldom seen.

Steve