Antique record player - $200 (San Diego)

condition: good

make / manufacturer: Victrola

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A Grafonola is a brand of early 20th-century phonograph made by the Columbia Graphophone Company known for its concealed, internal horn, designed to compete with Victor's popular Victrolas by offering a more furniture-like appearance. These mechanical record players, often spring-wound (with electric options later), played 78 rpm records and were significant in popularizing home gramophones by hiding the bulky horn inside a cabinet, starting around 1907.
Key Characteristics
Brand: Columbia Graphophone Company.
Design: An internal-horn phonograph, meaning the sound amplifier was hidden inside the wooden cabinet.
Era: Introduced in 1907, becoming popular as a modern alternative to external-horn players.
Mechanism: Primarily powered by a hand-cranked spring motor, though electric versions appeared later (around 1915).
Records: Played 78 rpm records.
Style: Often featured high-quality wood cabinets (like mahogany or oak) and ornate details, making them desirable furniture pieces as well as music players.
Evolution & Popularity
The term "Grafonola" (like Victor's "Victrola") was a marketing trend to signify these more compact, hidden-horn models.
They replaced the older "Graphophone" (which played cylinders) and external-horn models, offering a more streamlined look for homes.
Many models included features like automatic stops and storage for records within the cabinet.

post id: 7906619025

posted: 2026-01-05 07:22

updated: 2026-02-10 06:38

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Antique record player - antiques - by owner - collectibles sale -...

A Grafonola is a brand of early 20th-century phonograph made by the Columbia Graphophone Company known for its concealed, internal horn, designed to compete with Victor's popular Victrolas by...