Vintage Mahogany Talking Machine by Melotone

Item Details

A vintage mahogany cabinet talking machine by Melotone. Between 1910-1925, there were over 400 talking machine (phonograph player) companies in the United States, trying to keep up with demand. This mechanical hand crank phonograph player has a top that opens to the record player inside. The tone arm is labeled Superior Universal Reproducer, and is dated with a 1916 copyright. A handle on the side winds the motor to rotate the turntable. Under the turntable is a speaker horn, hidden behind a carved cover that has a flute player in the center. The cabinet below opens to reveal a large drawer on the bottom for record storage, and above this is another drawer that pulls out and has a drop down rack, with drawer space behind this. The cabinet sits on cabriole styled legs. Melotone-Superior Phonograph Company was located in Chicago.

Condition

Tested good with a record. The brass lid support is unattached from the lid, but is present and could be re-attached.

Dimensions

Item #

15LEX162-014