We have started cataloging artifacts at the Oneida Pioneer Museum beginning with all things musical, and we are learning a bunch. Among the instruments is a phonograph player from the early 1900s. We were calling it a Victrola, however when we went looking for the company name on the console all we could find was Edison. We also found a drawer near the bottom of the cabinet that had been stuck shut, but when jiggled a bit, opened and revealed several very thick records. We determined it was time to do some research.

The research started the night of April 15 when we had a Museum Board Meeting. During the meeting, we talked about the “Victrola” and how great it would be if it actually worked, so we could play it when the museum was open. The problem was that none of us had a clue where to begin. We did not want to mess anything up. After the meeting, Marv Hess quietly walked over to the machine to take a look while the rest of us were doing this and that. He cranked it up, put a record on and walaa…music. Seems his grandma had a similar machine back in the day and Little Marv loved to crank up her phonograph and play the records. He knew just what to do.

Now, the museum has other old records which are much thinner than the Edison discs.  Come to find out, back in the early 20th century there were two competing phonograph systems: the Edison Diamond Disc System and the Victor Talking Machine, Co. There were also a few other competitive companies who used the same system as the Victrolas. The Victrolas used a cheap disposable needle that required replacing, while the Edison had a diamond stylus that lasted for life. The records were not compatible. The Edison discs were a quarter inch thick with vertical-cut grooves and required vertical storage. The Victrolas which used a lateral-cut groove with side-to-side movement were much thinner and lasted longer if stored flat.  The bottom-line being…don’t play an Edison on a Victrola or vise-a-versa or you will ruin your records. 

From what I have read the Edison had superior sound, but the Victrolas were marketed much better. Approximately 845,000 Edisons were sold between 1912-1929 compared to 8.2 million Victrolas between 1906-1929. No wonder we were calling the machine in the museum a Victrola! Typical cost in 1920 for a Victrola was $100-$250 and for an Edison $50-$200. However, the cost could go to over a $1000 for a high-end Chippendale cabinet. By 1929 the phonographs had run their course. The market was saturated and radio was popular.

So, I was explaining all this to my son Brad over the phone telling him it would be so cool to have the Edison playing music when the museum was open. He listened patiently and when I finished, he said, “Just use your phone, Mom. You can get anything you want on your phone.” That precisely is why this article is For Grandparents Only. Kids just don’t get it, probably because Life has been too Good!