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cheaper ones were merely shells for those
The Mikiphone, image from radiophonomania.com
Electrohome Apollo 711, c.1970.
Courtesy, thevinylfactory.com
24 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
who already owned a gramophone or
Victrola. The machines themselves were
inexpensive enough that they became a
ubiquitous part of American households by
1920. The democratization of these record
players paralleled the development of new
kinds of music in the early twentieth century
aimed at a socially diverse audience, such
as Ragtime, Jazz, and the Great
American Songbook. By 1925, dominant
brands like Victor, Columbia, and Edison
encountered over 200 competing manufac-
turers of photographs in the U.S. In Europe,
engineers tried making devices that would
stand out on the market. One notable exam-
ple is the Mikiphone, an early portable
phonograph manufactured in Switzer-land
in 1924. At less than twelve centimeters (just
under 5”), the round aluminum case
contained a hand-crank and a resonator for
sound projection. Though short-lived, it
anticipated later innovations in portable
sound devices. Less than two hundred
thousand of these devices were produced
from 1924-27, and surviving Mikiphones
command upwards of $1,000 on the
secondhand market.
The inclusion of radio technology in
phonograph machines after WWI made
them even more desirable, and able to run
on electric power – ideal for the modern
home. Innovations in electric microphones
and amplifiers made records sound clearer
than ever, and companies began modifying
record players to accommodate these
improvements in sound and longevity. Bob Hope for Capri Record
Stereo-phonic sound systems allowed for Player advertisement
two sets of sound waves to travel into
multiple speakers.
The design of record players remained consistent through the 1930s and 40s,
until the introduction of the 12-inch LP (or “Long-Playing”) by Columbia Records
in 1948. Replacing shellac with vinyl, the new microgroove records spun at 33 ⅓
rpm (revolutions per minute) and could play 20 minutes of sound on each side; earlier
versions could only play for five minutes at 78 rpm. Musicians could incorporate
multiple songs on one record, ushering in the album boom of the later decades.
Companies like RCA produced their own records, which were 45 rpm singles and
seven inches in diameter, playing only 10-15 minutes per side. Nonetheless, the EP
or “Extended Play” records were popular among artists like the Beatles.
Record players continued to be modified with three or four speed playing
capability and the ability to automatically drop a new record atop a finished one via
a tall spindle. There was also the innovation of High-fidelity sound, or hi-fi, which
distinguished quality record players through their faithful reproduction of sound.
In response to the wave of popular music dominating radio waves, companies
began introducing portable record players. Westinghouse Electrical Corporation began
selling the Westinghouse Duo in the late 1940s, which played at 78,
33, and 45 speeds. They also included detachable radios. Evidenced
by their advertisements, the company hoped to court teenagers, a
relatively new consumer demographic. Teenagers and young adults
with money to spend were developing a popular culture distinct
from their parents, and record players were the perfect
accessory for a carefree (and even rebellious) youth lifestyle.
By the 1950s, brands like Motorola routinely manufactured
portable players with “hi-fi” sound systems. Utilizing a durable
fiberglass container, Motorola’s 1957 Calypso line came in fun colors
and included up to four speeds of playability. Closed, the record
player resembled a chic overnight suitcase, and when open, the hood
acted as an acoustic shell to project sound even further.
Record players followed modern design trends, and quite a few
are worth collecting for their unique appearance. Space and Atomic-
Audio-technica Sound Burger AT727