Columbia Grafonola facts for kids
The Columbia Grafonola was a popular type of phonograph (an early record player) made in America. It was created by the Columbia Graphophone Company. These record players first came out in 1907.
Before the Grafonola, most record players had a large, visible horn that helped make the sound louder. But the Grafonola was different! It had its sound horn hidden inside a fancy cabinet. This made it look more like a piece of furniture than a machine.
In 1906, a rival company, the Victor Talking Machine Company, launched their "Victrola" record player. It also had a hidden horn and looked like nice furniture. The Victrola became very popular. Soon, other companies started making their own hidden-horn players, often with names ending in "-ola." This included Edison's Amberolas and Columbia's Grafonolas. These new, stylish players quickly sold much better than the old ones with visible horns.
Early Grafonolas, like most record players then, needed to be wound up by hand with a crank. You had to do this before playing a record. In 1915, Columbia started making electric Grafonolas. These could plug into the wall, but they were more expensive. They also weren't as popular because many homes, especially in the countryside, didn't have electricity yet.
What is a Grafonola?
A Grafonola is a type of phonograph. This was a machine that played music from special discs called records. It worked by using a needle that followed grooves on the record. This made a tiny part called a diaphragm vibrate. These vibrations then traveled through a horn, which made the sound louder so people could hear it. The special thing about a Grafonola was that its horn was hidden inside the cabinet.
Different Grafonola Models
Columbia made many different Grafonola models. They came in two main types:
- Portable table models: These were smaller and could be moved around. Famous ones included the Grafonola Favorite (from 1911) and the Grafonola Savoy (from 1915).
- Larger floor models: These were bigger and stood on the floor. Some even had small wheels to move them a little. Well-known floor models included the Grafonola Symphony Grand (1907), Grafonola Regent (1909), and Grafonola Princess (1911).
Columbia also created special, very fancy Grafonolas. These were called "Period Grafonolas" and came out in 1917. They were designed to match the furniture styles of different historical periods. These special models were very expensive, sometimes costing over $2,000! People could order them to perfectly fit their home's decoration.
Columbia Grafonolas were made until 1923. That's when a British businessman named Louis Sterling bought the company.
Grafonola Advertisements
Here are some pictures from old advertisements showing different Grafonola models.
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Grafonola Favorite
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Grafonola Princess
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Grafonola Regent
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Grafonola Period Designs
