Phonograph Windows

Window Displays promoting the Phonograph

 

Selling Records Through Your Window

 

Voice of the Victor, 1906, p. 3. (Source: Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound, The New York Public Library. ""An Operatic Season Window" and "Boating Window"" The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1906. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/ef8f1210-37ea-0139-8943-0242ac110003)

 

 

The Edison Phonograph Monthly, September 1908

 

 

The Edison Phonograph Monthly, October 1908

 

The Talking Machine World, October 1908

 

The Voice of the Victor, p. 6 (1909) Source: Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound, The New York Public Library. (1909). Window displays Retrieved from https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/4f8dcf10-37f5-0139-1f6e-0242ac110003 (Click images to enlarge).

 

The Voice of the Victor (1909) (Ibid. NYPL, p. 7)

 

"The Window is the Eye of the Store," The Talking Machine World, May 15, 1909

 

The Voice of the Victor (1909) (Ibid. NYPL, p. 9)

 

Form 2106 Edison Booklet for Edison Dealers for Christmas, 1911

 

The Talking Machine World, November 15, 1911

 

Victor Talking Machine Co.'s Christmas Window Display, The Talking Machine World, November 15, 1911.

 

The Talking Machine World, November 1915

 

 

The Talking Machine World, July 1917

 

 

The Talking Machine World, March 1917

 

 

An article by "Ellis Hansen, who is recognized as one of the most practical designers of talking machine window displays in the United States" was illustrated by this photograph. Three 'cut-outs in this early fall window are used in this display that was designed "when the Victor Co. featured the Castles in their national advertising campaign in the daily papers, illustrating the different dance steps introduced by these clever artists." The Talking Machine World, August 1917

 

The Summer Vacation month with New Victor Records - Window display designed by Ellis Hansen (2), The Talking Machine World, October 1917

 

 

The Talking Machine World, November 1917

 

Cracker-Jack Window Display - As the record plays the Liberty Bell revolves and the Flags wave.

The Talking Machine World, November 1917

 

The Talking Machine World, November 1917

 

 

The Talking Machine World, November 1917

 

 

Edison Store Window Display, The Talking Machine World, February 1918

 

 

Lyon & Healy, Chicago Christmas Window Display for Victor, The Talking Machine World, January 1919

 

 

Columbia Grafonola Window Display for J. E. Black Music Co., Springfield, MO, The Talking Machine World, August 1920

See PhonoDance for associated magazine ad of this window display

 

 

In 1920 Edison used a new format for his annual Edison phonograph dealer's convention by introducing the Caravan Convention which divided the convention in three parts with the first held in New York City, then presented again in Chicago, and finally in San Francisco. Five plays were presented during the Edison convention and one of them was titled "I'll Say She Did" which was followed by an open forum and lecture on "Window Displays."

Scene from the play "Ill Say She Did" by William Maxwell which featured a store's phonograph window display.

The Talking Machine World, August 15, 1920

 

The Binger Company Sales Promotion Service, The Talking Machine World, November 1920

 

Columbia Dealer Window and Materials, The Talking Machine World, March 1922

 

Victor's release of Gypsy Blues from the musical "Shuffle Along" featured in the window of Emanuel Blout's store in New York City

The Talking Machine World, March 1922

 

 

The Talking Machine World, May 1922

 

 

The Talking Machine World, May 1927

 

Bubble Books WIndow Display, The Talking Machine World, July 15, 1921

 

 

See Mainspring Press for additional

Columbia Phonograph Company Window Displays (1904 – 1907)

Columbia Graphophone display, The Talking Machine World, April 15, 1906

 

The Talking Machine World, January 1906

 

 

 

Phonographia