By Tim Gracyk I collect not just phonographs, 78s, and cylinders. I collect information, including dates for machine models being introduced, biographical facts about industry giants, addresses of manufacturers and major dealers. I learn all I can about the phonograph industry, especially as it evolved in Northern California. Knowing where people used to buy phonographs and recordings helps me imagine what it was like to walk into a shop long ago and make a purchase.
Every phonograph has a history, and it began at the shop where it was sold for the first time.
It was an exciting day when a family bought a phonograph fresh from the factory. Most phonographs were sold during the Christmas season. Summer months seemed good only for selling portables. Old newspapers and phonograph trade journals say everything we might want to know about the industry in the Bay Area decades ago. I'll share facts about where people made purchases.