General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

3

Total Parts

8

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

Metal container with paper liner.

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

4.5 cm

Width

3.0 cm

Height

1.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Communications

Category

Sound

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Unknown

Country

England

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

Period

1925-1928

Canada

When Victor introduced the Orthophonic Victrola line in late 1925, the Granada was second in price only to the deluxe Credenza model. At this time phonograph sales were in decline due in part to growing competition from radio. Along with Victor's new electrically recorded disks, the Orthophonics briefly revived the fortunes of the company and its Canadian subsidiary. This particular example of the Granada was originally owned by Mania Finkelstein, who used it to play popular music and a large collection of Jewish (Hebrew, Yiddish and other language) recordings. After her death in 1975, the phonograph was inherited by her stepson, Mr. Moe Segal. A prominent member of the Ottawa Jewish community, Mr. Segal occasionally played records on the machine over the next ten years. He subsequently donated most of the cantorial music in Ms. Finkelstein's collection to his synagogue.

Function

Container for the Granada Orthophonic Victrola needles.

Technical

Victor introduced the "Orthophonic Victrola" line in late 1925. These machines were designed to optimize the sound reproduction of the new, electrically recorded records entering the market at this time. Although the recordings were made using microphones and electronic amplification, the Orthophonic Victrola was a refinement of the conventional acoustical-mechanical system of sound reproduction. The reproducer featured a pleated aluminum diaphragm and a stylus assembly set in ball bearings to improve needle response. A folded, exponential horn maximized the efficiency with which the energy of the diaphragm's vibrations was coupled to the air, converting the high pressure, low displacement movements of the diaphragm to the low pressure, high displacement fluctuations of sound waves in the room. Though technically this was not amplification, the system produced a loud output with relatively little distortion. It was the high point in acoustical-mechanical phonograph design, but within five years it was rendered obsolete by improved electrical pickups and electronic amplifiers. Motive power for the turntable was provided either by the standard Victrola spring motor or, in the case of this particular Granada, an optional electric motor.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

Mfr's:"MITRE [logo]BRAND/HIGHLY REFINED/Sheffield Steel Needles/for/ALL DISC TALKING MACHINES/MADE IN ENGLAND/USE EACH NEEDLE ONCE ONLY,

Missing

Nothing missing.

Finish

Metal container with paper liner.

Decoration

Orange scroll on cover of tin.