Gramophone [Decca]
Maker and role
Barnett Samuel and Sons Limited, Manufacturer
Production date
Circa 1935
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Object detail
Accession number
1978.53
Production period
Description
Portable, clockwork "Decca" gramophone. The unit consists of a large box with a turntable in the centre. The turntable is covered up by a green felt. In the centre of the turntable is a short spindle to accommodate 78 rpm records. On the right hand side is an opening for the winding handle to be fitted. Around the sides of the turntable are some control switches. The gooseneck tuner arm emerges from the centre of the lid and it has a kind of reflective cone which sits in the centre of the inner side of the domed lid. There is a carry handle on the front of the unit.
Brief History
The Decca trade name was first used in 1914 for a portable gramophone manufactured by English firm Barnett Samuel & Sons Ltd., called the Dulcephone. They patented it as the first portable gramophone, and many were taken overseas by British soldiers during World War I. The gramophone manufacturing arm of Barnett Samuel and Sons was later renamed the Decca Gramophone Company, then in 1929 Edward Lewis established the Decca Record Company in England, which brought together the manufacture of gramophones and records.
In 1934, five years after the establishment of the British company, Jack Kapp started the American branch of Decca. The new label released its first product in the middle years of the Great Depression and tried to appeal to cost-conscious consumers by selling records for a mere 35 cents each. The first recording artist signed by Kapp for the new label was Bing Crosby. Crosby became a major star by the end of the 1930s. By 1959, American Decca had become so valuable it was purchased by the Music Corporation of America (MCA). Records with the Decca brand name appeared for a few more years, but soon this familiar label became part of recording history.
In 1934, five years after the establishment of the British company, Jack Kapp started the American branch of Decca. The new label released its first product in the middle years of the Great Depression and tried to appeal to cost-conscious consumers by selling records for a mere 35 cents each. The first recording artist signed by Kapp for the new label was Bing Crosby. Crosby became a major star by the end of the 1930s. By 1959, American Decca had become so valuable it was purchased by the Music Corporation of America (MCA). Records with the Decca brand name appeared for a few more years, but soon this familiar label became part of recording history.
Marks
DECCA Made in England Etched
THE DECCA / THE PORTABLE GRAMOPHONE Printed
R.D 081877 / PAT 3033 / 10025-20 Impressed
THE DECCA / THE PORTABLE GRAMOPHONE Printed
R.D 081877 / PAT 3033 / 10025-20 Impressed
Credit Line
Barnett Samuel and Sons Limited. Circa 1935. Gramophone [Decca], 1978.53. The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT).
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