Children's Phonographs and Popular Culture Characters
The following are examples of children's phonographs and ads featuring popular culture characters used to promote phonographs for children. Select from the gallery below or use the Children's Phonographs Table of Contents.
This gallery is followed by a Brief History of Children's Phonographs.
Howdy Doody Phono Doodle,Shura-Tone İKagran, 1955
Roy Rogers RCA Victor Model 9-EY-36 , 45 RPM, c. 1950
Donald Duck 78 RPM, Spear Products, Inc., 1961
Smurf™ Phonograph, Vanity Fair, 1983
The Victor 1-2 (The Nursery Model), c. 1925
Lemiphone, Leonhard Müller Company, c. 1926
See-A-Song, Mfg. by The Wal-Feld Co., c. 1955
Bozo the Clown, Steelman Phonograph & Radio Co., 1954
WKRP in Cincinnati Disc Jockey Control Center, Vanity Fair, 1982
Lindstrom Electric Phonograph, Model 777, c. 1948
Winnie the Pooh Electric Phonograph, Lionel, c. 1948
Superman Phonograph, 1978
Genola Phonograph, General Phonograph Mfg. Co. c. 1925. Mother Goose Lithos
Frank Luther Phonograph with Babar and Nursery Rhyme characters, Decca, c.1950
Raggedy Ann & the Phonograph
A Brief History of Children's Phonographs
The early phonograph was exhibited as an invention based on science, "the talking wonder," "The Miracle of the 19th Century" and the "dream of the inventor realized." (1)
Edison's Tin-foil Phonograph was so novel that many surely wanted to hear it for themselves. In 1878, however, hearing it was only possible because of the traveling phonograph demonstrations: "25 cents Adults, 10 cents for Children" opportunities would appear in cities and towns offering elements of a lecture, a side-show and a magic act.
With promotional posters, trade cards, and newspaper ads often acting as proxies for a fairground barker the following advertising banner was used for early Edison phonograph demonstrations inviting the public to come and hear it for themselves: Edison's Phonograph or Talking Machine: "It Talks! It Sings! It Laughs! It plays coronet songs."
Edison's Phonograph, 1878 - Poster which had space to add specific exhibition location, time, costs, etc. (Courtesy of National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.) For a timeline and other examples of demonstrating the phonograph and recorded sound see Phonographia's "Demonstrating the Phonograph."
When the phonograph did enter the home over a decade later it was not promoted as a toy nor was it intended to be operated by children. An 1896 Columbia Graphophone ad, however, pointed out that it was "so simple that even a child can make it pour forth the most enchanting selections of the world's greatest Musicians...."
"Marvelous, yet so simple that even a child" can operate it. Munsey's Magazine, 1896 (PM-1006A)
A French toy for children was offered in 1897 but it was promoted specifically for their education and said to assure children that in the future they would easily be able "to obtain a reproduction of the human voice with the phonograph."
Although, in order to instruct children, it is well enough to make them read a description of great scientific inventions, such as the telegraph, telephone, phonograph, etc., it is certainly preferable to put these different instruments in their hands in order to permit them to learn how they operate.
Thanks to an ingenious instrument, which is very easily manipulated and of relatively low price, children will be able in the future to assure themselves that it is as easy to obtain a reproduction of the human voice with the phonograph as it is that of a piece of music by means of a mechanical piano. So this is one of the playthings that has met with the most success this year. -- The Phonoscope, April 1897.
The Phonoscope, April 1897
Songs for children were included in some early catalogues but the following 1906 brochure "Victor for Every Day" shows how children could be featured by the phonograph industry operating and being entertained by the Victor Talking Machine and its records. Ads like these, of course, were designed more for the parents who were reminded that the phonograph could provide education and amusement for their children.
The Victor for Every Day in the Week, Victor Talking Machine brochure, c. 1905 (PM-0210)
The "Double Service" functionality of the phonograph was a phrase Edison's ads would use working with companies like the International Correspondence Schools to point out that "Amusement and the Language Study" were an opportunity for "Old and Young" -- if the home had a Phonograph.
"When the language lesson's done then the children have their fun" - The Edison Phonograph Monthly, October, 1904
The children's phonograph market grew after World War I in the United States, but like the rest of the phonograph industry it faded in the 1930's, re-emerged after World War II, and continued to be part of home entertainment and popular culture through the 1980's.
"RCA Victor Children's Record" stories begin with Little Nipper, 1951
Mattel's 1974 See N' Say® Sing-Along™ Play Phonograph used the Chatty Cathy style phonograph mechanism and disc record inside the toy which was powered by the pull-string to talk and sing. The recorded track could be heard by rotating the play record, selecting a picture in the window and pulling the string with its "Chatty Ring."
See N' Say® Sing-Along™ Play Phonograph, Mattel 1974
By the 21st century children listening to music on phonographs became less and less likely. In the 1980's stylized record players such as the 1984 TOMY Bring-Along-A-Song® Record Player for ages 3-7 were made for the very young children. Parents purchasing TOMY and similiar record players had probably played actual phonographs when they were growing up but technology, digital recordings and smartphones were rapidly changing how music was being heard.
Toys like the Tomy "Bring-Along-A-Song® Record Player' played musical notes, however, they were not coming from phonograph records and instead worked and sounded like a music box.
Similiar in functionality to the 1984 TOMY Record Player was this 1987 Fisher-Price Music Box Record Player. Fisher-Price also made an actual children's record player in 1978 and made a Big Bird Phonograph in 1983.
An example of a phonograph made for children in the 1980's is the Fisher-Price Record Player Model 815 (c. 1983) which featured Sesame Street's Big Bird with its 33 1/3 and 45 RPM record speeds.
OTHER CHILDREN'S PHONOGRAPHS, RECORDS AND ACCESSORIESMagic Mirror Movies
Magic Mirror Catalog Ad, 1958
Junior Operetta Records - Little Red Ridiing Hood
The Talking Machine World, November 15, 1923
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The Talking Machine World, November 15, 1923
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The Talking Machine World, November 15, 1923, p. 126.
The JEANNETTE
The Jeannette Phonograph, No. 4450, Johnson Smith & Co., 1926
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Baby Jeannette Phonograph and Genola, Butler Bros., Wholesalers of General Merchandise Catalog, New York, 1927, p. 75.
GENOLA
Genola Phonograph, General Phonograph Mfg. Co. , Elvira, Ohio, c. 1925 (FP0729)
Genola Phonograph, The Talking Machine World, February 15, 1925
1930 Children's Phonograph ads
Children's Phonograph, Union Hardware and Metal Company Catalog, 1930
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Children's Phonograph, Union Hardware and Metal Company Catalog, 1930, p. 2710
Admiral Phonograph, "Child-Proof, " Collier's, August 1946
Frank Luther Phonograph with Babar and Nursery Rhyme Characters
Frank Luther Record Player with Babar and children's storytime characters, 78 RPM, ca. 1948 Decca (FP0646)
LISTEN to "Mother Goose Songs" told by Frank Luther, 78 RPM, 1946 Decca Records, Inc.
"Favorites of Tots and Teens," Penney's Catalog, 1947, pp. 46-47
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Children's Phonographs, Spiegel, 1952, p. 39
LINDSTROM with Litho Characters
Lindstrom Electric Phonograph, Model 777, 78 RPM, c. 1948 (FP1510)
WINNIE THE POOH
Winnie the Pooh Electric Phonograph, Lionel, ca. 1964
Superman Phonograph
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Superman Phonograph SP-19, Dee-Jay Corp., 45 & 33 1/3 RPM, 1978 (FP0631)
Superman "The Flying Train," Musette Records, 2 Flexi-discs 78 RPM and comic book, 1947 (FP1523)
Super Heroes Phonograph SP-14, Dee-Jay Corp., 45 & 33 1/3 RPM, 1978 - Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and Robin. (FP0633)
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1981 Fisher-Price Phonograph Ad
Fisher-Price Phonograph, Fisher-Price Toys, New York, 1981
Penny's Four-Speed Phono Fun! - Mickey and Friends and Dr. Dolittle and his animals! 1968.
"Dial-O-Matic" Phonograph. Sears, 1964.
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For an on-line collection of children's phonographs (kindergrammophones) see Peter W. Burgherr's Collection.
For other examples of lithographed children's phonographs see Phonographia's PhonoLithos.
Children's Phonographs Table of Contents
Bozo the Clown, Steelman Phonograph & Radio Co., 1954
Donald Duck 78 RPM, Spear Products, Inc., 1961
Frank Luther Phonograph with Babar and Nursery Rhyme Characters, Decca, c. 1950
Genola, General Phonograph Mfg. Co, c. 1925
Howdy Doody Phono Doodle, Shura-Tone İKagran, 1955
Lemiphone, Leonhard Müller Company, c. 1926
Lindstrom Phonograph, Model 777, c. 1948
Raggedy Ann, the Phonograph, Records and Other Phonograph Connections
Roy Rogers RCA Victor Model 9-EY-36 , 45 RPM, c. 1950
See-A-Song, Mfg by The Wal-Feld Co., c. 1955
Smurf™ Phonograph, Vanity Fair, 1983
Superman Phonograph, 1978
The Victor-Victrola VV 1-2, the Nursery Model, c. 1925
Winnie the Pooh Phonograph, Lionel, c. 1948
WKRP in Cincinnati Disc Jockey Control Center, Vanity Fair, 1982
Phonographia
