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I believe at least the radioton guy was based on Maxfield Parish art. Here are some images of what appear to be Maxfield Parish art done for RCA Radiotron. I don't own these ads and don't remember where I found them, but I sure do like them.

It would help to know where you're located. We don't exactly need your address, but maybe state, or city, or province?

My Rishell has not functioned since I bought it from a local farmer a few years ago. Where can I send the operational parts to be repaired?

Nice pieces! Took me a minute to get the play on words with "Bandy," as in "band," since he's obviously a drum major. Stupid me, and I played a band instrument, too. Mmm, maybe that's why.... They could very well be Maxfield Parrish. Something about the faces; see https://www.wikiart.org/en/maxfield-parrish/the-knave-of-hearts-1925-2 Also this one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxfield_Parrish#/media/File:LIFEMagazine30Aug1923.jpg Maxfield Parrish (1870-1966), Philadelphia native, Quaker, Haverford, PAFA, Drexel. Go Phillies! Fly Eagles Fly! and all that jazz.

Since my original post I've learned more about the Radiotron figure and last weekend found the GE radio guy as well. The radiotron figure is called The Selling Fool. The GE figure is named Bandy. Here they are together with a few other extras.

You and I both, Nate.😉

I'm wondering if there is something I can do with this Meltrope III soundbox. It doesn't really sound much better than the exhibition on an open horn HMV machine I use. To me it looks like everything is in order, no damage to the diaphragm, the ball bearings are in place and the rubber is supple enough. Am I missing something? I expected a notable difference to a 1913 exhibition... Greatful for thoughts! H

Nate, based upon your recent acquisitions, I'd say you're doing just fine! 😉 George P.

Wanted Pathe' center start records. Jerry

Congratulations George! I look forward to seeing what it looks like when you're done with it. Boy, maybe I need to get out more...

Thanks, friends. Had it appeared on our front porch I couldn't have been more surprised. Well...maybe a little... That is indeed a quick-release lever on the Exhibition. It's frozen up, as is the horn elbow clamp plate and screw. Looks like it spent many years in a barn or a cellar. George P.

That appears to be a quick-release lever on the Exhibition, too.

Nice Saturday surprise indeed! Congratulations!

Congratulations George!

I like a bargain as much as the next guy, but in good conscience I couldn't pay only $30 for this at a garage sale, much less at a church sale! George P.

Maybe I should start going to church again! What a find. It should clean up real nice, as the saying goes. Congrats!

If you had attended our church sale for the last 5 or 6 years, you could have purchased a phongraph there as well. Not one as collectable as this one, however, and nowhere near that cheap. Wow!! For several years I donated a phonograph to our church sale. Two reasons; 1. The buyer was always excited and overjoyed to get it, which was fun to see, 2. Our church ladies had a way of getting prices for them that I never could, so my small donation netted a nice profit for the parish. Everyone's happy.... but maybe not as happy as you are with your find. (Kudos, by the way, for "correcting" them on the pricing.)

What would you do if, while walking through a church rummage sale, you saw this? At a church rummage sale??? Unbelievable. Sure, it's crusty, and parts are rusty, the turntable felt is roached, the slip-on crank and a couple of the column capitals are missing. But check this out: I felt like I was back in the 1960s. Who in their right mind priced this? The church ladies were astonished when I paid them several times their price for this. Everybody's happy. George P.

The late Allen Koenigsberg extensively documented this diorama feature at the 1915 Exposition (world's fair). This LINK will render a “directory-tree-like-structure” allowing the viewer to “point-and-click” for review and / or download the transfers of the 2-minute BA’s for Zone D and Zone G, used in the PPIE Diorama exhibit or to review documentation. View PPIE Grounds Map Diorama in grouping 87 – 91 Reference also: https://forum.antiquephono.org/topic/835-victor-talking-machine-co-pavilion/#comment-3769 for a topic René posted reference the Victor Talking Machine Co. a unique domed building: "For the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exhibition (world's fair) in San Francisco, the Victor Talking Machine Co. constructed a unique domed building to house exhibits and demonstration halls. Despite promotional pictures that implied it was a stand-alone building, in reality it was built inside the massive Liberal Arts Building (see photo below). At the close of the fair, the pavilion was sold (along with many other buildings and architectural features). The Victor building was loaded onto a ferry and moved to San Rafael, north of the Golden Gate. There it served for decades as a community center. I had been there several times and never knew it was the Victor building until much later."

Of the 10 private BA’s from the 1915 recording session for Henry Ford, contributors have provided transfers of 4. Although all 10 are in the Henry Ford Museum, Henry was known to have duplicates recorded and given to local schools which are likely the source for these. There were 17 private BA’s from the 1925 recording session with 4 later being cataloged and offered for sale on BA. Some may have also later become available on disc. One, not released on BA has been transferred as well. This LINK will render a “directory-tree-like-structure” allowing the viewer to “point-and-click” for review and / or download.

Thanks for posting the link, great info!

Wow, Dan. I'm so glad you bought that record and did this video showing it off! The sound quality is superb, and I loved the graphics (especially the variety of colorful Columbia sleeves)! What will you do next???

Very interesting! Thanks for posting. This is the first and only time I ever heard “Vallee” pronounced like “valet.” Usually it’s “valley.” Note, also, that he sings the lyric “…let’s go to bed,” but on the label, it’s “…let’s go to sleep.” Quite a distinction there! Rudy spiced it up a bit. How many remember Kate Smith? Some of us old-timers recall that her recording of “God Bless America” was played at Philadelphia Flyers hockey games. I played trombone in the stage band that accompanied her when she appeared at the Allentown Fair back in the early 1970s. She didn’t read a note of music, but boy, she had an ego to match her considerable bulk. You meet all kinds in the music business.

Most welcome, Rene. I like these odd records. I found it at the Midwest APS expo.

What a fascinating record! I was not aware of this one. These must be super-rare given the incredibly limited distribution. And great video presentation as well. Thanks for posting this.