Oriola information

[MenacingCandy44]

A while back we got this grand opera phonograph as I've seen it be called, and I was wanting to know more about it, what I do know is that, its branding is Oriola, and it was made by Metropolis Sales Co at 27 union square in 1917 and I've been able to find a few ads in "The Talking Machine World" magazine but nothing really about the company except maybe who bought the location of the company but when I try and find who they were on Google someone pops up but it doesn't mention the metropolis sales company, any information would be greatly appreciated or even a link to a website with information about the brand or company.

[CurtA]

[BenL]

There was a company operating out of New York as the Metropolis Sales Co. as early as 1910, but I'm pretty sure there's no connection.
(https://archive.org/details/per_chicago-daily-tribune_1910-09-18_69_38/page/n79/mode/2up?q="Metropolis+Sales+Co")

The company at Union Sqaure starts advertising unbranded machines, parts, accessories, around late 1915 and was incorporated in early 1916. 
(https://www.google.com/books/edition/Pages_from_The_Talking_Machine_World/pVVGAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq="Oriola+phonograph"&pg=PA140&printsec=frontcover) 

I tired looking up the incorporators to see if they were connected to any other businesses, but nothing stood out.
(https://archive.org/details/trowsgeneraldire1917trow/page/1384/mode/2up?q="Metropolis+Sales+Co")

The incorporators of the Metropolis Sales Co.
(https://www.google.com/books/edition/Directory_of_Directors_in_the_City_of_Ne/NwMCAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq= "Metropolis sales co")

It looks like they start advertising Oriola in late 1916 and continue the brand till about 1920. 
(https://www.newspapers.com/search/?query="oriola phonograph"&sort=paper-date-asc) 

Based on advertising, 1917-1919 was when they were most active. 
(https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Talking-Machine-IDX/IDX/10s/Talking-Machine-1917-04-OCR-Page-0107.pdf#search="metropolis sales") 

(https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Talking-Machine-IDX/IDX/10s/Talking-Machine-1917-06-OCR-Page-0110.pdf#search="issue an attractive catalog")

(https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Talking-Machine-IDX/search.cgi?zoom_sort=0&zoom_xml=0&zoom_query=ORIOLA&zoom_cat[]=-1&zoom_per_page=10) 

It looks like they started off as a parts supplier/jobber, and Oriola was an attempt at marketing their house brand.

Middletown Transcript (1915-12-18)

Edited January 4 by BenL