THIS ITEM IS SOLD

"ARETINO" TALKING MACHINE


This delightfully plump and pleasant instrument, with its robust chestnut cabinet and scalloped flower horn -- original paint in fine condition.



Here we see the condition of the orighinal cabinet finish, and factory-installed decal.  Named for an Guido Aretino, an 11th century monk who helped develop modern music notation.



The Aretino Machine plays records with a 3" diameter center hole -- the inventor himself referred to them as "doughnut" records!  AND WE'RE GIVING YOU TEN RECORDS WITH THE MACHINE.



The components are all in fine condition. The soundbox is advanced over anything Victor had to offer. Note the extra-large diaphragm.



 How does it sound? --- great!

BUT SERIOUSLY-- What is the deal with this record?! A center hole of 3" diameter?! Got a minute?-- we'll tell you the story.



In 1904, Arthur J. O'Neill, advertising specialist, founded a Chicago marketing firm called the O’Neill-James Company, which soon began distributing cylinder and disc talking machines.

At that time in Chicago there as a kind of "war of the spindle holes" going on. There were a number of firms offering talking machines that had enlarged spindles so that ONLY one particular brand of record would fit them. 

In fact, it was getting rather crazy, with holes in the records measuring 1/2", 3/4" and even 1 1/2". And all this effort was being expended to keep clients from using "rival brand" records on the talking machines they purchased.

O'Neill decided the only answer was to make a record with a hole SO BIG that it would fit any of the competing instruments. Patent No. 874,985 was issued to Arthur J. O’Neill on December 31, 1907 for his concept of a record with the greatest-of-all-possible holes, with precious little room for any label at all! A virtual doughnut of a record, with a 3” aperture. 


We've spent 53 years perfecting the meticulous restoration procedures such as we employed in bringing the Aretino back to life. Incidentally, Aretino horns were always green, in this instance original factory paint, condition clean and rust free, as shown.

One cannot buy an Aretino without getting some records -- so we are including TEN Aretino discs with this instrument.

Price: $1350.00 US, with 10 records, plus shipping and handling. (NY State residents must pay sales tax, if applicable.)

E-mail: phonotim@gmail.com      

Telephone: 585-244-5546

US Post: PHONOPHAN

               PO Box  747

               Henrietta, NY 14467 USA

Click here for Terms & Conditions of sale

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