From 1906 to 1910, high-end audio gear meant the Royal Grand Zonophone, which sold for $75. Today a Zonophone in good condition can fetch up to $6,000.
A Pre-Victrola Berliner was sold by Stanton Auctions for $19,800.The first lever-wind Berliners were introduced in December 1896. Before then, the only reliable talking machine was the Edison Class M cylinder phonograph, shown at left with a battery jar. The $150 price tag kept sales low, and survivors are rare.
he $30 Victor II was the best-selling model in Victor’s external-horn line. This particular example features a snazzy aftermarket horn by Brooklyn’s Searchlight Co.
This 1903 Edison Standard Model A features a rare blue “Lily” horn made by the Standard Metal Manufacturing Co. in Newark.
The gold-leaf vernis- Martin finish and handpainted panels doubled the price of this 1911 Victrola XVI to $400. Today, upgraded machines like this still command a premium.
Before World War I, German manufacturers were known for glorifying the phonograph. This exuberant 3-foot horn, although unmarked, bears all the hallmarks of German panache.