Record Players

Martin Munkacsi, [Portable record player], 1930s (2007.110.2650)

USSR in Construction, July 1935 (2012.13.24)

A portable gramophone manufactured by the Leningrad factory.

The gramophone industry that came to us after the October revolution was a handicraft industry, in a semi-ruined condition. It was only in 1924-1925 that the organization of the production began in the USSR. In 1928–1929 only about 1,500 gramophones were made, the number rising in 1931 to 15,000 and in 1932 to 25,000. During the first five year plan about 6,000,000 records were made. But both gramophones and the records were of poor quality. Their number was also utterly inadequate to cope with the growing demand. On September 23, 1933 the central committee of the CPSU decided on measures to improve and develop the gramophone industry. A special gramophone trust was organized under the commissariat of heavy industry. On the decision of the central committee the old factory in Leningrad was re-equipped and a new one built at Kolomensk, and in 1935 the output will be 140,00 gramophones. In 1937 A new factory will be ready in Vladimir. After it starts to work the manufacture of gramophones will reach 1,5000,000 annually.

Portable gramophones are very popular. in the course of a few years they have penetrated everywhere.
The people of Uzbekistan love to listen to the gramophone.
Portable gramophones are pleasant on boating trips.
Crews who are wintering in the Arctic like them.
The traditional concertina and the portable gramophone.

The collective farmers of the Kalmykov farm, North Caucasus, listen to the music of a portable gramophone in the dinner interval.

USSR in Construction, July 1935 (2012.13.24)

The main conveyor at the Leningrad factory. Assembling electric gramophones.
The mechanism of the portable gramophone, assembled in a metal case, is carefully tested.
Every part of the works is tested with the same care.
Gramophone factory, now being built at Vladimir.

Bernie Aumuller, [Phonograph], October 7, 1947 (2013.115.300)

John Albert, [Record player and radio], October 8, 1947 (2013.115.101)

Bill Wood, [Record player with television], 1966 (2010.14.17)

Curtis Humphrey, [Still life: Realistic Clarinette 84: record player, AM-FM radio, 8-track tape player; “Just Another Way to Say I Love You” by Barry White, incense burner, etc., Texas], 1976 (DA.2C17.847)