Phonoland

Are their any collectors on here that know about the Magnola Talking Machine. Mine is a upright machine in Mahogany finish. It says Magnola Talking Machine Co. Chicago, IL. The reproducer can be turned side to side. I am wondering how common this machine was or is? The machine plays nice.

The only thing I could find, is at this site- http://www.gracyk.com/makers.shtml
But all it tells you is that the trademark was regd; Sept 1916.
Im not sure if you realize the reason for the sound box/reproducer to be able to turn as it does. Alot of American machines from around this period did this so you could play lateral cut records( Victors/columbia's etc) , as well as vertical cut records(Pathe'/Edison) I wouldn't recommend playing Edisons on it though.

The Magnola, as with most of the off-brand victrola knock-offs, is not common compared to the machines produced by Victor, Columbia, Edison, etc. As mentioned in the article Shane referred you to, many were only in production for a few years.

Also, as noted, many off brand phonographs were designed to play the three types of records produced at the time--during the teens to mid-1920s--

-- lateral cut records produced by Victor, Columbia, etc., which were played with a steel needle. In this case the sound box should be positioned so the diaphragm faces sideways.

-- vertical cut Edison Diamond Disc records which were played with a special diamond point stylus. In this case the sound box should be positioned so the diaphragm faces toward the front.

--vertical cut Pathe' records which were played with a special sapphire ball stylus. In this case the sound box should be positioned so the diaphragm faces toward the front.

While relatively uncommon, there is less demand among collectors, today, for most of the off-brand phonographs, compared to comparable name brand machines. A big issue, for many collectors, is parts. Several were assembled from die-cast components such as tone arms, sound boxes and motor parts, supplied by third party companies. Oftentimes, these were made from pot metal, which can crumble or crack with age, mandating a replacement.

A related issue is sound quality. Since the major companies held onto their patents covering the tapered tone arm, the competitors had to come with their own designs. In most cases, these were inferior, from the standpoint of sound quality. (The optimum design employs a constant, exponential taper of the tone chamber, from the sound box, to the horn's mouth. This would not be achieved until the introduction of the Orthophonic Victrola in 1925.)