thanks Bill for the info.....I also found the Library links a few days ago....same conclusion as yours....I'll keep searching.
-----Original Message----- From: phono-l-boun...@oldcrank.org [mailto:phono-l-boun...@oldcrank.org] On Behalf Of bruce78...@comcast.net Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2011 3:41 PM To: Antique Phonograph List Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Widdicomb The Widdicomb Family sold the Company and severed their relationship to the firm in 1916, just as the firm was about get into the Phonograph business. There appears to be nothing in the on line info you refer to about the phonograph venture. I perused it and nothing jumps out at me. You probably would have to go into the individual ledgers and written history at the Library in order to actually see in anything still exists about the details of the phonograph venture. Bruce ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Taney" <b...@taney.com> To: "Antique Phonograph List" <phono-l@oldcrank.org> Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2011 2:52:48 PM Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Widdicomb http://www.historygrandrapids.org/learn.php?id=33 http://www.grpl.org/wiki/images/017.pdf Lots of info available from Grand Rapids public library. They were a prominent furniture company, who probably went into the rush to the phono biz as a sideline. Bill On 1/26/11 1:36 PM, "bruce78...@comcast.net" <bruce78...@comcast.net> wrote: >The cabinet looks very nice. but there does not appear to be any other >unique feature that really makes it special or separates it or makes it >more special then any of the other countless Phonograph Marketing >wanabees, that chose to enter the field and compete against the big three >(Victor, Columbia, and Edison), as well as the more established and >successful firms like Sonora or Pathe etc. Thus this firm and its >phonographs went the way of the DoDo bird within a very short time span. >How many were sold and how many still remain in existence, it left up to >speculation. > >Bruce >----- Original Message ----- >From: "John Maeder" <appywan...@hotmail.com> >To: phono-l@oldcrank.org >Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2011 2:23:46 PM >Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Widdicomb > >After the fundamental patents owned by the Victor Talking Machine Company >expired in 1917, anyone could enter the lateral-groove disc >record/phonograph record business without fear of being sued into >bankruptcy by Victor's legal department. Dozens if not hundreds of >manufacturers answered the call. The Widdicomb was produced sometime >between 1917-1924 by a company in Grand Rapids that either was or had >access to a furniture factory (Grand Rapids being a center of furniture >manufacture). The audio parts and motors were usually obtained from a >third-party maker or importer. > >> From: bkk...@comcast.net >> To: phono-l@oldcrank.org >> Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2011 14:05:57 -0500 >> Subject: [Phono-L] Widdicomb >> >> Here's a link for high Rez jpegs of the Widdicomb that I just >> acquired......any thoughts on age etc.? >> >> >> >> http://www.4shared.com/dir/Lzzgc5Tp/sharing.html >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Phono-L mailing list >> http://phono-l.oldcrank.org > >_______________________________________________ >Phono-L mailing list >http://phono-l.oldcrank.org >_______________________________________________ >Phono-L mailing list >http://phono-l.oldcrank.org _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.oldcrank.org _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.oldcrank.org _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.oldcrank.org
