1992.8

APH Talking Book Reproducer

Portable electric talking book phonograph; brown leatherette-covered wooden case, corners reinforced with riveted tinplate; tinplate feet on both right side and bottom of case; brown-painted stitched leather handles on steel D-rings bracketed to left side of case; recessed round heat-release grills on lower left and lower right sides of case; two stamped steel latches on front; removable lid hinges open, sliding steel support on right; large speaker with brown plastic cord wrapped on steel bracket is stored inside lid; brown wool "flocked" textured steel turntable, 9" diameter; black crazed-finish on rectilinear steel tone arm on right with thumbscrew to lock it to black steel tone arm rest, thumbscrew on front of arm allows replacement of needle; brown plastic duplex electric cable stores on two brown steel brackets behind turntable; brown grill covers three electronic tubes behind bracket; fuse and speaker jack in recess behind tone arm; nickel steel needle case with self closing lid on left rear of deck; controls on black bakelite panel in recess in front of tone arm, including on/off toggle, black tone dial, black volume dial, and headphone jack; label pinned to deck in front left, "TALKING BOOK REPRODUCER/MFG. FOR/AMERICAN PRINTING HOUSE FOR THE BLIND/LOUISVILLE, KY/BY SANDWICK-BOWEN CORPORATION/BETHESDA, MD/VOLTS 115 A.C. SPEED 33 1/3 RPM/CYCLES 60 SERIAL NO. 5."

H-11 W-16.5 D-16.75 inches

ca. 1950

Sandwick-Bowen Corp.

Bethesda, MD; Louisville, KY

APH Collection

Before and during World War II, Talking Book phonographs were made on contract for the Library of Congress by the American Foundation for the Blind. In 1946, the LC began awarding contracts to commercial manufacturers such as Sandwick-Bowen. SB made its Model 30,000 for the LC, and offered them as well to other blindness organizations in 1947. This machine is an adaptation of the 30,000, made on contract for APH.

APH Collection, 1992.8