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Page 38 The Antique Shoppe January, 2017
THE JUKEBOX
By Jeff Figler
Have you ever gone to a 50s diner, seen In 1940 the term jukebox came into use in
someone standing next to a record machine the United States. It was devised from the term
and drop a coin into the machine? All of a “juke joint” which was from the Gullah word
sudden there is a record such as Rock meaning disorderly or rowdy.
Around the Clock, or The Lion Sleeps In 1950, the Seeburg Corporation
Tonight, or To Know Him Is to Love introduced an all 45 rpm vinyl
Him blaring in the background. record jukebox, enabling the 45
Any song by Elvis or Dion and the rpm record to be the primary
Belmonts would be fine, too. jukebox media in the second
These machines, called half of the 20 century.
th
jukeboxes, are not very common Jukeboxes were most
these days, but were extremely popular in the 1940s, 50s,
popular even 50 years ago. until the mid-60s, by the mid-
These coin-operated music 40s, about three-fourths of
boxes actually got their start American-produced records
in the 1890s. Louis Glass and went into jukeboxes. Various
William Arnold invented the types of music went into
nickel-in-the-slot phonograph jukeboxes, including rock
in 1890, the first of which was 'n roll, classical, opera, and
an Edison Class M Electric even swing music. Many
Phonograph. Early machines manufactures produced
had the capability to receive jukeboxes, including Seeburg,
a coin, which unlocked the Wurlitzer, Crosley, and “Rock-
mechanism, which enables Ola”. Ironically, the brand
the listener to turn a crank and name “Rock-Ola” is from the part, once the record is in the machine it is
hear a musical selection. Many name of the company founder, easier just to leave it in the jukebox. Therefore,
of the machines were equipped David Rockola. if you wanted to have that 45 record for
with listening tubes, allowing Of course, other purposes, you would either
the operator to choose which jukeboxes have to remove the record from
record was to be played. In are popular the machine, or unfortunately, buy
1928, Justus Seeburg combined among another record.
an electrostatic loudspeaker collectors of On my jukebox there is a slot
with a record player that was coin fine furniture, but also of to put a coin and select a record.
operated, and gave the listener a choice of record machines, their I jokingly tell my friends that it
eight records. making jukeboxes a natural would be nice of them to put some
crossover item. money into the machine to help
Jukeboxes can be very defray some of the cost. Nobody
ornate, which will definitely has done so yet. Anyway, these
effect the price. machines are very well made, and
A 1972 classic disco era play very good music. They are very
Seeburg jukebox went for colorful, and are certainly an addition
$1625 in a 2014 Heritage to any room or den where you just
auction. A 1957 Seeburg sold want to hear fine music.
for $13,000.
At auction, the Wurlitzers and the Rock-
Olas have done very well. Many of those
jukeboxes are very well lit and can hold
scores of records. One of the historic Wurlitzer
“Bubbler” jukebox from 1948 was sold for
$17,500. Generally speaking, the “bubbler”
is regarded as the most popular jukebox of
its kind. The one that sold at auction was still
operational, a factor that increased its appeal.
An extremely rare Rock-Ola Commando
Model 1420 jukebox was auctioned for
$19,000 in 2012.
Several years ago my family purchased a
Wurlitzer jukebox. It still plays to this day, and
we use it at parties and other get togethers.
However, shortly after installing it, we
discovered a problem which we have never
corrected. Once you place the, lets say, 45s
into the machine, and then label the record,
it is very cumbersome to take out the record
and use it for other purposes. For the most
