Victor Talking Machine Co.
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Name: Victor Talking Machine Co.
AKAs: Consolidated Talking Machine Company [1900], Eldridge Johnson Manufacturing Machinist [1900-01], Victor Talking Machine Company
Start Date: August 1900
Close Date: 1930
City: Camden
State: NJ
Country: United States
Original City: Philadelphia
Original State: PA
Original Country: United States
At the turn of the Twentieth Century, the gramophone business was a high-tech business, meaning the quality of the technology--and owning the patents to the technology--was a key part of a company's success. Berliner Gramophone had developed and patented the groove-based gramophone in the 1890s. The records were plates as opposed to cylinders. The needle fit into a groove on the plate, which was spun at a high speed to produce sound. These were essentially the first versions of the modern records.
In 1896, Berliner had contracted with Eldridge Johnson's machine shop to produce gramophones. In 1898 Johnson patented a new motor for the players that was quiet, steady and inexpensive. By 1900, Johnson had built a plant for pressing records as well. Unfortunately, by that point Berliner had fallen on hard times. Legal problems forced Berliner to cease production of gramophones and records in June of 1900. This left Johnson with a record plant and gramophone manufacturing facility, but no company to buy his product. Johnson had two options, he could wait it out and hope Berliner could turn it around, or he could go into the gramophone business on his own. He chose the latter, and in August of 1900 he launched the Consolidated Talking Machine Company.
The Consolidated name didn't last long. There was already a company called The Consolidated Talking Machine Company of America, so Johnson was forced to change his business' name to Eldridge Johnson, Manufacturing Machinist. The company lasted a little over a year, at which point it merged with Berliner to become the Victor Talking Machine Company.
By the late 1920s, the burgeoning radio market caused a noticeable drop in Victor's profits. Eldridge Johnson had grown tired of the business, making the decision to retire and sell the company to RCA on March 15, 1929. The corporation was subsequently renamed the RCA Victor Company in 1930.
Between 1900 and 1905, Victor Talking Machine Company had different labels depending on the size of the record. Improved Gram-O-Phone Record (later renamed Improved Record by court order) was the first such label and was specifically used for seven-inch records during the company's days as Consolidated Talking Machine Company. The Monarch designation was later adopted for ten-inch records, along with the Deluxe designation for twelve and fourteen-inch records. These were eventually discontinued in 1905 in favor of using Victor for all sizes.
See the Victor illustrated label guide for more information.
Victor Labels (1905-30)
Victor Labels (1900-05)
7-inch records
- Improved Gram-O-Phone Record [1900-01]
- Improved Record [1901-?]
- Victor Monarch Record [1901]
- Victor [1901-05]
10-inch records
- Victor Ten Inch Record [1901]
- Victor Monarch Record [1901-03]
- Monarch Record [1903-05]
12-inch records
- Deluxe Record [1903-05]
14-inch records
- Deluxe Special Record [1903-05]