Santa Claus Time: 1921

I've got several dozen of those 20s era Vocalion 78s in my collection, including the original version of "Man of Constant Sorrow" by Emry Arthur. They've all held up quite well over the years and sound incredible considering they're almost 100 years old now.

The sign says QRS player rolls are better. I have about sixty or so of them - many from around this time and some newer - but the QRS rolls still play like a charm.

The phonograph in the window display is an Aeolian Vocalion Model H, which sold for $150 at the time. Aeolian was a piano manufacturer that entered the phonograph market in 1915 upon the expiration of the Victor Talking Machine patents.

The Aeolian-Vocalion phonograph (don't call it a Victrola, or the trademark police will be after you) was well made and had interesting features including a cable-operated remote control for the volume, but the brand never became very popular. This was a little surprising considering Aeolian's success with its Pianola player piano and pipe organs.

It is interesting that this shop is selling the Aeolian-Vocalion phonograph and Vocalion records (in the snow drift), but does not appear to sell Aeolian pianos according to the sign on the window. The card partially visible to the left of the phonograph appears to be describing the latest "Edison Records", so the shop dealt in the products from many manufacturers.

My brother bought one of those Victrolas for $10 in 1968 and sold it for $100 in 1978. It came with a full rack of records, including "Oh, Dem Golden Slippers," "Roamin' in the Gloaming" and several from a vocalist whose name I misheard as "Al McGluck".

I could never figure out why his voice was so high.