Victor Type B
Production of the Type B was initiated several years before The Victor Talking Machine
Company was founded. Emile Berliner, the predecessor of Victor, and the inventor of the flat phonograph disc,
designed and marketed an early version of this model as early as 1896 under his "Berliner" brand name. Eldridge Johnson, who ran a small machining business,
had been contracted to manufacture components for Berliner's
phonographs, and they briefly partnered under the name "Consolidated Talking
Machine Company". Berliner eventually sold his business interests to Johnson in the fall
of 1901, and he named his new enterprise "The Victor Talking Machine Company".
Johnson made improvements to the design, and continued to produce much of
Berliner's original product line.
The Type B is called the "Trademark Phonograph"
because it was the model used in the famous Victor logo with Nipper staring down
the horn. The Type B sold new for $18.00, which equates to about $700.00 in
today's money. A
stamped steel horn was standard along with a single spring motor and "Standard"
Soundbox. The crank was placed in a vertical position and a 7 inch turntable was
used. So the record must be removed before the machine can be cranked. The earliest examples will not have the "Nipper" logo,
and may have different ID tags and cabinet designs. Some examples will not even indicate any designation that it is a "B" model.
When first introduced, disc phonographs were considered to be more of a novelty or conversation piece than an audio playback system for the serious music-lover. In addition, these phonographs became totally obsolete within just a few years. Many were likely trashed in favor of newer models, which could provide much more volume and improved fidelity. Production logs have not survived, but based on the serial numbers of surviving examples, at least 36,000 were produced; this figure may or may not include production prior to the founding of Consolidated Talking Machine. It is also likely that early versions were produced without any serial number designation. Regardless, this phonograph was a popular item for a few years. The Victor B was discontinued in mid-1902. Even though quite a few were produced, these early Victors are highly prized by collectors today.
The current survival database shows the earliest existent Victor B to be S/N 1879 and the latest to be S/N 35523.
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