The Jukebox

             Have you ever gone to a 50s diner, seen someone standing next to a record machine and drop a coin into the machine? All of a sudden there is a record such as Rock Around the Clock, or The Lion Sleeps Tonight, or To Know Him Is to Love Him blaring in the background. Any song by Elvis or Dion and the Belmonts would be fine, too.

                These machines, called jukeboxes, are not very common these days, but were extremely popular even 50 years ago.

                These coin-operated music boxes actually got their start in the 1890s. Louis Glass and William Arnold invented the nickel-in-the-slot phonograph in 1890, the first of which was an Edison Class M Electric Phonograph. Early machines had the capability to receive a coin, which unlocked the mechanism, which enables the listener to turn a crank and hear a musical selection. Many of the machines were equipped with listening tubes, allowing the operator to choose which record was to be played. In 1928, Justus Seeburg combined an electrostatic loudspeaker with a record player that was coin operated, and gave the listener a choice of eight records.

                In 1940 the term jukebox came into use in the United States. It was devised from the term “juke joint” which was from the Gullah word meaning disorderly or rowdy.

                In 1950, the Seeburg Corporation introduced an all 45 rpm vinyl record jukebox, enabling the 45 rpm record to be the primary jukebox media in the second half of the 20^th century.

                Jukeboxes were most popular in the 1940s, 50s, until the mid-60s, by the mid-40s, about three-fourths of American-produced records went into jukeboxes. Various types of music went into jukeboxes, including rock ‘n’ roll, classical, opera, and even swing music. Many manufactures produced jukeboxes, including Seeburg, Wurlitzer, Crosley, and “Rock-Ola”. Ironically, the brand name “Rock-Ola” is from the name of the company founder, David Rockola.

                Of course, jukeboxes are popular among collectors of fine furniture, but also of record machines, their making jukeboxes a natural crossover item.

                Jukeboxes can be very ornate, which will definitely effect the price.

                A 1972 classic disco ere Seeburg jukebox went for $1625 in a 2014 Heritage auction. A 1957 Seeburg sold 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 part, once the record is in the machine it is easier just to leave it in the jukebox. Therefore, if you wanted to have that 45 record for other purposes, you would either have to remove the record from the machine, or unfortunately, buy another record.

                On my jukebox there is a slot to put a coin and select a record. I jokingly tell my friends that it would be nice of them to put some money into the machine to help defray some of the cost. Nobody has done so yet. Anyway, these machines are very well made, and play very good music. They are very colorful, and are certainly an addition to any room or den where you just want to hear fine music.