Sparton Visionola 45
This page is about the Sparton Visionola
This page is preliminary and the links are not working yet. In time I will be adding content to the links. Thanks for reading!
By 1930, there was a growing interest in the industry to promote "Home Talking Movies" with Movie rental Libraries for people to be able to entertain themselves and guests in their home. Granted, the stock market crash in 1929 certainly had a detrimental effect on this growing trend. Nonetheless a few manufacturers started producing equipment for watching movies in the home.
Sparton was one of the companies which bought into this idea and produced the Sparton Visionola model 45. The Visionola Manufacturing Company was a business in New York City which developed the machine. Initially it was made so any radio of choice could be installed, however Sparton made an agreement with them for exclusive rights to market the machine under their name in the United States. Visionola was allowed to handle the foreign market on their own.
One article I found states Sparton purchased Visionola, but I'm not sure which is correct.
Sadly it proved too expensive and had little interest due to the economic times of the early 30s and sparton didn't carry the Visionola past the 1931/32 model year.
Here are a couple pics of my Sparton Visionola followed by information from Radio Retailing and Radio News about Home Talking Movies.
The following article is from Radio Retailing September 1930. Sparton has yet to be mentioned.
Again, The Visionola is introduced in the "New Products" section of the January 1931 issue of radio retailing.
February 1931, a mention that "Libraries are needed". Imagine "Blockbuster" or "Family Video" movie rental stores in 1931? :D
Another article in Radio Retailing April 1931.
Also in April 1931 another mention of Visionola
Sparton announces the deal with Visionola June 5th, 1931.
The Sparton Visionola is mentioned in the "New Products" section Radio Retailing July 1931
This also in July 1931 is from an article about the RMA radio show at the Stevens Hotel in Chicago which was held June 8-12, 1931.
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