Clarke Talk-o-Phone (Talkophone)

This article is part of the ANTIQUE PHONOGRAPH, GRAMOPHONE AND TALKING MACHINE IDENTIFICATION GUIDES.
SEE ALSO: Our listings of outside horn talking machines for sale.

In the pantheon of Talk-o-phone machines named in honor of famous band leaders the Clarke Talk-o-phone, introduced around 1903 at a price of $30, was second in rank; only the $40 Sousa model was more expensive. Stylistically the Clarke appears to owe much to the early Columbia AH.

For more on Talkophones in general, please see our article The talk of Ohio.

The boxy cabinet with swirl base molding appears to be inspired by the design of the early Columbia AH and Victor Monarch Special.
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The wonderful parrot decal appeared on only a few models."Learning some new ones" may have been a dig at Victor's mascot dog.
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Elbow was a press fit into the horn. Talk-o-phone tone arms were embellished with scrollwork, but not branded with the name of the company.
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