Columbia Viva-Tonal Grafonola Portable Phonograph (1927-1929)

Columbia Viva-Tonal Grafonola Portable Phonograph

The Columbia Viva-Tonal Grafonola Portable, introduced in 1927, represented a massive leap in audio technology designed specifically to play the new, higher-quality "electrically recorded" 78 RPM records of the late 1920s. Unlike older portable record players that produced a thin, tinny scratch, this model used a clever internal "folded horn"—essentially a miniature version of the massive speaker horns found in giant living room cabinets—to deliver surprisingly deep bass and room-filling volume. Built into a durable, leather-textured travel case, the phonograph used a highly sensitive needle head to capture the dramatic loudness and detail of the era's latest music. While American music fans shifted rapidly toward home radios in the 1930s, this portable record player was so reliable and popular internationally that refined versions of the design stayed in production for nearly two decades.

Donated By: John & Carol Babina Jr.