This art deco wonder is a rare Shyvers Multiphone “Empire State Building” jukebox, circa 1935. Invented by Ken Shyvers (the same guy who invented pinball machines), the device was about 20 inches tall and was typically placed on diner counters and booths/tables at drive-ins and bars. But the interesting thing about this tabletop juxebox selector is how they system worked, with a live DJ connection. Notice the words “talk here” engraved above the track menu…
It starts off like most jukeboxes, with a coin, which the patron inserted into the multiphone – but here’s where the phone in “multiphone” comes in. These little machines actually connected diners straight to an operator whom they could speak with through the microphone and request a track. Between the 1930s and 1950s, these dedicated telephone operators were doubling as disc jockeys, ready and waiting at their turntables in the Central Music Studio in Seattle.
Operating over telephone lines mostly in Seattle, Tacoma and Olympia, Washington, this team of all-female DJs would manually play the requested song on a phonograph, playing the music through the telephone connection. And out came the music through the little speakers.
When the nickel (some later models asked for a dime) was inserted, the two lights on the Multiphone would light up, indicating the telephone line was connecting to the remote library.
At the height of the Shyver Multiphone’s popularity, up to 8,000 models were placed in establishments, primarily along the west coast of the United States.
from a favourite blog out in the ’sphere
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