La Favorite



Canadian Furniture World and the Undertaker, September 1918, p. 41: "La Favorite Phonograph Company — In addition to the regular phonograph this company showed [at the Canadian National Exhibition] a number of novelties which interested both the general public and the trade. One of these was a combination grandfather clock and phonograph, the clock forming the upper part of it and the phonograph and cabinet the lower section. In addition to its value as a time- piece and a source of entertainment it also is an attractive piece of furniture. This firm which is located at 364 Queen St. W., Toronto, also showed a combination bookcase and phonograph as well as a card table in which a phonograph was incorporated."

There was a "La Favorite Phonograph Co." on Queen Street West, Toronto, in the late teens-early 1920s and there were multiple ads for "La Favorite Phonograph" in local newspapers. One of CAPS members (deceased) had in his collection an example of the grandfather clock/phonograph combination machine mentioned above (see photographs below). The large, stylized "C" in the grille is identical to a design used in phonographs made by the company Casavant Frères.



Toronto Daily Star, July 30, 1918, p. 8. This classified ad ran several times in July and August, 1918.




The Yiddish Yugend Farein or Yiddish Young People’s Organization of Toronto sponsored a Sukkot Concert at Massey Hall, Toronto, on September 25, 1918. The program included an ad for La Favorite Phonograph Co. Thanks to Mark Dornfeld for the translation of the hybrid Hebrew-German-Canadian-English Yiddish text.




Canadian Furniture World and the Undertaker, November 1918, p. 37.



Toronto Daily Star, November 27, 1924, p. 36. Heintzman & Co. offered a La Favorite in fumed oak in 1924.



Toronto Daily Star, May 19, 1925, p. 18. An electric version from Heintzman & Co. in 1925.



Toronto Daily Star, September 19, 1928, p. 8. R.S. Williams Co. Limited sold a used La Favorite in a mahogany upright cabinet in 1928.



The Globe, November 12, 1929, p. 24. And Tovell Radio Company offered a used La Favorite for a mere $19.50 in 1929.




A traditional style La Favorite upright phonograph for sale at Ormstown, Quebec in 2023.




Photographs of a La Favorite supplied by Norman Brooks.




For sale through Facebook Marketplace in 2023, located in Longueuil, Québec.




La Favorite grandfather clock/phonograph combination machine in the collection of CAPS member Tony Roosenmaallen (deceased).

Back