Various short-lived companies used the name "Liberty" to market a phonograph and/or records in the late teens and early 1920s. In 1916, the Melophone Talking Machine Company, Inc., 380-384 Lafayette Street, New York, NY, USA, advertised in Talking Machine World, Feb-Jun, as the manufacturer of the Melophone and Liberty Phonographs. In November, 1917, a Liberty Phonograph Co. was incorporated under the laws of Delaware, USA, "for the purpose of manufacturing and dealing in talking machines and records". In 1918, a Liberty Phonograph Co. in Minneapolis, Minnesota marketed the New Liberty Phonograph. In 1918-1919, a Liberty Phonograph Co. in New York and Cleveland manufactured the Liberty lateral record. It was succeeded by the Arrow Phonograph Corp. in February, 1920. In Fall, 1921, a Liberty Phonograph Co. was granted a charter of incorporation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA to buy and sell phonographs, with no mention of manufacturing machines.
Talking Machine World, September 1919, p. 161: "C. R. Stillwell and B. A. Trestrail, who recently formed the Mutual Sales Service, Ltd., and who have been handling the sales of the Liberty phonograph, have just completed the promotion of a new company, called the Talking Book Co., Ltd., with a paid-up capital stock of $125,000, to manufacture the talking dolls, birds, animals, figures and books originated by the Talking Book Corporation of New York. The Canadian Co. expects to have its plant in full operation during the next sixty days, and in the meantime has arranged to get a quantity of goods from the parent company to fill the first orders in Canada. The company held its first meeting at the King Edward Hotel recently and elected the following directors: George O'Neil (Canadian director of the United Hotels Co.), president; Harry Rooke (manager of the Page-Hersey
Pipe Co.). vice-president; C. R. Stillwell (president of the Mutual Sales Service), secretary; A. H. Carlisle (vice-president of the Talking Book Corp., N. Y.), and Charles Morrow (Morrow & Co., cereals), the other directors; Norman Tovell, of Brent-Tovell Co., bankers, was appointed treasurer, and B. A. Trestrail, manager.
The company will get out distinctive national pieces for Canada, and is getting out original window and store displays."
In late 1923, The Liberty Phonograph Shop, 440 Yonge Street, opposite Carlton Street, Toronto, Ontario advertised four models of Liberty-branded phonographs, "The Universal Phonograph" - Sheraton, Colonial, Queen Anne and Console - through their "Liberty "Progressive" Phonograph Club". Some included a radio receiving set. The manufacturer is unknown but during this period Ontario companies such as The George McLagan Furniture Co., Limited and the Purdy Phonograph Co. regularly supplied small retailers with made-to-order machines.
Canadian Music Trades Journal, May 1919, p. 61. "We have already been engaged to promote the sales of the Liberty Phonograph, made in Canada, and will soon present to the trade a merchandising plan for this instrument that will be, we believe, something entirely new and very profitable."
Windsor Star, October 2, 1923, p. 20.
Windsor Star, October 6, 1923, p. 30.
Toronto Daily Star, November 30, 1923, p. 12.
Toronto Daily Star, December 7, 1923, p. 6.
Toronto Daily Star, December 14, 1923, p. 27.
Toronto Daily Star, December 21, 1923.
A Liberty upright phonograph cabinet, in sorry condition without the mechanism, for sale in Orangeville, Ontario in 2023. Note the logo on the cabinet lid matches the graphic in the December 7, 1923 ad.
