Lot 79

1936-37 Seeburg Symphonola "B" 12 Record Jukebox

Estimate: $3,000 - $6,000

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$25 $5
$50 $10
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
For your consideration is this 1936-37 Seeburg Symphonola "B", 12 record jukebox made by the Seeburg Corporation, or better know as the J.P. Seeburg Piano Company, in Chicago, Illinois. The J.P. Seeburg Piano Company was established in Chicago, Illinois, in 1902; it started making coin-operated phonographs in the 1920s. In the 1930s and 1940s, Seeburg established itself as a market leader in the jukebox business and was renowned for its cutting-edge designs and excellent sound systems. The 1936 release of the Seeburg Symphonola "B" 12 record jukebox made it one of the company's most well-known models. The Symphonola "B" model carried on Seeburg's popular Symphonola line, which had a special mechanism that permitted continuous play of up to 12 records. For its time, the Seeburg Symphonola "B" 12 record jukebox was an engineering marvel. The machine could hold up to 12 records at once and had a sophisticated mechanism that enabled automatic record selection. The machine had a cutting-edge sound system as well, with speakers that produced rich, clear sound and a strong amplifier to further better the sound. Seeburg changed the focus of its manufacturing during World War II to produce items for the war effort, and following the end of the war, the business encountered escalating competition from other jukebox producers. But Seeburg kept coming up with new ideas and making excellent jukeboxes well into the 1950s and 1960s. They serve as a reminder of the heyday of jukeboxes and American popular music, and are valued today for their distinctive designs and excellent sound systems. The jukebox shows a beautiful art-deco wood design with a clear glass sheet in the front to showcase the automatic record selection and lights to show which number record was playing. The front shows a metal grate over where the speakers would have faced in the internal components and a large metal knob used to switch the records in the jukebox. The amplifier, located in the back of the jukebox is an SB-7 amplifier and features two #56 tubes, two 2A3 tubes, and one 5Z3 tube. All tubes are original American tubes, and show good condition but have not been tested. The jukebox has not been tested for functionality. The jukebox shows good condition with some wear to the front wood paneling and the electrical components. As stated before, the jukebox has not been tested for functionality. The jukebox measures 21 1/4" L x 30 3/8" W x 51" H.