Regina Corona Disc Changer
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APPRAISER:
Tom and Wendy, I want to thank you for bringing the music to the party today.
GUEST:
Well, you're welcome.
APPRAISER:
What you have here is a Regina Corona automatic disc changer. It is the forerunner to not only the jukebox but also to our modern-day CD changer. It was manufactured by the Regina Music Company in Rahway, New Jersey, about 1901 to 1908. Now, the company records still exist and you can write to the society and find out the exact shipping destination and the date of manufacture, which you already know. This music box has its original Regina Corona glass front, its original finish. The levers on the back side are for the power crank, which runs the tune sheet. Then the bottom one is what elevates the changer, which is what's so innovative of this. It also is equipped with a piano sounding board, which was a sales tool that the Regina Music Company promoted in their work. Now, tell me, how did you get it?
GUEST:
We've had it for almost half of its life. My father got it from a lady in a house behind us who he took care of in her elderly years. However, it didn't work when he got it. And then he fixed it to get it to work by bypassing it, and I made it work with coins about 20 years ago.
APPRAISER:
That's right, and it's neat that you mention the coin slot. That's what distinguishes this as a style 34, which has the coin mechanism. If it doesn't have that, it's a home-model version. It has the style 33.
GUEST:
Oh, wow.
APPRAISER:
Now, I think in its original finish with all of these original elements that it has, it's a very nice model. I think on today's market, a collector would be very happy to pay you about $15,000 for it.
GUEST:
Well, thank you.
(disc changer playing tune)
Appraisal Details
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