Columbia Viva Tonal Model 800



This article is part of the ANTIQUE PHONOGRAPH, GRAMOPHONE AND TALKING MACHINE IDENTIFICATION GUIDES.
SEE ALSO: Our listings of internal horn talking machines for sale.


The Viva-Tonal was Columbia's competitor to the Victor Orthophonic, the first use of a scientifically designed, exponential horn in an acoustic phonograph. All large Viva Tonal models seem to be more scarce than their Victor equivalents. Although at $275 the Viva Tonal 800 was priced $25 less than the Vival Tonal 810, judging from the number of surving examples most collectors would agree that far more model 810s appear to have been manufactured.

Columbia Viva-tonal
Unlike the model 810, the doors on this machine do not fold back into the cabinet. Larger image		 Viva-tonal, doors open
The fancy mahogany case was about the same size as a small jukebox. Larger image