The RCA Victrola Portable Elvis Presley Phonographs (1956)
By Ger Rijff
In November of 1956 RCA Victor felt the time was right for every Elvis fan to have their own Elvis Presley record player!
And not just one, but two different models were on offer!
The AUTOMATIC 45 VICTROLA was priced at $44.95, while the 4-SPEED VICTROLA sold for $32.95.
(Billboard, November 3, 1956)
A couple of full-page ads for the Victrola’s:
LEFT:
From the Foley’s department store in Houston, TX.
RIGHT:
From Billboard magazine.
The 4-Speed Victrola
The Automatic 45 Victrola
Both phonographs came with cool Elvis bonus records in gatefold sleeves:
The SPD-22 double disc set (2 x 4 songs) was added to the 4-Speed.
And the Automatic 45 came with a triple bonus set (3 x 4 songs), the SPD-23.
RCA RADIO VICTROLA DIVISION SPOTS
For radio promotion RCA had asked Elvis to record two spoken messages for his fans, telling them how wonderful these new Victrola record players were. Snippets of his hits can be heard in between the talking. This promo was a one sided pressing playing at 33 1/3 speed.
It’s possibly the rarest of all RCA promo releases.
Click the PLAY button to hear Elvis
advertise the Victrola Phonographs:
Elvis himselvis can be seen in quite a few photographs listening to the 4-Speed
Victrola model. He even took one with him to Germany, in ’58.
Had he wanted to, he could have even made use of the 1956 Elvis Presley Record Case to store his favourite 45’s as well.
Here we have more of those rare vintage advertisements for the Elvis Presley phonographs!
ELVIS PORTABLE VICTROLA FROM BRITAIN!
We’d never heard of its existence before, let alone seen one! But the photo proves there was an Elvis Presley RCA Victor ‘Victrola’ portable record player, with his name engraved on the lid made for the teenager-market in Great Britain, back in the 1950s! Just how rare is that?!
No other information available at current.
He probably helped sell a lot of record players. SPD22/23 I would love to have them. The 33 1/3 record I have never heard of.
Great post. Thanks.
Woah this weblog is wonderful, I really like reading your articles.
Keep up the good work!
Kool! Love to read comments such as yours! This place is growing fast, proving our point,
the Elvis fan world is ready for a new fresh approach of things! Leave it to us for many
more interesting topics to come. Yes, many!
The only setback is we would need more hours in the day, to write, compile, and
put our stuff online. But we also still need time to ‘relax’ a little inbetween our Elvis
related work. It’s a hobby after all.
Alway thought your work was fantastic but totally love this site!
Thanks for all your hard work!
Cheers,
Dave
Hot damn! Never saw the RCA Radio Victrola Division Spots disc before!
This kind of interesting stuff make me smile and make me come back to this digital Elvis 50’s shrine.
C.
I always wanted one (Victrola).
Gee, very beautiful, indeed. I think Mr. Giles had this record player and the triple EP for sale…man, love to have it, but it’s not cheap!
THANK YOU FOR THE EXCELLENT INFORMATION. TRUE TREASURES FOR THE ELVIS PRESLEY FAN. PLEASE KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND GOD BLESS YOU.
I spend years buying the SPD-23 set. I started out with the 3 discs (one damaged), then found myself an original SPD-23 foldout cover without any discs and finally succeeded to replace the damaged disc with a very fine upgrade!
Anyone over here actually owns the Automatic Victorola 45?
If so, I would sure like to read your story because it is a great collectible! Thanks Ger for this great thread again!
In days long gone by, I did have both the Elvis Victrolas and the SPD-22 and 23.
Sold them all around 2001, while going thru bad times, and needing the money
badly to survive. To save my life, I can’t remember to whom I sold the record
players… My head was running over with stress at the time. Anyway, they look
better on photographs than in real life. Maybe not so when you’re lucky to
find them in excellent condition? Mine were a bit tired looking after a long
life in the basement of the previous owner… Paid $ 800 for the two.
That was back in the early 90s… Neither can I remember where SPD-22 and 23
ended up? Probably to Mr. Giles. My saviour in troubled times.
Don’t bother Ger, getting the real deal is most of the time more exciting than having the real deal. I am perfectly happy with your pictures. Hope you got a good price for them in 2001 though.
Great to hear Elvis talk about these rare reccord players.
Never heard it.
What a beautiful post, very interesting and hard to be seen items … elsewhere …
This place is very unique!!!
Bruno
I have a Elvis portable Victrola, good condition, works. How much is it worth?
I own one of the 4 speed Victrola with Elvis signature in gold letters, and I have no idea of the value. I believe it was manufactured in 1959 according to the letter I received from RCA Victor.
Any idea just how much these are selling for (as mine is in fair condition)?
Hey boss, Bob … where did the the light brown & cream colored Victrola 45 go?!
It’s the rarest of the rare ! Bring it back in this topic please. Some nice additional
photos of the Flash added. But I have the feeling you left out some illustrations
we found when we started this topic. Am I right?
I’ve bought a 4-speed Victrola back in 2008 at an auction in New York. It’s in excellent condition without any damage and came with a letter of authenticity. I’ve paid $800 for it. I’m still looking for the double disc-set to complete it… Anyone?
DJ
Hello friends,
I need to sell my The 4-Speed Victrola.
Can you help me with the value?
Thanks.
Hi Alexandra,
We might be interested in your 4-Speed Victrola Portable record player. I would say the range for a 4-Speed Victrola is at the moment between $ 400 – $ 900. But the value really depends on the condition/color, and if tags comes with it etc. At the Graceland auction this January the 4-Speed Victrola sold for $687.50. But at the end of the day it all depends on who wants to have it and how bad ;). We recently bought one in a record store with a price tag of $ 150.
Maybe you can send us more details and pictures?
Aloha from Switzerland, Oliver.
Bought this about 10 years ago, works great, 7-ep-45.
Hello Ger.
Do you know the exact date when Elvis recorded the two sposts (it should be between 26 and 28 october 1956).
Sebastiano Cecere
Where can I buy this?
Does anyone know how many record players were made of each style by RCA? I have been trying to figure it out for years. No one seems to know. I have a non working one.
I have 1 for sale, needs a needle, it turns fine. I can send pics to anyone interested.
Tony Jackson: msg me themattdollarshow@gmail.com
I have a 1956 Elvis Presley phonograph record player I would like to sell. It’s in very good shape.
If you could give me an idea what to sell it for, my email is: deeknapp@cinci.rr.com
Thanks.
I have one of the autographed automatic 45 victrola. I can remember playing a lot of Elvis Presley records on it.