1930s Records

The main parts of a record player are the plinth, the revolving platter, the tone arm, the stylus and the cartridge. The plinth is the base of the record player, while the revolving platter is the round platform in the middle where you put the record. When you're ready to play a record, you lift the tone arm and place the needle or stylus against the vinyl. Then, the cartridge inside of the tone arm produces electrical signals as the stylus moves over the record's grooves. These impulses amplify to play music. On 1stDibs, shop a variety of record players.

To store and care for vinyl records, follow these tips. Keep them in a clean, dry place protected from fluctuations in temperature. Position them upright in a box or record container to reduce the risk of warping. Wipe them clean with a dry, soft cloth as needed. You'll find a selection of vinyl records on 1stDibs.

The history of the Record Watch Company traces back to Tramelan, Switzerland, where a group of watchmakers established the company. Their singular goal was to introduce a new type of pocket watch. Called the Sector Watch, the timepiece featured a triangular case and a retrograde display for easy reading. In 1916, the company merged with a number of other small Swiss makers to form the Record Dreadnought Watch Co. S.A. During the decades that followed, Record Dreadnought Watch manufactured a wide variety of clocks, watches and other components under several brand names, including Record. Like many watchmakers, Record Dreadnought Watch contributed to the war effort during World War II by manufacturing watches for the British military. In 1949, the company changed its name to Record Watch Co. S.A. Eleven years later, it became the first Swiss watchmaker to earn the approval of the U.S. government for its pocket watches to be used on U.S. railways. A year later, Longines purchased Record, though it continued to produce watches under the Record brand name for 30 years. Today, Longines has a collection that features timepieces inspired by the Record brand. Explore a selection of Record watches on 1stDibs.

Old-time record players were called gramophones or phonographs. Thomas Edison debuted his phonograph in 1877. The device was the result of Edison’s developing improvements to the telegraph and the telephone. He worked out a way to record sound on cylinders that were coated in tin foil (he decided that his invention would “undoubtedly be liberally devoted to music”). On 1stDibs, find vintage record players.

Yes, vinyl records can become damaged when they are exposed to subzero temperatures—they become very fragile and can break. They also can develop condensation as they’re moved from cold to warm environments but this won’t damage the vinyl. It may, however, damage the sleeve or the cover. Shop a collection of vinyl records and record-inspired art from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.

The best way to store vinyl records is in an upright position to prevent them from warping. They should be stored in the supplied sleeve (preferably a poly sleeve) and the outer jacket. On 1stDibs, find a range of vintage storage cabinets and other storage solutions that will be suitable for your collection of vinyl records.

In the 1950s, most people just called record players record players. The technical name for record players from this period is a phonograph. Until the 1940s, many people referred to record players as gramophones. On 1stDibs, find a variety of record players.

How much an antique record player cabinet is worth depends on a variety of factors. The age, materials, maker and condition all impact value. If the record player remains inside the cabinet, and whether or not it is operational will also affect the price you can expect to receive for it. Having the cabinet evaluated by a certified appraiser is a simple way to find out how much your piece is worth. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of record players.

To identify 1930s furniture, first see if you can spot a maker's mark in hidden areas, such as the back, base, inside of drawers or under tabletops and seats. Trusted online resources can help you determine who produced your furniture based on these markings, and from there, you can research more to get a rough idea of how old your item is. A piece's characteristics can also be helpful when dating furniture. Many items made during the 1930s are examples of Art Deco furniture. Art Deco furniture is characterized by geometric patterns and luxurious materials, such as shagreen, marble, mother of pearl, mirrored glass, exotic animal hides and rare woods like mahogany, ebony and zebra wood. A certified appraiser or experienced antique dealer can provide an expert opinion on when your piece was likely made. On 1stDibs, explore a range of 1930s furniture.

What brides wore in the 1930s varied. Some wore long flowing dresses made of satin or silk. Long sleeves were popular and designs often featured only minimal embellishments like appliqués and beading. Because many people faced difficult financial situations due to the Great Depression, brides also sometimes simply wore their best dresses on their wedding days. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of vintage wedding dresses.

In the 1930s, phones typically looked like rotary telephones. They had either a round or square base with a numbered dial that spun when you dialed and a handset receiver with both an earpiece and a mouthpiece. A cord connected the handset to the base. Find a variety of rotary phones on 1stDibs.