The full story of the connection between Arthur B. Pollock, Hermann Schröder and the early history of the Phonola Company of Canada is documented in an article titled "Made in Canada: The Pollock-Schröder Connection 1907-1909 published in the Summer 2026 issue of Antique Phonograph News. The article is also available at https://www.capsnews.org/apn2026-3.htm. Previous research on these companies was published in Antique Phonograph News in January, 2015 which is online at https://www.capsnews.org/apn2015-1.htm. Also, much of what is known about the early days of the Phonola Company derives from a 1997 book by Raymond Stanton, "Visionary Thinking: The Story of Canada’s Electrohome."
In 1907, Arthur B. Pollock established the Pollock Manufacturing Company, formally incorporated on April 21, 1909, in Berlin, Ontario. An agreement was concluded between the Schröder Hornless Phonograph Manufacturing Company, New York, USA and the Pollock Manufacturing Company licensing Pollock to manufacture and sell the Schröder hornless phonograph in Canada under Canadian patent no. 105,611 which was issued to Hermann Schröder on June 4, 1907.
The following year, in 1908, a further agreement was reached between Hermann Schröder and Arthur Pollock, under which the Canadian patent rights were assigned to Pollock in exchange for the payment of royalties on each hornless phonograph produced or sold.
From early 1908 through late 1909 Pollock manufactured and marketed the same hornless phonographs under two different brand names—at times as a Schröder, and at others as a Pollock. In December 1909 the name of the instrument was formally changed to "Phonola" and in 1917 the company formally adopted the name The Phonola Company of Canada and acquired a woodworking plant in Elmira, Ontario, to manufacture its phonograph cabinets.
See also Pulwel portable phonograph page.
Talking Machine World, August 15, 1918, p. 53: "The Phonola Co., of Canada, Ltd., which firm take over the phonograph business of the Pollock Mfg. Co., Ltd., of Kitchener, Ont., announce this month the first list of Phonola records. The Phonola firm, in addition to the parent factory at Kitchener, recently finally completed a transaction whereby they become owners of a factory at Elmira, especially equipped for the production of cabinets. This new addition will take care of the greatly increased demand for the Phonola."
Talking Machine World, September 15, 1918, p. 36: "All details of the transaction have been completed whereby the phonograph business of the Pollock Mfg. Co., Ltd., is transferred to the Phonola Co. of Canada, Ltd. The latter firm is putting into immediate effect an aggressive business policy and proposes to materially enlarge the output of the Phonola Phonograph and the Phonola record."
Talking Machine World, August 15, 1919, p. 115: "A solid brick addition, forty by one hundred feet, is being erected at the cabinet plant at Elmira, Ont., of the Phonola Co., of Canada. Ltd. President A. B. Pollock expects to occupy the new building within two months and a material increase in the output of cabinets will at once be possible."
Talking Machine World, October 15, 1919, p. 27: "A. B. Pollock General Manager and Otto Heineman, president of the General Phonoraph Corporation, New York, announced recently that the company had purchased the factory of the Pollock Mfg. Co., Kitchener, Out., Canada. The factory passed into immediate possession of the company and Arthur B. Pollock, who was the head of the Pollock Mfg. Co., will remain as genral manager. The Kitchener, Ont., plant of the General Phonograph Corp. will manufacture a complete line of motors, tone arms and sound boxes for the consumption of the company's Canadian trade and for shipment to the British Empire. The motors that will be manufactured will be partly the Heineman type and partly a new design made especially for the Canadian trade. Quantity deliveries will start approximately January 1, 1920. A new building has already been started and the plant will be considerably enlarged to take care of the demands of the Canadian trade. The tremendous demand for Heineman products in the Dominion of Canada influenced Mr. Heineman to purchase the Pollock factory so that Canadian manufacturers may receive enhanced service and co-operation. The Canadian office of the company, which is under the management of C. J. Pott, has achieved remarkable success, and new contracts are being signed daily whereby the leading phonograph manufacturers in Canada will be able to secure Heineman motors to meet their requirements. The purchase of the Pollock factory at Kitchener, Ont., gives the General Phonograph Corp. an imposing chain of manufacturing plants. Every factory is working to capacity and the output is increasing."
Canadian Woodworker and Furniture Manufacturer, January 1920, p. 89: "The Phonola Company of Canada, Limited, Kitchener, Ont., manufacturers of phonographs and records, are moving their head office to Elmira, Ont."
Talking Machine World, June 15, 1925, p. 154: "Pollock-Welker, Ltd., a recently formed company with an Ontario charter, has purchased the factory, plant and business of the General Phonograph Corp., Ltd., at Kitchener, Ont., and will continue specializing in the manufacture of Helycon phonograph motors, tone-arms and reproducers, which are so favorably known to the trade in Canada and on the other side of the line. The principals of the newly organized corporation have been active in the business of phonograph manufacture for many years. Arthur B. Pollock is one of the pioneers of the industry. Alexander H. Welker has been associated with Mr. Pollock in motor development and production and when the General Phonograph Corp., Ltd., purchased the business of the Pollock Mfg. Co., Ltd., a few years ago. Mr. Welker continued the factory superintendency while Mr. Pollock was general manager. In order to create an outlet for one of their models of the Helycon motor, Pollock-Welker, Ltd., are introducing a portable phonograph.
Roll Back The Years, by Edward Moogk, National Library of Canada, 1975: "The Manufacturing Company of Berlin, Ontario [the city patriotically changing its name to Kitchener in 1916] was manufacturing talking machines labeled 'Phonola' before June 1914 when they began importing Phonotopia, Odeon and Jumbo records. Records would later be produced under the Phonola label. In 1915 they began constructing speakers "based on the principle of the pipe organ...The series of chambers employed were in varied sizes determined by scientific calculation. The new Phonola model...[was] called the Organola....In the Fall of 1919, the General Phonograph Corporation of New York...purchased Pollock's phonograph factory in Kitchener. Arthur B. Pollock was to remain manager of the factory...In August, 1925, the Phonola Company of Canada, Elmira, began to manufacture the Grimes receiving sets for the Canadian Trade."
Victoria Daily Times, December 2, 1909, p. 7. Ad for the newly-named Phonola (misspelled "Phonala") hornless cabinet talking machines.
Musical Canada, December 1909, p. 253.
Vancouver Saturday Sunset, December 11, 1909, p. 9.
Vancouver Saturday Sunset, December 25, 1909, p. 9.
The Province (Vancouver), December 31, 1909, p. 20.
Manitoba Morning Free Press, January 29, 1910, p. 7.
Owen Sound Sun, February 1, 1910, p. 4.
Globe and Mail, April 9, 1910, p. 38.
Vancouver Saturday Sunset, August 27, 1910, p. 12.
Vancouver Daily World, December 19, 1910, p. 42.
Vancouver Saturday Sunset, April 15, 1911, p. 12.
Vancouver Saturday Sunset, May 13, 1911, p. 4.
Vancouver Daily World, October 26, 1911, p. 9.
Montreal Star, July 24, 1912, p. 18.
Canadian Music Trades Journal, July 1914, p. 36.
CMTJ, January 1915, p. 32.
Canadian Furniture World and the Undertaker, November 1915, p. 43.
Windsor Star, May 11, 1917, p. 13.
Canadian Music Trades Journal, March, 1918, p. 44.
Canadian Music Trades Journal August 1918, pp 106-107, showing the factories.
Canadian Furniture World and the Undertaker, October 1918, p. 41.
Toronto Daily Star, January 11, 1919, p. 10.
CMTJ, May, 1919, p. 60.
CMTJ, June, 1919, p. 70.
CMTJ, August, 1919, p. 72.
The Globe, December 13, 1919. Image digitally enhanced by Hopkin Design.
Globe and Mail, August 26, 1922, p. 6.
Toronto Star, August 26, 1922, p. 11.
Winnipeg Free Press, December 22, 1922, p. 11.
The Province (Vancouver), December 15, 1923.
Toronto Daily Star, February 27, 1925, p. 29. This 1925 ad indicates that Phonola is now selling Grimes radios and including a radio in one of its console model phonographs. The ad also tells us that Phonola has been making phonographs "for 18 years" which would make 1907 the starting year.
Pollock-Welker Factory, ca 1925.
A very early, circa 1914, Phonola tabletop model, practically identical to a Victor Victrola IV, labelled Pollock Manufacturing Company. Sold through auction at Kelso Bid, 2025.
Machine ("Special" No.2) for sale September, 2006 (photos by KW):
Hulk of another "Special No. 2" for sale at the Guy Lombardo Museum auction in London, ON, January, 2015 [pics by KW]:
(Two pictures of the plates were required to capture all deatils)
Machine for sale June, 2007 (photos by KW):
Sign at same sale:
Machine ("Duke") owned by Keith Wright (I like to point this out: this machine was a gift from my wife before we were married. It was my first machine. That means that my subsequent collection is all HER fault. Photos by KW.):
Records in Keith Wright's collection. Note that they started off as hill-and-date records hence the 'lateral cut' notation on one:
Ron Hodgson of Ottawa contributes the following photos regarding his machine, a "Duchess" serial # H24770 and another lateral record:
An upright Phonola, Model "Duke", listed in Stettler, Alberta in 2025.
Cyril Penton of Summerside PEI, sends the following pictures of his later wind-up Phonola as well as the following story:
... as I mentioned, mywife Heather and I bought it at a yard sale ... we were more interested in it as a potential piece of furniture ...the previous owner, an older gent, remarked that there was a crank that belonged to it "somewhere" in his home ... he said if he found it, where could he contact us ... Heather replied simply that she worked in the local branch of the TD bank ... no name, phone number, etc. ... about a week later she was at work ... it was quiet and no customers at the moment ... the elderly gent walked in waving the crank and called out loudly enough for all the staff to hear him "did anyone here buy a gramophone at a yard sale last Saturday?" ... Heather waved him over and he gave her the crank with a broad grin and a "knew I had it in the house somewhere!" ... little did we realize at the time what an essential part of the Phonola it was."
Phonola may have also supplied hardware to other manufacturers. This soundbox is on a machine marked for Symphonola (picture KW).
"Chippendale" for sale through ebay July, 2008:
"Princess" for sale through Winnipeg classifieds January, 2009:
Unidentified tabletop phonograph sold by Hurteau & Cie, Limitee, 316 Sainte Catherine Est, Montreal, Quebec for sale through Facebook Marketplace in Grand-St-Esprit, Quebec in 2026. This is likely a Phonola which is depicted in an advertisement in The Globe and Mail newspaper, Toronto, April 29, 1911, p. 38. This ad is the first illustration of a table model Phonola machine.
Tabletop machine labelled "The Phonola Co., of Can. Ltd., Model Special No. 5, Serial Number 61837, Registered July 11, 1907" for sale online May, 2011:
The same tabletop model for sale through Facebook Marketplace in 2024 in Richmond, British Columbia. Submitted by Lance Husoy.
A tabletop model in oak for sale through Facebook Marketplace in 2026 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
A different tabletop model in oak for sale through Facebook Marketplace in 2024 in Maple Ridge, B.C. Submitted by Lance Husoy.
The same model in mahogany for sale through Facebook Marketplace in 2025 in St-Sauveur, Quebec.
A "Crown Prince" model labelled "Pollock Manufacturing Co." sold by Frank Stanley, Toronto, for sale at the Aberfoyle, Ontario antiques market in May, 2013.
Betty Pratt provides information about the dealer, Frank Stanley: Wayne Kelly's Downright Upright, p. 120 says that Stanley took over the Cecilian Piano Co. in 1922, but then went out of business two years later when Mason & Risch bought out their stock. I have an address for Stanley Piano factory at 121-135 De Grassi St., and store at 14 Temperance St., Toronto on an illustrated pamphlet. Another letterhead from Frank Stanley Oct. 1920, says they are agents for Brunswick Phonographs and Records at 241 Yonge St.
Plate from under the lip of the turntable.
Portable for sale at Cambridge Antiques 2013/2014 (pics KW):
Not to be confused with the US Waters Conley Phonola.
From Lance Husoy a Phonola Special No. 1 with an impossibly low serial number, 3, for sale in Vancouver, B.C. in 2023.
Another upright Phonola located near Delta, B.C. in 2023 supplied by Lance Husoy.
An upright Phonola with an unusual hinged door recess for the crank.
Identical cabinet to the above model except with a single door for record storage. Located in Abbotsford, B.C. in 2024. Submitted by Lance Husoy.
A Phonola upright model for sale in Port Alberni, B.C. in 2024, submitted by Lance Husoy.
A Phonola listed in Hamilton, Ontario in 2025.
Calgary Herald, March 6, 1920, p. 13.
A Phonola Organola model for sale through Facebook Marketplace in Cambridge, Ontario in 2025.
An Orthophonic-style New Phonola Model No. 14 listed in Ste-Julie, Quebec in 2025.
A New Phonola Model No. "S" listed in Corman Park, Saskatchewan in 2025. This machine is identical to the New Phonola labelled "Empire" below. The interior design of the motor board, speed control, needle cups and ID tag is identical to that of a Music Master phonograph listed in Lotbiniere, Quebec in late 2024.
Another Phonola Model No. "S", labelled Empire, for sale in Brampton, Ontario in 2023.
A Phonola Empire model for sale through Facebook Marketplace in North Perth, Ontario in 2024.
A Phonola portable model for sale through Facebook Marketplace in Quesnel, British Columbia in 2026. This may be an American-made Walter Conley portable Phonola, although the label is quite different. Submitted by Lance Husoy.
In 1925 Phonola established the Grimes Radio Corporation to manufacture and market Grimes radios in Canada. A Phonola table-model Grimes radio in the collection of Angelo Raffin in 2026.
