1946 Wurlitzer Jukebox, 2011

photo of jukebox
1946 Wurlitzer “Bubbler” Jukebox 1015

This is an authentic, refurbished, fully-functional 1946 Wurlitzer Bubbler Jukebox 1015, complete with lava-lamp bubbles flowing through the tubes that circle around the front.

I stopped in D&J Records on Main Street in Carnegie where they specialize in vinyl recordings, 45s and LPs, and “oldies” depending on your era (a caller was asking for oldies from the 80s when I was in there, that’s not quite what the shop has in mind), and used recordings on vinyl, cassette and CD in all musical genres. I always find something on CD that I used to have on vinyl or cassette that I can add to my collection. They also have a lot of cool vintage stuff of a musical nature as well as advertising and household items.

Someone had actually purchased this and stopped in to see it and plan on how to move it—it’s heavier than a refrigerator—and to choose the music to go into it. It’s sold with 300 reissued 45s; it was originally meant to play 78s, but when they had it reconditioned it they had it converted to play 45s.

As they had posted with the jukebox:

In 1946, after the end of World War II, Wurlitzer introduced it’s Model 1015 Jukebox. Building supplies had become available again, and it was the “1015- Bubbler” that brought the near- bankrupt Wurlitzer Company great success.The “1015-Bubbler”, is without a doubt the most popular jukebox of all time.

The 1015 Wurlitzer actually was influenced from more of an art deco style, with its illuminated, color-changing pillars, 8 bubble tubes, shiny chrome and domed top

Even though the Wurlitzer Model 1015 was produced from 1946 to 1947, it was the popularity of this jukebox model that kept many of them still bopping along right into the 50’s. It’s this longevity, that is responsible for the “Bubbler” being associated with the romanticized 1950’s sock-hop era.

45-RPM records were becoming so popular that by 1954 the Wurlitzer factory had to introduce a conversion kit for the 1015- Bubbler, just so they could play 45s.

I truly love the details of things manufactured in those years, the crossover from the decorative details of the Art Deco era to the post-war minimalism of “modern” design, that mix of chrome and sunbursts, wood and glass.

And inside, as if to promote the idea of the fantasy dance band, behind the turntable and “stack” of records is a stage with an imitation cardboard stage curtain.

The Wurlitzer and the shop are both gone now…

inside the jukebox
Inside the jukebox.

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