The Victor Victrola became one of the most recognized products of the early 20th century. Through clever insight into the desires of the public and masterful marketing, the Victrola became nearly universal in popularity.
The early Victor Talking Machines were well made and performed well, but were not generally a fashionable decoration in the homes of the day. The Victrola, with the mechanism concealed within a handsome cabinet became an item of desire for the family beginning in 1906, when the first expensive model was introduced. The large and finely finished cabinet required that the instrument be priced at $200. This was twice as expensive as the previous top-of-the-line Victor, and the company expected it to be a novelty appealing to a handful of customers. Sales far exceeded their expectations and within a few years Victor had a line of Victrolas starting as low as $15. The convenience and attractiveness of the Victrolas doomed the older Victors to obsolescence and they were soon discontinued.