Wurlitzer Jukebox

The single name "Wurlitzer," has been used by itself to refer to organs or pianos, but its most common usage is as a reference to the jukebox. The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company is a now-defunct company (the corporate name, Wurlitzer, still exists under the ownership of the Gibson Guitar Company) that once produced theater organs, electric pianos, and jukeboxes.

Originally founded in 1856 by Rudolph Wurlitzer in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Wurlitzer Company was not in the jukebox business until Farny Wurlitzer purchased a jukebox patent in 1933. By the late 1930s, the Wurlitzer Company was producing 45,000 jukeboxes a year.

The United States' entrance into World War II prevented jukebox production from expanding. During the war, jukeboxes were still produced, but they were constructed primarily of wood and glass. However, after the war, in 1946, thanks in large part to the design work of Paul Feller, the Wurlitzer 1015 (the Bubbler) became the best-selling jukebox of its era and the most iconic jukebox of any generation.

What had once looked like a work of ornately carved wood similar to an armoire, now looked like a futuristic light and music show with the Wurlitzer 1015. The most iconic and recognizable aesthetic feature of the 1015 is the colored bubble tubes that arched over the top of the unit.

Another new aesthetic feature was the visibility of the record-changing mechanism. As a user would drop a coin into the slot and make a selection, they could look through a window on the front of the unit and see the record being played.

Thanks to their innovative designs during the Golden Age of jukeboxes, Wurlitzer Jukeboxes remain highly sought-after collector's items to this day. Also, the Wurlitzer name still thrives under the Gibson Guitar Company. Many replica models of vintage Wurlitzer jukeboxes are available.