Watch Tower Phonograph Needles

[cesigmon]

I bought some stuff at a flea market the other week, and in one of the boxes I found 2 unopened envelopes of Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society phonograph needles.  Can anyone tell me what these may be worth?

[KC]

On June 12th, an unopened pkg of Watch Tower needles sold for $30 on ebay!  I would say you could even get up to $45 or $50.  You not only have a vintage and still usable item...but it is a big part of religious history.

[ironlord1963]

    I'm a bit lost here, Watch tower Needles, like for Phonograph? made by the Jehovah Witnesses?

[hosman321]

I was confused too ironlord! So, how did this work back in the day? Did a company make them and then jehovah's witnesses sold them door to door or something?

[waywardangler]

Missionaries handed them out in Hibbing with a record so you could hear the teachings of Jehovah and then they wanted a small donation for it. Not many exist because no one wanted to donate so the missionaries took the needle packets and records back and went on to the next house. They eventually stopped at the Zimmerman household and Robert Z. actually donated some money and got to keep the needles and record. A short time later, Robert penned the words to a song made famous by many singers including JH.  Just for you, mario. 

[mariok54]

Thanks for the thought, Wayward ... fortunately the coffee has cleared the brain of sleep enough, and I have visions of of a ghostly guitarist, mass of hair blowin' in the wind, gliding all along the watchtower ... 

[waywardangler]

 

[cesigmon]

@KC, yeah those on the 12th that sold for $30 were one of my packs.  I had seen where a pack sold for $35 on there in the past, so I put a Buy It Now for $30 and they went within a few hours.  Before I sold the other pack (or hold onto it, not sure yet) I thought I better check and see how much they were actually worth. haha  Thanks all for the info!

[KC]

These are not common at all!!!  They were owned by the Watchtower Society - not individuals! 

FYI, when Jehovah Witness went from door to door they carried a phonograph and recordings of leader "Judge" Joseph Franklin Rutherford witnessing instead of the person actually talking to the homeowner.  This occurred in 1930's to 1940's.  Original phonographs were "normal" configuration then they developed a "handmade" upright phonograph that held the record vertically.  When the lid was closed it would place the needle on the record and start playing.  There is then a bolt to hold the record in place for carrying without playing.  The side drawer must be closed and once the crank is resecured as the handle everything was locked up.

"The name Jehovah's Witnesses was adopted in 1931 by Russell's successor, Joseph Franklin Rutherford (Judge Rutherford; 1869-1942), who sought to reaffirm Jehovah (see Yahweh) as the true God and to identify those who witness in this name as God's specially accredited followers. Rutherford equipped members with portable phonographs to play his "sermonettes" on the front porches and in the living rooms of prospective converts."  http://www.religionfacts.com/jehovahs_witnesses/history.htm

Earliest version phonograph


Upright version can be seen at this page http://armageddonmuseum.com/phono.htm

[talesofthesevenseas]

Wow this has been really interesting.