Keen-O-Phone Co. - 1913 dated Stock Certificate

Stock printed by Security Bank Note Company, Phila. Two 1 dollar revenue stamps on back!

The Keen-O-Phone Co., a short-lived but innovative manufacturer of phonographs and records, was founded in Philadelphia by Morris Keen. The company operated from approximately 1912 to 1914 and entered a competitive marketplace dominated by Victor and Columbia. Keen-O-Phone differentiated itself by offering machines with unique and high-quality designs. Initially, they sold models with mechanical-feed systems, where the turntable moved under a fixed stylus. However, they faced threats from the Victor Talking Machine Company over patent infringement concerns. To address this, Keen-O-Phone adapted by producing “universal” phonographs capable of playing both lateral and vertical-cut discs.

Notably, Keen-O-Phone collaborated with the well-regarded Pooley Furniture Co., also of Philadelphia, for the construction of its cabinets. These cabinets featured distinctive designs, including internal horns integrated into the machine’s domed lid. Despite the quality of its machines, Keen-O-Phone struggled to establish a strong distribution network and ultimately faced financial trouble. In 1913, the company underwent reorganization, but operations stalled by the end of the year. By early 1914, Keen-O-Phone was liquidated, leaving behind a relatively small number of surviving examples. Most of these were sold near the Philadelphia area. The remaining inventory was either sold at substantial discounts or cannibalized for parts by its successor, the Rex Talking Machine company. Keen-O-Phone’s brief history serves as a testament to the challenges faced by smaller manufacturers in challenging the era’s talking machine giants, despite producing innovative and well-crafted products.