Maas-Velvatone Westminster Door Chime with Music Box Controller 1936
This chime has an original cover with instructions clearly labeled Maas. The cover is a larger version of a Maas two-bell long chime. However, the bells are clearly labeled Velvetone.
Interestingly, the three bells are suspended from bakelite plugs marked Velvatone. These plugs were patented by Joseph W. Klein for Velvatone, a subsidiary of the Electric Time Corporation of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As these plugs were marked Pat(ent) Pending they were almost certainly early versions of the plugs which later earned a patent in 1930 for Joseph W. Klein.
I have found examples of identically sized and shaped bakelite plugs labeled Velvatone and Maas. I speculate that Maas acquired the Velvatone Chime business from the Electric Time Corporation of Philadelphia Pennsylvania. At the very least, Velvatone contractually shared their intellectual property with Maas.
Velvetone was among the earliest–and perhaps the earliest—-manufacturer of long bell door chimes. The first marketing mention of “a new type of door chime” I’ve found is a classified ad in the May 18, Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) Press to recruit salesmen for Velvatone. A Velvatone Door Chime was mentioned in a display ad for a new Pittsburgh home in September of 1930. Velvatone Chimes were offered for sale at a Pittsburgh department store ahead of a rival chime from General Kontrolar’s TeleChime. Gisbert Bossard, of General Kontrolar/Telechime, was likely a better promoter, however his chimes, like Velvatone, ended up also-rans in the Door Chine business which later came to be dominated by Edwards, NuTone and Rittenhouse along with a shrinking number of smaller manufacturers.
The mechanism on this chime is activated when an electromagnet is energized to power the motor that drives a rotating musicbox like cylinder with pegs which contact metal tangs to momentarily complete a circuit to fire each of three solenoids to produce a Westminster sequence. When the music box cylinder completes a complete a full revolution, the power to the electromagnet is interrupted until the next caller pushes the button. This chime provides a terminalfor a second pushbutton at an alternate door to activate a single solenoid and ring a single note,
If you have any information on Mass or Velvatone Door Chimes Please contact the Museum
Please contact the doorbell museum with any information you may have on these cam-driven chimes.
Manufacturer | Maas / Velvatone |
Location of Manufacture | Los Angeles, California |
Date of Manufacture | ~1936 |
Cover | Hardwood with Hardwood Veneer |
Mechanism | Cast Zinc, steel and brass |
Bells | Brass with Velvatone marked plugs |
Height | 56 |
Width | 9 inches |
Depth | 5 inches |
Notes | Mechanism Restored by ElectraChime for Los Angeles Area Homeowners. Cover and bells in original condition. |