The Wurlitzer 1015 Jukebox was introduced in 1946, after WWII ended and building materials became available again. The 1015 brought the Wurlitzer Company great success, allowing it to rebound from near-bankruptcy brought on by the Depression. The 1015 pushed Wurlitzer forward as the leader of jukebox manufacturing, with 56,000 units being sold in less than 2 years. This was the Golden Age of jukebox production. And the 1015 wasn’t just a huge hit in the United States, but also appeared anywhere Americans went, following GIs all over the globe.

Also called the “1015-Bubbler”, this juke is arguably the most popular jukebox of all time. It was conceptualized by the famous designer Paul Fuller (who was chief designer with the Wurlitzer Company from 1935-1948). The ornate design of 1940’s jukeboxes has been referred to as “gothic” or having a “cathedral” look, but this juke has more of an art deco influence. With its illuminated, color-changing pilasters, 8 bubble tubes, shiny chrome and domed top, it is reflective of the positive, uplifted attitude of the post-war nation. The coin-operated 1015 plays 78-RPM records and has push-button Multi-Selector technology, allowing selected records to be played.

The model 1015 was produced from 1946 to 1947, and was so popular that many of them were utilized right into the 50’s. This longevity is responsible for the 1015’s association with the 1950’s sock-hop era. By 1954 the 45-RPM records were becoming so popular that the Wurlitzer factory introduced conversion kits for their jukeboxes so they could play them. In addition, the Wurlitzer 1015 was such a popular model of jukebox that in 1986 Wurlitzer celebrated the 40th anniversary of the 1015 by manufacturing it once again and dubbing it the “One More Time”. It had the classic design of the 1015 with all the latest technology, including the ability to play CDs.

Through the years, there have been many Wurlitzer 1015s that appeared in background shots of TV shows and films like “Cheers”, “Friends”, “Back to the Future” and “On the Waterfront”.

Dimensions:
60”H x 32”W x 24 1/4”D

Weight: 355 lbs.

Manufactured by:

The Rudolph Wurlitzer Co.

North Tonawanda, NY

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby.

To view more pictures of the completed restoration visit the RetroPlanet.com Museum.