Fellows Junior

The Fellows Junior iHorn is made from a 1925 Fellophone speaker which was manufactured by Fellows Magneto Co., LTD. in London England.  Fellows started at the beginning of WWI, making magnetos which were the component for generating the spark that ignites the fuel-air mixture in an engine.  The company was founded in 1916, with a starting capital of £75,000.  With material shortages and a lack of skilled workers, Fellows had major hurdles to overcome.  Their relentless efforts paid off. With a reliable product in hand, Fellows capitalized on the wartime urgency. Newspapers in 1917 lauded their success. At the end of WWI, the demand for magnetos declined, so Fellows pivoted into radio.  By 1922, Fellows had begun manufacturing not only magnetos for the automotive and aircraft industry, but also wireless components and complete radios. Despite the willingness to change, Fellows struggled financially.  With huge losses in 1922 attributable to magnetos, the small profit of 1923 was not enough.  By mid-1924, Fellows had taken a decisive step. They were now manufacturing their own "Louden Valves," a key component in radio receivers. Their marketing strategy was bold. In November 1924, an advertisement proclaimed the "secret" of the Louden Valve's success wasn't magic, but merit. It emphasized its low cost, and efficiency.  By 1925, Fellows Magneto Co. Ltd. had fully transformed. They were no longer just magneto manufacturers but radio producers.  They experienced success and appeared solvent, but Fellows met is unexpected demise in 1929 with a sudden closure which remains a mystery.  Their story, however, serves as a testament to adaptation and innovation. They rose to prominence in a wartime environment, then successfully pivoted to a burgeoning new technology, only to face an unforeseen end.  Regardless of its end, the Fellows Junior, the company spoke a truth regarding life as a whole – the secret is not magic, but merit.  The Fellows Junior is worthy of that merit.