The seller of the Lev-built instrument that is headlined this week here on TW, RETROFRET VINTAGE GUITARS, makes certain comparisons between this instrument and the custom theremins Lev made for Clara Rockmore and Lucie Rosen but the fact is they are very different. Here is a photo of the inside of Clara's instrument (top center inset) superimposed on the inside of the cabinet of the Retrofret theremin. They have little in common!
http://www.peterpringle.com/clarapix/clararetro.jpg
The Retrofret theremin seems to be a Teletouch type of instrument, housed in a typical Teletouch cabinet with integrated speaker. The TELETOUCH CORPORATION was started by Lev in 1933 after RCA had decided not to continue manufacturing theremins. He moved the company into what had been the Theremin Studio in the Rosen townhouse on West 54th St. in Manhattan, and continued making theremins on special order only. Most of what Teletouch was involved with had to do with Lev's other inventions (automatic door openers, fire alarms, burglar alarms, etc. etc.) No one seems to know how many Teletouch theremins were sold but it was not very many and the company did not want to follow in the failed footsteps of RCA.
For those of you who have not seen Reid Welch's talk on the Teletouch theremin that belonged to the late William A. Nickert, here is the URL.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YT-7ZhnSQrI
