Tololy’s Box » Blog Archive » A phonograph in Soug El Harameyyeh

I went the other day to investigate an antiques market, in hopes of finding a functional phonograph. The quest for a phonograph developed into a passion of mine only last month after I purchased some 50 classical music and Italian music records in excellent condition.

Before that life-changing event took place, I decided I wanted to quench my thirst for antiques and I started hunting for an old radio that my grandfather had. I started asking around the family for news of the ancient radio but my search proved to be fruitless because someone sold the old beauty.

The purchase of the records revived my passion. I went to an antiques market I had heard about in Zarqa city, it is also called “Soug El Harameyyeh” which translates to “Market of the Thieves”. The name can be attributed to the fact that some items sold there were originally stolen from their owners. I am not sure they still steal things and sell them, but the name remains.

I found only one phonograph but it was ruined. I had a record with me to try any would-be-mine phonographs I found but no trial was necessary for that machine. Now I’ll leave you with pictures taken during that invigorating trip.

Antiques

Old clock

Antiques

View of the market

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This entry was posted on Friday, October 20th, 2006 at 8:16 pm and is filed under Jordan, Life. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Craig says:
October 20th, 2006 at 9:06 pm
Looks like fun, Tololy! Now I’m feeling inspired to prowl anttique stores too! The last time I did that, I bought an antique BB gun as a Christmas gigt for my cousin… which he immediately took out in the back yard to try and shoot the neighbor’s cat! So, then he had a BB gun with no BBs, but oh well. I forgot how much fun it is to go on "scavenger hunts" at antique stores :)
adel says:
October 20th, 2006 at 9:48 pm
Nice post J I used to roam souq el7arameyeh on monthly basis. You just cannot expect what you’ll find. The entrance is not very welcoming, but it’s the perfect place for old-hi-tech-gadgets collectors. I still have my 25 kg 1965 <a href="http://www.grundig.com/">Grundig</a> tape recorder functional. I only bought it for JD 5. J
ABOUD says:
October 21st, 2006 at 2:20 am
walla that was a nice experience. There is a place in Jabal Amman opposite to Al Rainbow cinema (or what was called so), you might find what you want over there though it may be over priced.
Roba says:
October 21st, 2006 at 3:09 am
WOW! I REALLY WANT TO GO THERE! Everything looks so cool! I do’nt think I know where that particular soo2 is.
Abu Sinan says:
October 21st, 2006 at 4:22 am
  I am glad you posted pictures. It has been awhile.  I love your pictures.  Eid mubarak a few days early.
  These souq are great, you can find lots of them, sometimes very unexpected.  I have just started to get the Arab haggling thing.  I have never been the one to bicker about prices, but when in Rome.
  In the Gulf we used to get really good deals on ‘oud, the oil and the incense.  Here in the USA it costs a fortune.  The ajmal, on line, now costs $38 for a small box, when I used to get it for less than half that price in the Gulf, and even better none brand name things.
  We are almost out of the oil, but at some $300 for a small bottle, we’ll have to wait until the sister in law sends some from Jeddah.
Rebecca says:
October 21st, 2006 at 4:33 pm
Tololy,
You’re not going to believe this, but I saw a phonograph on Thursday.  It was sitting in front of a shop on the road down from third circle to Al-balad.  I think it was right before the road to Wadi Saqra, on the right side of the road.  It was a real old fashioned one with a big gold "horn" on it.  I do’nt know if it worked or not.
Tololy says:
October 21st, 2006 at 5:09 pm
Craig, I just absolutely love antiques but cannot afford most of them. Glad I inspired you to go hunting for some. BB guns can do a lot of damage, I have to tell you I am very happy your cousin did not have any ammo or he would’ve hurt the poor cat.
Adel, true. It’s usually men who go to this market because it isn’t exactly the most comfortable place to be at if you’re a lady. I managed to get my mother to go with me after several weeks of daily nagging.
ABOUD, I passed by that place two nights ago but I didn’t go inside. I think you are right, I just might find my phonograph there. I want to exhaust all options though before I pay a small fortune for it (trying to be practical here). Thanks for the advice! Much appreciated, oh and welcome to Tololy’s Box.
Roba, I don’t want to deceive you. This market has many many things nobody will ever buy and the pictures I posted are of the best items over there. If you want to go, just go to Zarqa city and when you first enter it ask around for "sou2 el 7arameyyeh" and not "sou2 el anteeka". I asked a little kid where the "sou2 el anteeka" was and he said "gasdek soug el 7arameyyeh?".
Abu Sinan, eid mubarak to you and to your family. I’ll hopefully post some more pictures in upcoming posts, depends if I go to interesting places worth recording. Thanks for the comment!
Rebecca, that’s an amazing tip. I will definitely go check that place out the soonest time I can, I just hope by then they won’t sell the phonograph. Thanks so much for the tip, it’s so nice of you to give me directions to the place. Eid mubarak.

Craig says:
October 20th, 2006 at 9:06 pm

Looks like fun, Tololy! Now I’m feeling inspired to prowl anttique stores too! The last time I did that, I bought an antique BB gun as a Christmas gigt for my cousin… which he immediately took out in the back yard to try and shoot the neighbor’s cat! So, then he had a BB gun with no BBs, but oh well. I forgot how much fun it is to go on "scavenger hunts" at antique stores :)

adel says:
October 20th, 2006 at 9:48 pm

Nice post J I used to roam souq el7arameyeh on monthly basis. You just cannot expect what you’ll find. The entrance is not very welcoming, but it’s the perfect place for old-hi-tech-gadgets collectors. I still have my 25 kg 1965 <a href="http://www.grundig.com/">Grundig</a> tape recorder functional. I only bought it for JD 5. J

ABOUD says:
October 21st, 2006 at 2:20 am

walla that was a nice experience. There is a place in Jabal Amman opposite to Al Rainbow cinema (or what was called so), you might find what you want over there though it may be over priced.

Roba says:
October 21st, 2006 at 3:09 am

WOW! I REALLY WANT TO GO THERE! Everything looks so cool! I do’nt think I know where that particular soo2 is.

Abu Sinan says:
October 21st, 2006 at 4:22 am

I am glad you posted pictures. It has been awhile.  I love your pictures.  Eid mubarak a few days early.
  These souq are great, you can find lots of them, sometimes very unexpected.  I have just started to get the Arab haggling thing.  I have never been the one to bicker about prices, but when in Rome.
  In the Gulf we used to get really good deals on ‘oud, the oil and the incense.  Here in the USA it costs a fortune.  The ajmal, on line, now costs $38 for a small box, when I used to get it for less than half that price in the Gulf, and even better none brand name things.
  We are almost out of the oil, but at some $300 for a small bottle, we’ll have to wait until the sister in law sends some from Jeddah.

Rebecca says:
October 21st, 2006 at 4:33 pm

Tololy,
You’re not going to believe this, but I saw a phonograph on Thursday.  It was sitting in front of a shop on the road down from third circle to Al-balad.  I think it was right before the road to Wadi Saqra, on the right side of the road.  It was a real old fashioned one with a big gold "horn" on it.  I do’nt know if it worked or not.

Tololy says:
October 21st, 2006 at 5:09 pm

Craig, I just absolutely love antiques but cannot afford most of them. Glad I inspired you to go hunting for some. BB guns can do a lot of damage, I have to tell you I am very happy your cousin did not have any ammo or he would’ve hurt the poor cat.
Adel, true. It’s usually men who go to this market because it isn’t exactly the most comfortable place to be at if you’re a lady. I managed to get my mother to go with me after several weeks of daily nagging.
ABOUD, I passed by that place two nights ago but I didn’t go inside. I think you are right, I just might find my phonograph there. I want to exhaust all options though before I pay a small fortune for it (trying to be practical here). Thanks for the advice! Much appreciated, oh and welcome to Tololy’s Box.
Roba, I don’t want to deceive you. This market has many many things nobody will ever buy and the pictures I posted are of the best items over there. If you want to go, just go to Zarqa city and when you first enter it ask around for "sou2 el 7arameyyeh" and not "sou2 el anteeka". I asked a little kid where the "sou2 el anteeka" was and he said "gasdek soug el 7arameyyeh?".
Abu Sinan, eid mubarak to you and to your family. I’ll hopefully post some more pictures in upcoming posts, depends if I go to interesting places worth recording. Thanks for the comment!
Rebecca, that’s an amazing tip. I will definitely go check that place out the soonest time I can, I just hope by then they won’t sell the phonograph. Thanks so much for the tip, it’s so nice of you to give me directions to the place. Eid mubarak.

A phonograph in Soug El Harameyyeh

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