Full-o-Tone cabinet gramophone

[Wolseley]

I purchased a Full-o-Tone cabinet gramophone back in the early 1970s. In 1981, due to lack of space in the house, it ended up languishing in a shed under a sheet. At that time, the exterior finish was presentable, but a bit the worse for wear. Following a move to a larger house, I decided to bring it out of storage and renovate it. It was still working and the interior was in good condition, but the exterior was looking rather weathered and the lid had split where it was glued originally. I have spent the last few months taking the exterior back to bare wood, staining and varnishing it and generally cleaning it up. It was still in working order.

The only information I can find on this make of gramophone is on Ian Calder's website (http://www.gramophones.info/gramophones ... logue.html) which, interesting as it is, doesn't tell me much about my machine. I was wondering if anyone can enlighten me further about it. The motor looks to me to be rather early and has more in common with ones I have seen in pre-WW1 machines than ones from the 1920s and 1930s.. I suspect my machine could be a very early Full-o-Tone. I also suspect that the sound box is not original - it is a "Revelation Ultra", made by the Audak Company.

As an aside, one thing that struck me when I was working on the cabinet was the poor standard of materials and workmanship compared to my other cabinet machines (a Vocalion, a Diamond Disc and an Amberola). Were the Full-o-Tones built down to a price rather than up to a standard perhaps?

One thing in particular I would be interested in is when the machine was built. Maybe the serial number on the motor would give us a clue. Does anyone have any idea?

[epigramophone]

The monogram on the lid transfer refers to The Cabinet Gramophone Company, so your machine dates from prior to 1929 when the company was re-formed as Fullotone Gramophones (1929) Ltd.

The motor is by Paillard and appears identical to my example. Fullotone was one of many British firms which used bought in components, and some of these components remained in the trade suppliers catalogues for years, by which time they were looking decidedly out of date.

Although usually of medium quality, Fullotone sometimes built machines with more expensive finishes. Here's mine :

[Wolseley]

Although usually of medium quality, Fullotone sometimes built machines with more expensive finishes. Here's mine :

Thanks for the reply. Obviously one of their more expensive gramophones......

I can see that the tone arm, speed control and handle are the same as my machine, although the stop lever is different. The turntable on mine is a heavy cast iron one (it does have holes in it to reduce the weight) and, from what I can tell, it looks a bit different from yours.

[Edisone]

I say you did a very nice job on the cabinet! It looks quite posh, yet not overly shiny.

[Wolseley]

I didn't keep track of all the time I spent on it, but it was probably a couple of months of my spare time. I took all of the exterior back to bare wood then stained and varnished it. Not something you could do in a hurry with this one because of all the beading and panelling. Fortunately the finish on the interior was still pretty good, so I didn't need to do anything other than a clean and varnish, which meant that I was able to keep the manufacturer's logo on the inside of the lid.

My next restoration project (which I intend to start soon but not immediately) is an Edison L19 Louis XIV Diamond Disc phonograph. It is (apart from the top layer of veneer on the lid) in good sound condition although, as with the Full-o-Tone, the varnish on the exterior is in a bad way and flaking off in parts. I bought the machine about 40 years ago for $25 and it is still in good working order. It has a Diamond Disc head, an Edison Long Play head and a 78 rpm head, which I think might make it a rather rare machine.

[epigramophone]

Although usually of medium quality, Fullotone sometimes built machines with more expensive finishes. Here's mine :

Thanks for the reply. Obviously one of their more expensive gramophones......

I can see that the tone arm, speed control and handle are the same as my machine, although the stop lever is different. The turntable on mine is a heavy cast iron one (it does have holes in it to reduce the weight) and, from what I can tell, it looks a bit different from yours.

Off topic, but I thought you might like to see the Wolseley 6/110 which I owned in the early 1970's. 16mpg around town and 19mpg on a run, but petrol was only 35p a gallon! The car was great fun at night, when the illuminated radiator badge fooled other drivers into thinking that they were being followed by the Police....

[Wolseley]

I thought you might like to see the Wolseley 6/110 which I owned in the early 1970's.

Nice looking car. Here is a photo of my 15/60 on display at a local car show a few months ago (mine is the two tone car on the left). I took the photo early in the day before lot of the others arrived, hence the rather empty look to the field.



Mine is a 1962 model (and before anyone jumps in to say the 15/60 was discontinued in 1961, this is an Australian built car, and the 15/60 continued in production until March of 1962 here).