Between an EMG MK IX and a Mk X

[chunnybh]

Here is an EMG on ebay.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/141084029516? ... 1423.l2649

Now this is the exact same as one I have. It's somewhere between a Mk IX and a MK X.
The 22" horn is the odd thing out. The MK IX has a 22" horn. The smallest MK X horn is 26".
This being the second one I have seen of it's kind suggests that the early Mk X had a 22" horn.
No structural support at the large bend so they really are the saggiest of them all.
Mine was just as bad but is now almost back to being upright. Easy on this model because if you lift the lid up , it supports the horn. Ive been inserting DVD cases between the lid and the horn. One a week and now it is almost true.
I really like this model. Most EMG's are simply too big for an average room. This one is just perfect. It is probably the most played of my collection.
The soundbox is the only put-off but a Meltrope III works well with this model.

[emgcr]

Yes, this is an interesting model of which I have only seen two before---yours (the first pictured ?) and the one shown with the attractively painted horn which was formerly owned by Paul Morris---the case was painted before he stripped it.

The plaque on the one currently for sale refers to Grape Street and thus cannot be later than April 1948---does yours have a plaque ? All three are Mk Xs but have Mk IX horns which, to me, would seem to suggest an "austerity" model, either immediately before or soon after WW2. The case is smaller than the standard Mk Xs, aiding practicality in smaller rooms as you have said and can only have been cheaper to make from the point of view of the lack of exotic veneering. Could the cases have been made post war to use up the final residual stock of horns I wonder ? I think I am right in saying that no horns were made by the main manufacturing firm after 1938 when the Jewish owners emigrated to the USA.

It is also interesting to note that the flange stands proud of the case at the point of horn outlet as opposed to being recessed on all other Mk Xs. The Mk IX horn is not so structurally demanding on the case socket and may point to the fact that this lighter horn was actually designed to be employed.

Intriguingly, the electric motor looks to be quite expensively made and is somewhat unusual---not one I have seen before.

[Orchorsol]

Fascinating, you've crystallised some vague thoughts of mine Graham - that perhaps the one on eBay is a late "version" of a Mk IX.

Interesting that the motor appears to have no pitch adjustment. No good for a great many acoustics!

[emgcr]

Fascinating as you say Andy and perhaps we shall never know.

In relation to the question as to whether these examples might be the final Mk IX development, all I can say is that the original horn of my own Mk IX incorporates pages from the Daily Mirror dated 8th July 1948 thus the standard item was clearly still being produced albeit with rounded case corners. Whether a few post-war horns were made by former employees of the three firms of Paperdura/Pytram/Paper Designs is an interesting speculation. Perhaps one or two of the firms were still in business ? In addition, Frank James states in his definitive book (page 109) that the Scientific Supply Stores also was involved in the production of Wilson horns so there are a number of possibilities particularly as Joe Ginn (son of Ellis Michael....) refers to yet another participating firm---Dimensional Displays---in his memoirs, thus muddying the waters still further.

When running his antique shop some years ago, Ian Maxted met a Mr Watson who came in off the street having seen EMG gramophones in the window and said he had been involved in manufacture (together with his brother) after the war and was probably the last man alive to have actually made paper horns. Whether they were acting alone or were still working for one of the old firms is now information lost to history it would seem. Ian also remembers Mr Watson referring to his former employers trading under yet another name of "Rainish and Remmington" but the spelling/memory could be wrong or hazy at this remove.

It is further instructive to point out that the plaque does not mention any address---the firm moved to Newman Street three months earlier. This is a strange omission as later models clearly stated Newman Street including examples which were rebadged following repair/alteration/updating etc.

[emgcr]

Here is another I have just found on the 'net, this time sporting a Wilson horn which may not be original to the case ?

[emgcr]

Ian has just sent the following in an email which I think is important to post for the benefit of posterity---such snippets are easily lost. Bill (?) Watson was a regular visitor to Ian's shop and used to live within half a mile.

... I'm pretty sure that the brothers were working at Paperdura in Exmouth Street off Commercial Road E1 (proprietors Mr Ranish and Mr Remington), from late 1920s through to late 1938 when the Jewish owners closed the business and moved to America in fear of the threatening war with Germany, then, not known to be friendly with the Jewish community. The brother I spoke with was W J Watson (Bill ?) as I recall, and his brother (John ?) was older, and the form maker and chief final finisher, probably making horns for both EMG and Ginn Expert as he remembered the final finishing process on Expert horns employing a form of plaster or "white blocking" which took hours to do as they had internal templates to work to and were fastidious in getting the internal profile just right! Bill (?) recalled his brother was already established in the business when he joined as a young apprentice in c1930 and told of the humorous comments shouted to them as he rode through London on the flat bed of the lorry delivering their weird load of finished horns to the company (ies).

[chunnybh]

Adding to that, I have a hand written letter from Bill Watson to Frank where he makes the following points.
1. The paper was applied pre-soaked.
2. Paperdura did make horns for both firms. They also made 4 & 5 foot Concert horns for HMV.
3. Another company Pytram had a factory in New Malden, Surrey in the mid 1930's & they specialized in Domestic Horns. ?

Amazing what you can find on the Internet. Pythrams made all sorts of papier mache items.
Interesting Pathé video of women at work at the factory.
http://www.britishpathe.com/video/papie ... ery/Malden

[emgcr]

Chunny that is absolutely brilliant---thank you so much for this information. Without your confirmation based on actual letters such knowledge would undoubtedly become lost or questionable. The photo of the Pytram masks is very amusing and shows great talent and joi de vivre.

[chunnybh]

Apparently there was a fire at the Pythram factory in the 40's and it seems after that they started making "LAMINATED CELLULOSE FIBRE" products like air conditioning ducts and piping for aircraft. If EMG and Expert had still been ordering horns then, they surly would have been made of fiber glass. Ofcourse they had moved on by then and were only using up any horns they still had.