BIAL & FREUND Phonograph Model IV (EWC)

[ADLER-Record]

Hello!
This is my first post in this forum. Please excuse me if I make any mistakes during the following post.
Anyone who collects European phonographs comes across the "Bial & Freund" Phonographs sooner or later. Bial & Freund was a bookstore based in Breslau, with an external office in Vienna.
Around 1850 the company began selling also weapons, bicycles and musical instruments. As one of the first German mail-order houses, Bial & Freund also began selling imported phonographs very early.
Between 1898 and 1900, the company entered into an contract with the Excelsior-Werke (EWC) in Cologne. From this moment, Excelsior exclusively produced a series of phonographs in Bial & Freund's own design. I would now like to present one of the most expensive phonographs from Bial & Freund's own series. This machine cost RM ,- 117.50, and was sold as an "American-style phonograph". I think the company was oriented on the design of the Columbia phonographs....(?)
By chance, I bought this machine in this original condition from a heritage. It cost less than the original price! The phonograph was very dusty and dirty, but all parts were there, luckily also the original Horn. The drive belt (made of leather) is still original and still very flexible. Also the reproducer was complete, the sapphire is still very good. I suspect the reproducer was imported from the USA?
To illustrate the small size of the machine, I placed a normal 25cm/1o inch record next to it.
After a brief first cleaning and some oil the phonograph purred like a little kitten - he runs very evenly and sounds good.
I would be very happy about any information or any tips.
Thank you!

[ADLER-Record]

More pictures:

[ADLER-Record]

And the last two pictures:

[fran604g]

Welcome to the forum!

You have a very lovely machine, in amazing condition.

Thank you for sharing your photographs.

Best,
Fran

[ADLER-Record]

Thank you for your kind reply!
The good condition also surprised me - dust and dirt were probably like a protective layer.
I will surely present more machines step by step, i have got some more german rarities.
The only thing always missing is enough time

[TinfoilPhono]

What a charming little machine! I have never seen one.

The reproducer definitely looks European to me, not American. The style is very similar to the Columbia Eagle but the details are completely different.

[ADLER-Record]

What a charming little machine! I have never seen one.

The reproducer definitely looks European to me, not American. The style is very similar to the Columbia Eagle but the details are completely different.

Many thanks for your response! Yes, these phonographs are much rarer than Edison or Columbia machines .... The quality is not worse than the big brands, but Bial & Freund was not as well known in Germany as EDISON or Columbia.
I have to look again, maybe I can find a mark or something on the reproducer.

[CharliePhono]

Beautiful machine and thanks for sharing! I find the horn very "Pathé-esque."

[Starkton]

Sehr schöner Phonograph der ab Ende 1901 von Bial & Freund verkauft wurde. Der Hersteller EWC bot ihn auch unter eigenem Namen an, natürlich ohne B & F Aufkleber. Ich hätte weitere Anmerkungen und Katalogabbildungen dazu. Stelle ihn doch mal im deutschen Forum vor: http://grammophon-platten.de/news.php

[jamiegramo]

A beautiful machine. Nice light wood with an attractive transfer (decal) to the bedplate. But how is it possible you paid less than the original price? I'm sure this wouldn't happen to me...