The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Can someone share data on this phonograph listed on eBay.fr (maker, model, period)?
http://www.ebay.fr/itm/Ancien-Phonograp ... 1438.l2649
Thanks,
Jeff

I think this is an Ideal-Phonographe distributed by La Maison Bonne Presse circa 1900/1902. It's main feature of interest was a moveable mandrel which allowed cylinders of any diameter to be played by placing them at varying distances from the reproducer.

The example pictured in the period advertisement below is similar but not identical :

phonodesbois wrote:Can someone share data on this phonograph listed on eBay.fr (maker, model, period)?
http://www.ebay.fr/itm/Ancien-Phonograp ... 1438.l2649
Thanks,
Jeff

Dear Jeff,

There were 4-5 models of the Ideal manufactured.
The one for sale is an early version of Ideal No. 2 (serial number is in the 1200's).

Pros:
1. Complete except missing the Le Cahit reproducer;
2. Horn is a correct, although it was an optional version. It has some damage that would take a good horn craftsman to fix and may not be possible;
3. It has the base and lid, which can be restored/cleaned;
4. It has the correct concert mandrel, which are rare and extremely difficult to locate;
5. It has the correct crank, which are as difficult to find, if not more difficult to find than the mandrel.
6. It looks to have all the screws and the mechanism looks in decent shape.

Cons:
1. Lots of rust, which can be buffed out, but I think there are parts where the rust has pitted. You could have some of the pieces re-nickel-ed I suppose.
2. Base is cracked and would need some attention.

The Ideals are great machines and extremely durable, manufactured in the same factory as the French Bettini machines.
They play French cylinders (Pathé et al) very well, as you can use a salon size mandrel as well as standard and concert.

The Ideal No. ⅘ (Mixte) plays both cylinders and discs.

Ben

Attached is the style of reproducer that was original.

Here is some background on the manufacturer, who also built machines and accessories for Bettini.

***

Hippolyte Louis Lamazière (1872 - 1953) is a training engineer. In April 1898, he opened a workshop of precision mechanics at 6, rue Rampon. The following year he was at 99 rue du Faubourg du temple and owned a steam plant at 28, rue de l'Orillon and workshops at Saint-Nicolas d'Aliermont, near Dieppe.
Lamazière was the author of a patent in 1899 for "an automatic multi-cylinder phonograph" . He also built phonographs for Henri Lioret , Georges Malleville , Girard et Cie and the Maison de la Bonne Presse . It is also included in the directory of trade and industry in 1900 as manufacturers of cinematographs:Precision apparatus for animated projection, apparatus for taking pictures of films of 35, 50 and 70 mm; complete operating equipment; special electric arc lamps; the only manufacturer of the stereoscopic animator (Bunzli and Continsouza patent) . Lamazière is a close friend of René Bünzli, whom he witnesses during his marriage.
On April 24, 1900, the Lamazière et Cie partnership was created between Louis Lamazière and Louis Frezet. Lamazière brings the establishment of mechanical mechanic builder of precision instruments, 99 rue du Faubourg du Temple, with workshops in Saint-Nicolas-d'Aliermont. In 1902, the company is now located at 62, rue du Chemin-Vert in Paris. It was dissolved on 1 May 1905. Frezet re-established his rights in Lamazière et Co. in Lamazière.
Louis Lamazière and René Bünzli founded the general partnership Lamazière and Bünzli , on 11 November 1909 , at 11 rue du Surmelin in Paris. In addition to phonographs, they also build watches, slot machines, locomotive parts and still projection equipment. Lamazière is listed in the 1914 Film"high-precision and high-strength apparatus specially designed for the use of animated projections ".
On January 20, 1914, the Lamazière and Bünzli establishments were transformed into a public limited company, known as the Precision Apparatus Construction Company , with a capital of 2,000,000 francs. Among the new shareholders, we find the name of Pierre-Victor Continsouza .

Thank you so much for your extremely valuable input.
Up to now, I thought that all Ideal phonographs had what I will call a “rotary dial” to control the speed...
Jeff

I just came thru a reproducer similar to the "le Cahit" on Ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-TETE-REPRO ... Swa8dZv--9

walser wrote:I just came thru a reproducer similar to the "le Cahit" on Ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-TETE-REPRO ... Swa8dZv--9

Same general style, but Le Cahit was known for their spider attachments, which were similar to those that Bettini used.