The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hi All,

I was recently fortunate enough to acquire my second grey HMV 102. I know that this incarnation is the rarest of the HMV 102s, and we don’t see any here in Australia. I was wondering if anyone had any sort of idea of how many are known in collections? I’ve only seen 2 for sale (excluding the one that had had a great portion of its covering replaced).

Both mine are pictured.

Thanks,
Mario

Apart from the ultra rare Pink and Pale Green 102's which to my knowledge never appeared in any HMV catalogue, Grey and Brown are the only colours I don't have. They cannot have sold well as they were discontinued early in the 102's production life, about 1934, followed soon afterwards by the expensive Red Leather version with gilt fittings. I do have one of those.

A Pale Green 102 sold on UK eBay about ten years ago for around £350. I wish I had kept a picture of it from the listing. I have never seen a Pink 102, but those who have tell me that in old age they tend to fade to a creamy colour.

I've had 4 Brown and 3 Red Deluxe 102s (still have 1 of each). I'm still not convinced regarding the pink and pale green though. Could the Pale Green and Pink have been a "touched up" taupe?

epigramophone wrote:Apart from the ultra rare Pink and Pale Green 102's which to my knowledge never appeared in any HMV catalogue, Grey and Brown are the only colours I don't have. They cannot have sold well as they were discontinued early in the 102's production life, about 1934, followed soon afterwards by the expensive Red Leather version with gilt fittings. I do have one of those.

A Pale Green 102 sold on UK eBay about ten years ago for around £350. I wish I had kept a picture of it from the listing. I have never seen a Pink 102, but those who have tell me that in old age they tend to fade to a creamy colour.

mariof wrote: I'm still not convinced regarding the pink and pale green though. Could the Pale Green and Pink have been a "touched up" taupe?

I can't comment on the pale green version, but the pink one I saw some years ago certainly hadn't been interfered with in any way. It would be very difficult to paint round the letters on the transfer in the lid without it showing badly, as it does on every repainted machine. Even a replacement transfer looks obvious!

"One Off" HMV portables were definitely made and some are well documented, such as the 101 in brown leather with gilt fittings made for display in HMV's flagship Oxford Street shop. It still exists, and is pictured on Page 30 of Dave Cooper's well known book on HMV portables.

I have no doubt that the light green 102 was also genuine. I remember that the eBay listing was detailed and included several good photographs, which unfortunately I did not download before they disappeared into the ether.

How true it was, I obviously can't say, but I was told by the seller, who was not a dealer, that the pink one was made specially for Barbara Cartland. Given how fond this lady was of the particularly vivid shade of pink this machine was covered in, I'm inclined to believe it. The other reason I think it was a "one-off" was that all the fittings inside and out, were in bright gilding, not the usual dull gold of the 101/102, which always looks to me as though it's come straight out of a spray can. Why, oh why didn't I buy it??

I wish I had bought the light green 102, but we all have regrets about the ones that got away .