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I am wondering about the portable gramophone on the left of the photo.

It just looks a little different to those I see on the internet.

I also wonder what the shiny, rectangular, stainless steel like piece of metal (at the front right hand side of the turntable is ?).

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-us/auct ... 8b00e5a067

It's a Decca 120. This, and the 130, which has a bigger motor, were the best portable machines that Decca ever manufactured. They are superb machines that rival the famous HMV 102 for depth of tone, due to the bifurcated horn and the large Maestrophonic soundbox. The part you refer to is a slide-out needle tray. Unfortunately, the one pictured is missing the record album that sits on the two brackets in the lid, a common occurrence these days!

The Crescendo was Decca's bottom of the range machine. It looks like this :

Thank you very much to both of you - information really appreciated.

Ugh! With apologies to epigramophone, that photo of the Crescendo made me shudder! It was the first gramophone I owned at the age of eight. Even at that tender age, I thought it was a cheap and nasty thing, and 60 years on, that opinion hasn't changed. Very heavy one-piece arm, undersize turntable, and a flimsy case covered in what appears to be textured paper. The only good thing about it was the Collaro motor.

I am happy to say that the Crescendo pictured is not mine. I did have one many years ago, but not for long.

My Decca 120, however, is a superb machine. Purchased from the family of the original owner it is in perfect original condition, and yes it does still have the detachable record album which fits inside the lid.

On the great Graham-ophones site are nice descriptions of both the 120 and the 130:

http://www.graham-ophones.co.uk/decca-s ... 4585108951

http://www.graham-ophones.co.uk/decca-s ... 4589518379

I would love to try out my Decca Meltrope III on either one

Glenn

These Decca machines also have several variations. Here's a thread about a 130 I bought a while back:

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... lit=+decca

Really so much interesting information.

It really makes me want to bid for this item but, alas, I have four gramophones already and to buy another would be selfish of me.

Strictly speaking, there is no such thing as a 'Decca Crescendo'. Yes, the Crescendo is cheap and nasty, but it doesn't carry the Decca logo, just 'Crescendo' and, in small print, a statement that it was manufactured by Decca. I have never seen an advertisement for the Crescendo, and I suspect it was made for the premium market -- obtainable for a vast number cigarette cards, for example. I would welcome any information on this point.