Colonial Sophie's Choice! What would you do?

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SPOONMAN19
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Colonial Sophie's Choice! What would you do?

Post by SPOONMAN19 »

Hi all, so further to the many recent posts on colonial HMV portables - an interesting but VERY frustrating dilemma has come up.

So I had posted about the 102 and the 112 recently. Now this particular seller is now willing to sell either the 102 or the 112 - but not both! The 102 at 200$ or the 112 at 230$.

I keep oscillating between the 2. As a member rightly pointed out, the 102 is over-varnished. But am guessing that's a easy fix. On the other hand the 112 is a bit of an elephant...

The machines are both complete and work. And I've picked up the 101 and 118. So I think, I ought to pick up the 102 cause the 118 with its 32 is similar to the 112. And as heavy. But the 112 looks lovely etc, etc...see what I mean!

So then I got curious as to what some of you would do when faced with this choice? And no, buying both is not an option! I tried but I think the seller thinks he can find somebody else who will pay much more for one. So indeed he is reluctantly willing to even sell me one cause he gave his word etc. So hes not too happy!

So would love to hear from you; and how you would resolve this choice.

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gramophone-georg
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Re: Colonial Sophie's Choice! What would you do?

Post by gramophone-georg »

SPOONMAN19 wrote:Hi all, so further to the many recent posts on colonial HMV portables - an interesting but VERY frustrating dilemma has come up.

So I had posted about the 102 and the 112 recently. Now this particular seller is now willing to sell either the 102 or the 112 - but not both! The 102 at 200$ or the 112 at 230$.

I keep oscillating between the 2. As a member rightly pointed out, the 102 is over-varnished. But am guessing that's a easy fix. On the other hand the 112 is a bit of an elephant...

The machines are both complete and work. And I've picked up the 101 and 118. So I think, I ought to pick up the 102 cause the 118 with its 32 is similar to the 112. And as heavy. But the 112 looks lovely etc, etc...see what I mean!

So then I got curious as to what some of you would do when faced with this choice? And no, buying both is not an option! I tried but I think the seller thinks he can find somebody else who will pay much more for one. So indeed he is reluctantly willing to even sell me one cause he gave his word etc. So hes not too happy!

So would love to hear from you; and how you would resolve this choice.
Where are you located? You buy one and I'll "straw man" the other for ya.
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Curt A
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Re: Colonial Sophie's Choice! What would you do?

Post by Curt A »

George,
I think these are both in India and logistics becomes a problem...

Curt
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Teak
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Re: Colonial Sophie's Choice! What would you do?

Post by Teak »

I do have all the colonial portables (-102) and the 112 is my favorite portable for most records. Especially the earlier ones are much more enjoyable due to the forgiveness of the no4 soundbox and the nice bass the extra horn length reproduces. The 114 is my favorite portable for later records. It is very similar to your 118, only the lid is (acoustically) much better placed. If I only could keep one portable it would be the 112, with an optional No5b soundbox for later records.
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SPOONMAN19
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Re: Colonial Sophie's Choice! What would you do?

Post by SPOONMAN19 »

G-george: Thanks for that very kind offer. Yup, the machines are in India but not even in a big city. The trader is not on-line. I suspect he is a supplier of parts to the huge crap-o-phone / fake antique factories located in North India. So he typically buys up any machine, any model for next to nothing, breaks them, and sends them off to the "antique" manufacturing sweat shops. So he'll take anything he can get cheap - grandfather clocks, sewing machines, spool players, bakelite phones, dead gramophones etc. He must have stumbled onto these particular ones by mistake.

Teak - thanks for the snap and the feedback. Was pure joy to behold that line-up! And that second machine...wow!

Garret
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Re: Colonial Sophie's Choice! What would you do?

Post by Garret »

SPOONMAN19 wrote:G-george: Thanks for that very kind offer. Yup, the machines are in India but not even in a big city. The trader is not on-line. I suspect he is a supplier of parts to the huge crap-o-phone / fake antique factories located in North India. So he typically buys up any machine, any model for next to nothing, breaks them, and sends them off to the "antique" manufacturing sweat shops. So he'll take anything he can get cheap - grandfather clocks, sewing machines, spool players, bakelite phones, dead gramophones etc. He must have stumbled onto these particular ones by mistake. !

What a shame, especially considering some of these machines are worth more as they are. It's also really amazing how many crap-o-phones are floating out there on the global market, literally thousands upon thousands.

Garret

CarlosV
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Re: Colonial Sophie's Choice! What would you do?

Post by CarlosV »

If rarity is your criteria, the 102 is your choice. I have one, and never saw another for sale or otherwise.

In terms of acoustic design, you have already one that is better than both, the 114. The 102 is one of the best portables made, irrespective of being in teak or cardboard cases.

soundgen
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Re: Colonial Sophie's Choice! What would you do?

Post by soundgen »

The 112 is the best buy , the 102 varnish won't be an easy fix !

SPOONMAN19
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Re: Colonial Sophie's Choice! What would you do?

Post by SPOONMAN19 »

Thanks all. Really appreciate the time and trouble taken.
Thought you might be interested in an update.

So...I went back to the seller and said that unfortunately since I'm a bit of a dodo and cant make up my mind, its best I dont buy either. Or I'm willing to take both. Anyway, it worked. I now suspect the seller himself had no idea how he was going to sell his stuff. Anyway, a friend has already taken possession of the 102 on my behalf and the 112 will follows.(Soundgen, rest assured I will PM about how to get rid of the varnish when the time comes!)

Garret
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Re: Colonial Sophie's Choice! What would you do?

Post by Garret »

Congratulations! That's really exciting!

Garret

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