(Gilbert) Geisha question

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poodling around
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(Gilbert) Geisha question

Post by poodling around »

Does anyone know why there are two so very different Geisha gramophone logos used on different machines as shown in the photo's below ?

I thought initially that it was may be because one version was used on portables but this doesn't seem to be correct.

Maybe one was used on their earlier models ?

Thank you for any advice you can give.
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Marco Gilardetti
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Re: (Gilbert) Geisha question

Post by Marco Gilardetti »

I don't think there is any specific reason: all makes used what they thought would appeal customers, and updated it if they thought it would help placing their products in the market segment they believed was most profitable, and eventually reverted back if it didn't work. Sometimes they also simply used "what was available", which happened more frequently with sub-brands, like Geisha was for Gilbert, which crafted their products with a fair share of generic parts made by Thorens and maybe others.

I would say that the round label with the geisha portrait is by far the most common; actually I've never seen one of their gramophones with the plain writing that you posted. Just by speculation I would assume it was deployed on one of their few tabletop models in order to give to it a more "serious", distinctive look; but if you say it was also found on a portable, well, portable it is.

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poodling around
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Re: (Gilbert) Geisha question

Post by poodling around »

Marco Gilardetti wrote:I don't think there is any specific reason: all makes used what they thought would appeal customers, and updated it if they thought it would help placing their products in the market segment they believed was most profitable, and eventually reverted back if it didn't work. Sometimes they also simply used "what was available", which happened more frequently with sub-brands, like Geisha was for Gilbert, which crafted their products with a fair share of generic parts made by Thorens and maybe others.

I would say that the round label with the geisha portrait is by far the most common; actually I've never seen one of their gramophones with the plain writing that you posted. Just by speculation I would assume it was deployed on one of their few tabletop models in order to give to it a more "serious", distinctive look; but if you say it was also found on a portable, well, portable it is.
Most interesting. Thank you very much for your considered opinion and information. A lot there for me to think about.

I should have said, that I have a geisha gramophone which is 'floor standing' model and has the 'plain label marking'. So they seem to have used this label on all types of models.I took the photo 'above' from the internet - but copy the actual label on my machine 'below'. You can see the 'water mark' around it which shows how large the original 'transfer' actually was.

Mine has a Garrard N0. 12 motor and the sound box shown 'below' incidentally.

It has a really good sound.
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epigramophone
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Re: (Gilbert) Geisha question

Post by epigramophone »

poodling around wrote:Does anyone know why there are two so very different Geisha gramophone logos used on different machines as shown in the photo's below ?

I thought initially that it was may be because one version was used on portables but this doesn't seem to be correct.

Maybe one was used on their earlier models ?

Thank you for any advice you can give.
In case you are not aware of it, Geisha was a brand name used by Gilbert Gramophones of Sheffield on their lower priced machines.
More information can be found on an old website at http://www.gilbert-gramophones.co.uk.

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poodling around
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Re: (Gilbert) Geisha question

Post by poodling around »

epigramophone wrote:
poodling around wrote:Does anyone know why there are two so very different Geisha gramophone logos used on different machines as shown in the photo's below ?

I thought initially that it was may be because one version was used on portables but this doesn't seem to be correct.

Maybe one was used on their earlier models ?

Thank you for any advice you can give.
In case you are not aware of it, Geisha was a brand name used by Gilbert Gramophones of Sheffield on their lower priced machines.
More information can be found on an old website at http://www.gilbert-gramophones.co.uk.
Thank you very much epigramophone.

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Marco Gilardetti
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Re: (Gilbert) Geisha question

Post by Marco Gilardetti »

poodling around wrote:I have a geisha gramophone which is 'floor standing' model and has the 'plain label marking'. So they seem to have used this label on all types of models.
Did you actually see the "plain label marking" on a Geisha portable? I've only seen the round one...

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poodling around
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Re: (Gilbert) Geisha question

Post by poodling around »

Marco Gilardetti wrote:
poodling around wrote:I have a geisha gramophone which is 'floor standing' model and has the 'plain label marking'. So they seem to have used this label on all types of models.
Did you actually see the "plain label marking" on a Geisha portable? I've only seen the round one...

I thought I had seen one on the internet but can't see one now.

Maybe you are right and the portable one's did not have the plain label.

I am very sorry I seem to have confused things there.

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Marco Gilardetti
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Re: (Gilbert) Geisha question

Post by Marco Gilardetti »

poodling around wrote:Maybe you are right and the portable one's did not have the plain label.
I believe it is likely to be so, but on the other hand I wouldn't be a bit suprised if they occasionally used the plain label writing even on portables, in case the round labels were over and they had problems replenishing the stock but wanted to keep the production going nonetheless.

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poodling around
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Re: (Gilbert) Geisha question

Post by poodling around »

Marco Gilardetti wrote:
poodling around wrote:Maybe you are right and the portable one's did not have the plain label.
I believe it is likely to be so, but on the other hand I wouldn't be a bit suprised if they occasionally used the plain label writing even on portables, in case the round labels were over and they had problems replenishing the stock but wanted to keep the production going nonetheless.

Indeed, thank you.

Something for me to think about and further investigate.

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