Colonial HMV Portable Gramophone

[poodling around]

I wonder, is this really an extremely rare Colonial HMV Portable Gramophone ?


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-HMV- ... SwG4pcgPDj

[CarlosV]

I wonder, is this really an extremely rare Colonial HMV Portable Gramophone ?

It may be uncommon, but it is extremely unattractive and plain, even if in good shape. In this condition, it does not belong in any collection, and if repaired, i.e., recovered with new rexine, it would look artificial - I never saw any really good rexine restoration, the original patterns and colors do not exist anymore.

[jamiegramo]

I assume the 94 is an overseas model that looks very similar to the home market model 97. The seller of this appalling condition machine has optimistically copied some of his description from an older eBay listing for a 'teak' 94. The starting price suggests that he thinks his rexine junker is of similar value.

Original listing:

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/RARE-HMV-No94-C ... 3178663608

[soundgen]

I assume the 94 is an overseas model that looks very similar to the home market model 97. The seller of this appalling condition machine has optimistically copied some of his description from an older eBay listing for a 'teak' 94. The starting price suggests that he thinks his rexine junker is of similar value.

Original listing:

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/RARE-HMV-No94-C ... 3178663608

[epigramophone]

The HMV94 was a late 1930's export model based upon the British HMV97. It would originally have been equipped with a record storage tray, which appears to have gone missing. In India the machine cost 90 Rupees when finished in Brown leathercloth, and 100 Rupees in polished wood.

An outer canvas cover was available as an accessory. It looks as though the original owner of this scruffy and overpriced example never bought one .

[Phono48]

The 94 also had a double-spring motor, which made the machine a lot heavier than the 97. Here's mine....

[soundgen]

The 94 also had a double-spring motor, which made the machine a lot heavier than the 97. Here's mine....

Has that really got a double spring motor ? doesn't look deep enough , would be great if you could take the motor board out and photo the motor

[Phono48]

Oh ye of little faith! As you can see from the last photo, the motor is only about half an inch deeper than the internal horn.

[jamiegramo]

I find it interesting how some of the colonial HMV portables had double-spring motors because I can't think of any home market model that did.

[AZ*]

Very interesting. I learned something new, which is why I like this forum and APS. Most of the 2 spring tropical HMV models I have seen have the ubiquitous #32 (Burton) motors. I had seen single spring HMV pillar & plate motors, but this is the first 2 spring HMV portable P&P motor I am aware of. It's seems legit to me.