Colonial Portables

[CarlosV]

Here are the photos of my HMV102 (sorry for the upside down, I cannot figure how to realign it):

[Teak]

I thought of them as high end, very expensive versions. I understand, that time will wear down those machines, but wouldn't this thing have had all the things right, as it was more expensive than a normal one? I am really on the fence here. 400 is highly expensive for a possible lemon. Normally I am all up for risky business, but that is maybe even to much for me.

Lets hope Carlos pictures shed some more light!

Edit double Post:

Thanks a lot. If you compare the Images it is easy to observe that the eBay 102 is a fake.The case of yours looks, like my other teak portables, "high end". The eBay one has a wiff of arts and crafts that I felt early on, but pushed away, because I get excited way to easy. I will cancel the order. Thanks A LOT!

Also, crazy how good the fakes are getting!


ps. carlos, your 102 is stunning! If you ever plan on selling it, let me know!

[CarlosV]

I thought of them as high end, very expensive versions. I understand, that time will wear down those machines, but wouldn't this thing have had all the things right, as it was more expensive than a normal one? I am really on the fence here. 400 is highly expensive for a possible lemon. Normally I am all up for risky business, but that is maybe even to much for me.

Lets hope Carlos pictures shed some more light!

I am not sure if I can shed more light, but as you can see in the photos, these ARE high end, well-made machines. Evidently mine does not have the stripes - I have one HMV 118 that is striped - but yours could be a variation. Besides that, you should make sure that the motor board has the number carved on it (most colonial models, including the horn machines like the HMV32 and the 102 shown above, have them) and also the aluminum plate indicating the model. Having said that, I just checked my 118 and it does not have the carved number, and its tag is an ivorine one, not aluminum. And I would be suspicious of quality flaws like the missing guiding pin (and hole) you mention in yours. HMV had excellent quality control. And I believe (Epigramophone or Steve may correct me) that these teak machines were actually made in England, for export to India.

[Teak]

My 101 is "made in calcutta" (see image, very faint, above the carved numbers), so I guess it varied .

I really love collecting gramophones, but the deception, fakes and scams a really annoying and expensive!

[soundgen]

I thought of them as high end, very expensive versions. I understand, that time will wear down those machines, but wouldn't this thing have had all the things right, as it was more expensive than a normal one? I am really on the fence here. 400 is highly expensive for a possible lemon. Normally I am all up for risky business, but that is maybe even to much for me.

Lets hope Carlos pictures shed some more light!

I am not sure if I can shed more light, but as you can see in the photos, these ARE high end, well-made machines. Evidently mine does not have the stripes - I have one HMV 118 that is striped - but yours could be a variation. Besides that, you should make sure that the motor board has the number carved on it (most colonial models, including the horn machines like the HMV32 and the 102 shown above, have them) and also the aluminum plate indicating the model. Having said that, I just checked my 118 and it does not have the carved number, and its tag is an ivorine one, not aluminum. And I would be suspicious of quality flaws like the missing guiding pin (and hole) you mention in yours. HMV had excellent quality control. And I believe (Epigramophone or Steve may correct me) that these teak machines were actually made in England, for export to India.

The last Indian made gramophones were " end of line" machines assembled in India from bits sent to them from England , don't expect them to have the same fitments !Or the same quality , I have seen and sold many of these as a friend of mine lived in Calcutta in the 1980s and shipped machines ( including good horn machines etc many of which were teak but made to look mahogany ) to us for sale , they were dead right but quality they were often not !I do believe this is a genuine machine , when you get it you can check the motor board to see if it has been replaced at sometime

[soundgen]

Carlos images the right way round !

[Phono48]

Hmm.... Now I see the case in close-up, there are very obvious signs that this has either undergone extensive "restoration", or maybe a newly made case. As said before, HMV had a very strict policy on quality control, and this case certainly wouldn't have met that, even if it was locally made in India. Their reputation would have been ruined. The motor board has obviously been heavily re-coated with varnish applied with a brush, maybe the letters and numbers got sanded out? I wouldn't say this machine was a fake, more an original that was in very bad condition, and has been crudely "restored", if that word can be used in this case! The price you paid was far too much for a machine in that state.

[Teak]

Ach....mist...


pardon my german. The missing guide pin on the left is really putting me off. Even if it is end of the line, that should be right. It really makes me sad (1 world problems, I know). Also, £350 seems to steep to find out, that it is complete junk at home. I will cancel the order.

Thanks everyone for advice and all!

[CarlosV]

Carlos images the right way round !

How did you realign them?

[epigramophone]

I thought of them as high end, very expensive versions. I understand, that time will wear down those machines, but wouldn't this thing have had all the things right, as it was more expensive than a normal one? I am really on the fence here. 400 is highly expensive for a possible lemon. Normally I am all up for risky business, but that is maybe even to much for me.

Lets hope Carlos pictures shed some more light!

I am not sure if I can shed more light, but as you can see in the photos, these ARE high end, well-made machines. Evidently mine does not have the stripes - I have one HMV 118 that is striped - but yours could be a variation. Besides that, you should make sure that the motor board has the number carved on it (most colonial models, including the horn machines like the HMV32 and the 102 shown above, have them) and also the aluminum plate indicating the model. Having said that, I just checked my 118 and it does not have the carved number, and its tag is an ivorine one, not aluminum. And I would be suspicious of quality flaws like the missing guiding pin (and hole) you mention in yours. HMV had excellent quality control. And I believe (Epigramophone or Steve may correct me) that these teak machines were actually made in England, for export to India.

As far as I am aware, all the HMV teak machines were assembled in the Calcutta factory using their locally made cases fitted with British components sent out from Hayes. This arrangement greatly reduced import duties, and there was a readily available source of teak which suited the climate in which the machines were used.

As for how to re-align pictures, melvind has posted a tutorial in the technical section of the forum. Not having or wanting a smartphone, I still use a camera and have no problems posting pictures.