The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello. Apologies for asking so many questions on this forum in such a short time. I tried really hard to ID this one myself but had no success.
I bought 3 Pathé records last week and don't have the right equipment to play them on. Unfortunately I'm a man of little money, so thought I'd buy a parts/restoration machine to fix up instead of blowing loads of cash on a mint one. This one was advertised for sale and it immediately interested me. The seller says it is a Pathé disc machine, but I really have no idea. It has no visible Pathé decals and google images didn't produce an image which matched this machine. The only possible identification for age is pre-WW1, since it has a German dealer tag on it, and I doubt a French company would send French machines to German dealers after the Germans invaded. Apart from that, I have no idea. Perhaps the experts here could provide some information. It would be very much appreciated. Thanks.

And one last photo. Thanks once again.

Not a Pathé, but possibly of German manufacture based on the dealer tag from Hannover.

This phonograph is one that "croakingfrog" is selling on eBay. I recognize the ad and yes, the price is right!

Perhaps it wouldn't play Pathé Discs but if you can find an arm, horn, elbow, and reproducer, it should play regular gramophone records just fine!

Pathé Discs aren't hard to find players for in America. An old Brunswick machine can play them. Pathé table grand models had vertical-cut boxes as well.

Best of luck and we enjoyed seeing the Columbia Q redone.

Thanks so much guys. That clears it up nicely.

Yes, it's from croakingfrog. A very good seller. I bought my Q crank and reproducer from that seller, which got my phonograph into working order. It's a shame the machine up for sale isn't a Pathé. I simply would like a method of playing the records, not end up as somebody who tries to collect different machines (I do not have the room and am content just to have machines that fulfil a purpose of playing certain records, e.g. a phonograph to play cylinders, a wind-up to play 78s etc...). But it is what it is. I'll see if I can pin down what sort of machine it is then. If I have any luck I'll update this topic.

As to actually finding a Pathé machine. Unfortunately I don't live in America, so the vast majority of phonograph or old music players on the market are either out of reach or cost an arm and a leg to post. That's why I was so surprised to find my American manufactured Q for sale in the UK. I wasn't so lucky with the parts I needed to get it working. Postage was pretty hefty.

Cheers

You do not need a Pathé machine to play Pathé discs. Pathé made a reproducer with a right angled adapter to fit a conventional tonearm. They turn up from time to time on UK eBay.

Thanks Epigramophone. I'll keep my eye out for one of those. Would be convenient and easy on the wallet and house space if I could source one of those reproducers instead of buying a whole machine.Cheers.

They seem to sell in the £50 range, but you need to satisfy yourself that the ball sapphire stylus is present and in good condition, as replacements are expensive and hard to come by. Good hunting!

Cheers mate.