Mystery phonograph...

[Mormon S]

I got this today for $25 today. The guy who had it even had the exhibition reproducer that it has been with supposedly forever. The company name seems to by non-existent on the internet. I will post pictures of the motor soon, and also before and after pictures in the future. Does anyone has any info on it?

[VanEpsFan1914]

The crank looks like one from a Victor motor?

The plaque on the front is likely a dealer plate. I don't know what you got there, but even if it's a frankenphone it was a very good deal at $25. I like the carving on the base.

Speed control makes me think of a Columbia and the elbow screams Victor...horn looks like aftermarket OR this is an Oxford machine. Oxford/late Zonophone were built by Victor.

If it has good tracking and a strong motor I'd keep it, and if it's a frankenphone I'd customize it, particularly horn paint. Congratulations on finding a horn machine!

[Mormon S]

Motor and crank

[long_island_phono]

This is a Talk-O-Phone cabinet and motor (motors were Victor rip-offs) with an actual Victor back bracket and tonearm. No idea when/why the Vic bracket was applied. Columbia used up Talk-O’s remaining stock after Victor destroyed them in court. This may have been something put together by a phono collector 60 years ago. Who knows. I personally am not aware of any Talk-O’s with copied Vic brackets and this one looks too crisp to be a copy.


-Jake

[chrisg]

Peiced together. I will do you a favor by giving you what you paid for it . but great parts. Great find

[VanEpsFan1914]

Find some Talk-O-Phone bits and trade the Victor parts for them?

[Mormon S]

Could it be possible that the dealer matched and distributed them together?

Martin

[phonogfp]

That's a great group of parts for $25! The back bracket, tone arm, sound box, and elbow alone are worth about 10 times what you paid.

Could it be possible that the dealer matched and distributed them together?

In situations like this, it's best to abandon wishful thinking, and apply logic from a dealer's standpoint.

First is the unlikely chance that J.C. Groene & Co. carried franchises for both Victor and Talkophone. As a matter of fact, that Talkophone cabinet was used for "client brands" made by Talkophone (such as "Globe"), and since a Google search shows that J.C. Groene & Co. was a prominent sheet music publishing company, it's likely that they were selling this Talkophone-supplied machine as its own brand.

Second, why would a dealer discard the Talkophone-made support arm, traveling arm, sound box, and horn - - only to substitute Victor parts? That would result in an expensive machine for the dealer to assemble and for a buyer to purchase.

Again - - congratulations on a very nice bargain!

George P.

[Mormon S]

That's a great group of parts for $25! The back bracket, tone arm, sound box, and elbow alone are worth about 10 times what you paid.

Could it be possible that the dealer matched and distributed them together?

In situations like this, it's best to abandon wishful thinking, and apply logic from a dealer's standpoint.

I have to be a little wishful dont I? . What I probably will end up doing is selling the victor parts, and spend it on correct ones (if I can find any...)

Martin

[Skihawx]

I'd do the reverse.