The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

A friend got this warped, 10" diameter, wooden turntable on a Columbia front-mount machine years ago. The metal insert at the center is tapered to fit a Columbia tapered spindle, and the insert is cracking (like potmetal). In the pictures, the wooden turntable was placed on that of a Standard Talking Machine Company Model A for comparison/picture purposes only, and did not come on this machine.

He would like to know if this wooden turntable is original factory equipment or someone's ancient, homemade replacement.

Thanks,
Bob

Unfortunately it's home made. Jerry B.

It is home made. Columbia always used cast iron for these early turntables. Except the ones for the earliest Top wind AJ and the AH used either a pot metal or an Aluminum turn table.
Harvey Kravitz

FYI, not that it matters: I just spoke with the owner of the wooden turntable. He said it came on one of his Columbia AJs --- either his top-wind with top brake, or his top-wind with side brake (he has both of these along with four other varieties of AJ --- yes, a total of six different variations).

Thanks for the responses,
Bob

It certainly aged well


-bill