The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I took a day off work, and rather than do any of the chores I have piled up, I decided to do this instead. OK, it's still early and I promise to get the other stuff done later.....

This is obviously a refugee that found it's way onto a shipping container from the UK. This was found by someone at a flea mkt near Dallas who then offered it on Craigslist. That's where I came in. I saw one 5 yrs ago at a local auction and although it went cheap, I didn't buy it. It was nicer than this one, with a mirror on it, so when I saw this one, I thought I could minimize my buyers remorse at not having gotten the last one.


Make: The Star
Model:
Serial # none- it has a patent no. 305352 on the tone arm support
Year(s) Made:
Original Cost:
Reproducer/Sound-Box: "Duretta" Gramophone soundbox
Motor: Double spring.
Reproduction Parts: none
Current Value: "All you can pay"- after all it is a BUFFET
Favorite Characteristics: Both manual and automatic brake- and of course the unique cabinet.

I think this is awesome. It's so cleverly disguised! One could almost sneak yet another machine into the house without getting in trouble. "No really...it's just a simple sideboard. No phonograph here! Move along, nothing to see..."

Love it!

Plus, there's a nice little place on the top left for a nice little Victor I or II, maybe an R?

Sean

you are scaring me Sean- but I'm actually using both sides, and the Victor II is on the right.

Nah, I think most of us see a nice flat surface and think "OK, I can put a little horn machine here and it won't look bad at all, not at all"...

Sean

OrthoSean wrote:Nah, I think most of us see a nice flat surface and think "OK, I can put a little horn machine here and it won't look bad at all, not at all"...

Sean

And those drawers would be great for cylinders

But how about that tone arm???

That was a pretty popular style of arm in the UK. It was most prominently used on Gilbert machines but was sold separately and used by other makes. The main point is that the twists in the arm make the tapered tone passage longer, similar to a long horn.

EDIT: On checking things out this is NOT the same as the Gilbert arm, but they both follow a common principle.

What a wonderful machine. Truly a "Star".
Harvey Kravitz

Neat machine, thanks for sharing!