New Cecil Zonophone?

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jboger
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New Cecil Zonophone?

Post by jboger »

I was searching for information about Zon-o-phones--they interest me-- and came across something called a "New Cecil Zonophone," a British machine. I searched and found pictures from auction sites but no substantial information about the machines themselves, for example, when they were made and by whom.

Could someone point me to a website where there might be some basic information about these machines? I'm guessing that they were made ca. 1915. Is that late for an external horn machine? Victor bought up Zon-O-Phone in the US and continue dto make them with the Zon-O-Phone decal. Are the Cecil Zonophones a Victor derivative, or am I wide of the mark? The one auction price i saw published was under $400 US.

Thanks.

John

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Steve
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Re: New Cecil Zonophone?

Post by Steve »

The price seems unrealistically cheap for a genuine machine with all original parts.

jboger
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Re: New Cecil Zonophone?

Post by jboger »

I have since chanced upon some sites with more information so I now have a better understanding.

Bonham's sold one in 2007 for 324 pounds: https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/15198/lot/101/ And that includes the premium. Perhaps I miss something?

VanEpsFan1914
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Re: New Cecil Zonophone?

Post by VanEpsFan1914 »

Is it a sub-brand of HMV or something? It has a bullet brake on it, and a similar morning-glory horn. Weird little phonograph but if it's original and less than four hundred, why not?

Menophanes
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Re: New Cecil Zonophone?

Post by Menophanes »

In both machines and records, the Zonophone name was used by Gramophone & Typewriter (afterwards The Gramopone Company, popularly known as H.M.V.) as a 'poor man's' outlet for its products from about 1905 onwards. Apart from having less ornate cases and plain tone-arms with no goose-neck, British Zonophone machines are very similar in quality to G. & T. machines and use the same Exhibition sound-box, but they seem to sell for little more than half the price. The Cecil – named, I believe, after the Hotel Cecil in London whose house band appears on some of the earliest British Berliner records – seems to have been one of the most popular Zonophone models. As with any early machine, one needs to look out for signs of non-originality in the motor, sound-box and horn.

Oliver Mundy.

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Steve
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Re: New Cecil Zonophone?

Post by Steve »

I remember that example. I was at the sale. As always condition is everything and that was far from a great example. Notwithstanding that it was still cheaper than a dealer (who bought it) would sell it.

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Steve
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Re: New Cecil Zonophone?

Post by Steve »

I remember that example. I was at the sale. As always condition is everything and that was far from a great example. Notwithstanding that it was still cheaper than a dealer (who bought it) would sell it.

jboger
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Re: New Cecil Zonophone?

Post by jboger »

I took a look at the machine and waited until it sold. The more I looked at it, the more my interest waned. I dislike cracks in wood, and more importantly I dislike pieces cracked and broken off. The case, which looked quite a bit like a late Vic I, suffered from both these issues. The back board, the one to which the horn bracket was attached, was broken in two. And a chunk of wood was missing from the moulding around the top front. Not really moulding, as I think of moulding as a separate piece of wood used to decoratively frame, in this case, the top of the case. But the top was one solid piece with no applied moulding, just a shaped edge

It did have an HMV labelled soundbox, but it looked like a Victor No.2, not an Exhibition. It did not state Zonophone anywhere on the soundbox. Because these soundboxes are interchangeable, I suspect the original soundbox had been swapped out some time ago. I found the horn accepatable but with some rust and paint loss. And the elbow had a bad dent. A plus was an Edinburgh dealer's label.

There were a few other issues. I released the brake and the platter turned. I think an original machine, just not in the best of shape. It went to a dealer whom I recognized. If the wood did not have any issues, I may have been more interested, but missing pieces of wood are a turnoff for me.

Hammer price: $325, to which add 10%.
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