Celebrity phonograph - info neded

Discussions on Talking Machines of British or European Manufacture
User avatar
alang
VTLA
Posts: 3115
Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2010 9:36 am
Personal Text: TMF Moderator
Location: Delaware

Celebrity phonograph - info neded

Post by alang »

I had told myself so many times: "do not bring home another incomplete machine, especially no off-brand". But to quote Britney Spears "oops I did it again" :roll: It just looked so cute and unusual, I just had to save it. So here it is, the empty shell of a "Celebrity" phonograph. I couldn't find anything on the web or in the Paul/Fabrizio books. It has some similarities with Tyrela phonograph, but there isn't much info out about those either.

I know it is a long shot, but I'm asking anyway: Does anyone have one of these Celebrity machines, or maybe a Tyrela and would be willing to share some close up pictures, especially of the top, the motor, tonearm, etc? Any other information, brand of motor and tonearm, catalog pictures, anything?

Thanks
Andreas

Here are a few pictures of what I have:
Nice barrel shape. They stuck in the crank all the way so it wouldn't get lost. I like the little lions heads on all four legs.
Nice barrel shape. They stuck in the crank all the way so it wouldn't get lost. I like the little lions heads on all four legs.
Motor, tonearm, brake, etc missing.
Motor, tonearm, brake, etc missing.
Celebrity5.jpg (105.26 KiB) Viewed 2734 times
Celebrity7.jpg
Celebrity7.jpg (95.08 KiB) Viewed 2734 times
Simple sheet metal horn goes straight down.
Simple sheet metal horn goes straight down.
Celebrity6.jpg (122.98 KiB) Viewed 2734 times
Horn opening to the bottom of the case.
Horn opening to the bottom of the case.
Celebrity4.jpg (106.94 KiB) Viewed 2734 times

SydneyAde
Victor I
Posts: 134
Joined: Sat May 17, 2014 4:15 am

Re: Celebrity phonograph - info neded

Post by SydneyAde »

alang wrote:I had told myself so many times: "do not bring home another incomplete machine, especially no off-brand". But to quote Britney Spears "oops I did it again" :roll: It just looked so cute and unusual, I just had to save it. So here it is, the empty shell of a "Celebrity" phonograph. I couldn't find anything on the web or in the Paul/Fabrizio books. It has some similarities with Tyrela phonograph, but there isn't much info out about those either.

I know it is a long shot, but I'm asking anyway: Does anyone have one of these Celebrity machines, or maybe a Tyrela and would be willing to share some close up pictures, especially of the top, the motor, tonearm, etc? Any other information, brand of motor and tonearm, catalog pictures, anything?

Thanks
Andreas

Here are a few pictures of what I have:
Celebrity1.JPG
Celebrity5.jpg
Celebrity7.jpg
Celebrity6.jpg
Celebrity4.jpg
Hi Andreas

I'm new to all this, though perfectly understand your attraction to this"artwork".
I just typed "Tyrela record player" into google, but selected "images" as the search
button, and there were a couple of pics that came up and when I clicked on them,
it took me to recent-ish ebay sale and the pic was reasonably up close of the Tyrela barrel
record player (top part).

I also tried this with the Celebrity, using search strings that included phonograph, gramophone
and record player, though had no luck. I also looked at a few "lists" of phonograph brands/manufacturers
kept by people in the US, but couldn't spot anything there for "Celebrity".

Regards
Adrian (SydneyAde)

User avatar
De Soto Frank
Victor V
Posts: 2687
Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2010 1:27 pm
Location: Northeast Pennsylvania

Re: Celebrity phonograph - info neded

Post by De Soto Frank »

"But to quote Britney Spears "oops I did it again" :roll:"


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfBQ3bNNwHs


:mrgreen:
De Soto Frank

User avatar
alang
VTLA
Posts: 3115
Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2010 9:36 am
Personal Text: TMF Moderator
Location: Delaware

Re: Celebrity phonograph - info neded

Post by alang »

De Soto Frank wrote:"But to quote Britney Spears "oops I did it again" :roll:"


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfBQ3bNNwHs


:mrgreen:
Yes, that's actually my favorite version. :lol:

User avatar
alang
VTLA
Posts: 3115
Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2010 9:36 am
Personal Text: TMF Moderator
Location: Delaware

Re: Celebrity phonograph - info neded

Post by alang »

SydneyAde wrote: Hi Andreas

I'm new to all this, though perfectly understand your attraction to this"artwork".
I just typed "Tyrela record player" into google, but selected "images" as the search
button, and there were a couple of pics that came up and when I clicked on them,
it took me to recent-ish ebay sale and the pic was reasonably up close of the Tyrela barrel
record player (top part).

Regards
Adrian (SydneyAde)
Yep, that would be my ebay sale. Nothing else out there that I could find. That's why I was hoping someone here might have one. Still hoping... :)

Thanks
Andreas

JohnM
Victor V
Posts: 2987
Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2009 2:47 am
Location: Jerome, Arizona
Contact:

Re: Celebrity phonograph - info neded

Post by JohnM »

There are some photos of a complete 'Celebrity' a few pages into the 'Orphan Makers' section here: http://www.phono-fun.com/ORPHAN-MAKERS/
"All of us have a place in history. Mine is clouds." Richard Brautigan

User avatar
alang
VTLA
Posts: 3115
Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2010 9:36 am
Personal Text: TMF Moderator
Location: Delaware

Re: Celebrity phonograph - info neded

Post by alang »

Thank you very much John. It seems that the tonearm has been moved though? But it's a start. Can anyone verify if patent #27795/28 is for this phonograph?

Thanks
Andreas
Attachments
last_phono_s_129.jpg
last_phono_s_129.jpg (51.69 KiB) Viewed 2486 times
last_phono_s_130.jpg
last_phono_s_130.jpg (69.67 KiB) Viewed 2486 times

User avatar
Curt A
Victor Monarch Special
Posts: 6435
Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2010 8:32 pm
Personal Text: Needle Tins are Addictive
Location: Belmont, North Carolina

Re: Celebrity phonograph - info neded

Post by Curt A »

The tonearm pictured does not look original to the machine. I think it would have been mounted in the rear of the turntable on what appears to be the tonearm mount... It looks like an easy (relatively) restoration using generic parts. The tonearm mount looks familiar, but not sure from what machine...
"The phonograph† is not of any commercial value."
Thomas Alva Edison - Comment to his assistant, Samuel Insull.

"No one needs a Victrola XX, a Perfected Graphophone Type G, or whatever you call those noisy things."
My Wife

User avatar
alang
VTLA
Posts: 3115
Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2010 9:36 am
Personal Text: TMF Moderator
Location: Delaware

Re: Celebrity phonograph - info neded

Post by alang »

Trying again. Does anyone here own one of these Celebrity phonographs, or has seen a complete one, or has any more information about it? It has this nice and decorative barrel shape, so I can't believe that there are none left out there. I would really appreciate any additional information.

Thanks
Andreas

User avatar
OrthoSean
Victor V
Posts: 2912
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2009 1:33 pm
Location: Near NY's Capital

Re: Celebrity phonograph - info neded

Post by OrthoSean »

I'm wondering if you might have better luck posting in the UK section? These are British machines. I have a Tyrela, but it's a larger verion. If photos will help, I can dig it out of storage this week and take some photos for you.

Sean

Post Reply