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Is this gramophone a reproduction or original ?

Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2019 10:18 am
by poodling around
Essentially I saw this on ebay - the seller stating it is 'Vintage original':

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VARAPHONE-VI ... rk:37:pf:0


Then I saw this forum thread:

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... =VARAPHONE


and then I saw this similar model to the recent ebay ad (the base is similar anyway)which seems to mention that it is a reproduction:

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/ ... 1835686987

Photo of this:



I also see quite a lot of what appear to be genuine Varaphone's on google images.

Can anyone clarify some issues that seem to revolve around these Varaphone machines please I wonder?

First photo from Worthpoint - second two from recent ebay auction:

Re: Is this gramophone a reproduction or original ?

Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2019 10:57 am
by Phono48
Probably called a Varaphone because it's made of "various" bits and pieces!

Any machine that has that crudely made horn, and cheap and nasty soundbox is definitely a Crapophone!!

Re: Is this gramophone a reproduction or original ?

Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2019 11:03 am
by estott
I feel secure in stating that the Varaphone pictured is a modern fake incorporating some older pieces from a portable phonograph. It is possible to make these play a record decently, but the collectors value is very slight.

Re: Is this gramophone a reproduction or original ?

Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2019 12:03 pm
by OrthoFan
I just did an image search for "Varaphone" on google. All of the photos it calls up are definitely crap-o-phones, similar to the one you posted.

There was a Veraphone produced, but the ad shows a table top model with an enclosed horn:
Capture.JPG
Capture.JPG (123.29 KiB) Viewed 2624 times
OrthoFan

Re: Is this gramophone a reproduction or original ?

Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2019 12:28 pm
by poodling around
Thank you very much Phono48, estott and OrthoFan.

I am now much better informed and know what to think when I see these gramophones thanks to you all.

Re: Is this gramophone a reproduction or original ?

Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2019 1:10 pm
by epigramophone
This should be on every collector's workshop wall :

Re: Is this gramophone a reproduction or original ?

Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2019 2:27 pm
by poodling around
epigramophone wrote:This should be on every collector's workshop wall :

A good guide to be very aware of.

Re: Is this gramophone a reproduction or original ?

Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 4:53 am
by poodling around
Interesting variations for this 'make' of gramophone.

This one I actually quite like.

The record looks a bit weird - perhaps it belonged to salvador dali ..... or a werewolf

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-us/auct ... 1100a7e0b2

Re: Is this gramophone a reproduction or original ?

Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 5:04 am
by epigramophone
The angled winder is a dead giveaway that the motor started life in a portable, and the pointless brass "feet" will damage any polished surface the machine stands on. Avoid!

Re: Is this gramophone a reproduction or original ?

Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 6:24 am
by poodling around
epigramophone wrote:The angled winder is a dead giveaway that the motor started life in a portable, and the pointless brass "feet" will damage any polished surface the machine stands on. Avoid!

Thank you for the advice epigramophone.