HMV Model 87 portable, in...green color

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nostalgia
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HMV Model 87 portable, in...green color

Post by nostalgia »

I wanted to show this HMV portable, if I am correct after scrutinizing the His Master's Gramophone book, it is a Model 87, a budget model made in the latest years of the acoustic gramophone production under the HMV name.
What is interesting though, is that green colored models are not mentioned in the book.
It is for sale around me, I may put a bid on it if the price is not too high, even if it has its flaws...
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Re: HMV Model 87 portable, in...green color

Post by Inigo »

I'm wandering what is this thing on the lid
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Re: HMV Model 87 portable, in...green color

Post by epigramophone »

The fitting inside the lid is clearly visible on the examples pictured in the His Master's Gramophone book. I suspect that it's purpose is to prevent the tonearm from slipping off it's cheap and nasty looking support bracket whilst the machine is in transit.

The book states that the case is normally black, but that red has been seen, so now green has also been seen. An interesting find.

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Re: HMV Model 87 portable, in...green color

Post by shoshani »

I happen to know from private correspondence that Christopher Proudfoot is a TMF member and reads posts, so I'm fairly certain he'll have seen and noted this new colour for the HMV 87. :)

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Re: HMV Model 87 portable, in...green color

Post by Inigo »

... gentlemen, fifty pooounds... We will go for fifty pouuunds... FIFTY POOOOUUUUNDSSS... KNOCK....!!! :P
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Re: HMV Model 87 portable, in...green color

Post by nostalgia »

So £ 50 is your guess, Inigo:;) :) We will see how this ends, it will not be sold for another two weeks or so according to the seller, so I will give updates here.
Whatever happens, and whoever gets it, it is interesting of course to find a new unlisted color of a HMV portable, and be able to share the photos here:)

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Re: HMV Model 87 portable, in...green color

Post by nostalgia »

I purchased this gramophone, and Inigo!!..your guess was very close! I paid £ 43/ €51 for the gramophone, and adding postage costs of €12, I see this as a bargain. I was very happy to get it, and it looks very good, and the small rexine problems I hope can be covered somehow with shoe polish,if I find a green shoe polish. The rexine on this HMV model seem to be of a different texture than the earlier HMV 101/102? I anyway, don't want to ruin the rexine on this rare model by throwing myself into cutting parts from inside the wooden case and try to fix the small flaws on the motorboard this way. I am far too inexperienced on such jobs, and don't even know if it is possible on this later HMV model...
I can also confirm that the fitting inside the lid, rightly is to support the tonearm/soundbox.

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Re: HMV Model 87 portable, in...green color

Post by gramophoneshane »

Congratulations.
Do you know the year of manufacture?

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Re: HMV Model 87 portable, in...green color

Post by nostalgia »

Thank you:) According to the His Masters Gramophone book, the model 87 was manufactured between 1933-39. My particular model, with the needle bown in front right, is according to the same book, named model 87A, while the model 87 did not have this needle bowl. Because of this needle bowl, we can narrow its production period to between 1937-39. The fact that it is green colored made the deal for me, since they (according to the same book) are "usually black,but red has been seen". When spotting this green copy, it felt like an important task to protect it ending up in the lap of someone/children not knowing its rarity, where it eventually ended up on the garbage heap, or being destroyed by hipsters wanting it for their 33 rpms on a weekend party, that later found out it was not what they needed etc.
Even if HMV/EMI obviously were using many cheap manufacture solutions for this model, the carrying handle is far more solid than on the HVM 101/102.
Last edited by nostalgia on Tue Jan 28, 2020 5:40 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: HMV Model 87 portable, in...green color

Post by epigramophone »

The Model 87 was catalogued between 1933 and 1939. Unless it has an ID plate under the turntable with a date code like the post 1936 HMV102, I doubt that it can be dated precisely.

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