Columbia, index/list of USA/UK/DE/Japan made portables

[physicist]

It's a re-badged Paillard Maestrophonic no. 18
see:-
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=34167

[nostalgia]

Below we can see what I believe is the original soundbox for the Columbia 203. I uploded tenfolds of photos of Japan made portables in April 2020 to the forum, and I never saw the soundbox on the Columbia 203 in this thread on any of those portables.
The soundbox on this Columbia 203 (1937) looks like the Columbia No 15A soundbox to my eyes, but I can of course be wrong. At least, the No 15A soundbox is often found on Japan made Columbia portables from this period, among them the three I own myself.

[Phono48]

All six of the Japanese machines in my collection have No.15a soundboxes, so I see no reason for the 203 to be fitted with a different one, but of course I could be wrong!

Barry

[anchorman]

What is the chance we might get people to replace photos that they posted earlier in this thread that went missing?

[gramophoneshane]

What is the chance we might get people to replace photos that they posted earlier in this thread that went missing?

I think we're all living in hope that David will be able to restore the photos using the forums back up discs.
But to be honest, I'm not sure if David's even aware of the problem atm.

[anchorman]

What are the differences between the Columbia 15, 15a, and 15b soundboxes?

[Phono48]

What are the differences between the Columbia 15, 15a, and 15b soundboxes?

As I understand it (and I could well be wrong), the original No.15 had no flexible mountiing on the back, and was fitted to the Columbia 100 portable in the metal case. The 15A was the one we are very familiar with, as fitted to subsequent portables i,e 201, 202. The 15B had the usual flexible back, but had a male socket designed to fit inside the arm, and was found on the British Columbia 113 and 113A, and the American 163 for instance. Corrections welcome!

Barry

[anchorman]

interesting, thanks Barry!

in the states I see the 15B referred to as the "viva tonal", and that is all. no number designation usually. I was told there is a japanese version, where the screws are mounted mirrored to the ones on the english ones, meaning there are three sizes/types of isolator out there. one for the narrow screw 15b/viva-tonal, one with fatter holes for large bodied screws on the the 15A from europe, and one with the holes mirrored for some (apparent) japanese version. the mirrored version was new to me, but there's a guy who makes replacement isolators using 3D printed rubber, and he told me about them.

[Inigo]

Didn't times ago someone in this forum offer red rubber back gaskets for the Columbia viva tonal reproducer? I have the British 113a with a repair made of two rubber washers stuck together, but I'd like to replace them for a good reproduction from the original...

[anchorman]

There’s a guy named Mike brown on Facebook who sells them. He’s in the antique phonograph enthusiasts group and probably also the antique phonograph society group. Not sure if he is on here. I just bought a couple of 3D printed back gaskets from him to try out. I’ve been meaning to laser etch/cut them for years but haven’t gotten around to making it happen yet. I’m considering also injection molding, but 3D printing of rubber is cheap enough now that it’s probably not worth it to try to injection mold them on a small scale.