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

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

Post by Oedipus »

As I explained earlier, the 110 has a No 8 soundbox on a narrow-bore tone-arm. Both the machines on the Bonhams and the Worthpoint sites are Model 10A, with a fat tone-arm, though the Bonhams one has a substitute sound box. None of these early Columbia portables had the model number on them, so there is always a great likelihood that any attribution on eBay or an auction site will be wrong!

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

Post by nostalgia »

Thank you, Oedipus. So, if I understand you right, the Columbia Model 10/10A and Columbia 110 are very similar in appearance, not taking into consideration the tonearm and soundbox. The difference is that Model 10/10A has a fat tonearm (only) and No 7 Soundbox, while Model 110 has a narrow tone arm (only) and No 8 soundbox. From this information, I also acknowledge that both model 10/10A and 110 have an open horn section in front, and because of it are easy to recognize among the early UK made Columbia portables.

I also found this website today, showing a Columbia, with a narrow tone arm, that they name, Columbia 110: http://www.gramofonkoleksiyoncusu.com/m ... php?id2=37
So, since this model has a narrow tone arm, it must the real UK made Columbia Model 110, if I now understand it correctly.

If someone know the difference between Model 10 and 10 A, it could be of very big interest too of course!

(As a result of this information, it also follows that the photo of the model named 10 on page 1 in this thread (posted by Roger (epigramophone), in reality is Columbia Model 110, because of the narrow tonearm.) (I repost both photos below, adding what I now presume are correct model numbers, and also showing the difference betweeen Model 10/10A and Model 110).)
Attachments
Columbia Model 110.jpg
Columbia Model 110.jpg (104 KiB) Viewed 2137 times
Columbia Model 10a.JPG
Columbia Model 10a.JPG (92.73 KiB) Viewed 2137 times

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

Post by Oedipus »

I covered the 10/10A question early in this thread (a month ago!): The earliest advertisements I have seen for Columbia portables are those of summer 1925, showing the 10A, but they do not mention the model number. There is an earlier version, which has a metal (aluminium) case, though covered in black cloth so that it is not instantly apparent, and also a different form of folding winder. You list a Model 10, a number which I have never seen anywhere in contemporary literature but this aluminium model is probably it!

As I said, I have never seen the number 10 in any Columbia literature, but I do have an earlier version of the 10A, most distinctive in being made of aluminiumn instead of wood. I have seen it in a Columbia catalogue, but with no model number, and no date on the catalogue! I am assuming that it is No 10.

Your photo of a 110 is correct, but has the wrong sound box. I think the 110 is slightly bigger than the 10A; I will have to disinter mine to check this.

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

Post by Oedipus »

So, I did that, and here are the dimensions:

10 14 ½ x 11 x 5 ⅝ in.

10A 14 ⅝ x 12 ¼ x 5 ¾ in.

110 16 ¼ x 12 ¼ x 5 ¾ in.

I attach some photos. Spot the difference between the two 10As!
Attachments
Spot the difference!
Spot the difference!
The winder is almost totally concealed with the lid shut!
The winder is almost totally concealed with the lid shut!
Columbia 10 side.JPG
Columbia 110 & 10.JPG

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

Post by nostalgia »

Oedipus, thank you again for invaluable information. And yes, one has to keep stay really focused, to follow this thread, and I had to look back on early posts to find your post where you say: There is an earlier version, which has a metal (aluminium) case, though covered in black cloth so that it is not instantly apparent, and also a different form of folding winder. You list a Model 10, a number which I have never seen anywhere in contemporary literature but this aluminium model is probably it!
So, even if we do not here (yet) have a photo of this early Columbia portable, we assume this is the Model 10. Yes, I agree also that the Model 110 looks slightly bigger than the Model 10A, one can also notice that when paying attention to the size of the motorboard.

Now...I hope I don't create too much "trouble in paradise"...with the next photo:;) The minute I finally felt we started to come to the closing section of listing the UK Columbia portables, I have come across this early Columbia portable. It looks very British made to me, and is also not listed in the book on US made Columbia portables, and is also obviously from an era before the Nippon (Japan) branch of Columbia started to manufacture their portables in 1931, (which I so far in time have witnessed also only used the "Viva Tonal Grafonola" trademark on all their Columbia portables, which of course also was natural).
So here comes the photos then, and the inevitable question arises...where does this model belong in the listing? :roll:

Update: Thank you, Oedipus, for posting the photos, again..invaluable information for everyone interested in collecting and knowing more about Columbia portables.
Update: Color: Blue; has been added to the range of Columbia 211 (UK) varieties in the index listing.
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1.jpg
2.jpg
3.jpg

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

Post by Oedipus »

It's a Model 112,introduced in March 1927. It's the predecessor of the 112A, but shorter, and with a straight tone-arm and No 8 sound box.

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

Post by nostalgia »

Thank you for nailing this Columbia 112, Oedipus, it was great ! I am actually very happy we were able to nail this last model of the UK models, and looking back on the posts in this thread, I feel we also have solved quite a few mysteries around the Columbia range of UK models, in addition to starting to reveal also the almost insane big range of Japan made Columbia portables. Making this information generally available, feels good, and hopefully have also ignited a growing interest in Columbia portables for everyone follwing this thread.
I am adding another photo of the Columbia 112, found online. As we can see on this particular copy the later well known slogan/logo. "Viva Tonal Graphonola has been added to the gramophone, substituting the older "Columbia Grafonola" logo. I guess this 112 model is showcasing the transit between the two logos.(?)
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Columbia Model 112.jpg

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

Post by Oedipus »

I don't know about 'showcasing' I think it's just a matter of using up the old transfers before starting on the new ones. And also, in this, it says '112' on the back of the lid (just behind the tone-arm), another new policy introduced at the same time.

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

Post by nostalgia »

Oedipus, would it be wrong to assume that Columbia during the manufacturing years of the model 112 ( in addition to other bigger gramophone models), began the transiton to the new slogan/logo, "Viva Tonal Graphonola", or have you also see the "Viva Tonal Graphonola" transfer also on earlier Columbia portables?? "Showcasing" was maybe a wrong way to describe it...
PS. I have spotted a Columbia 211 in blue color, in rather poor condition, but still in blue color. Would you say it is collectable? I have read the HMG book, and can't really see that this blue color is mentioned for this model?

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

Post by Phono48 »

nostalgia wrote:PS. I have spotted a Columbia 211 in blue color, in rather poor condition, but still in blue color. Would you say it is collectable?
Collectable? I wouldn't say so, it was the cheapest machine to bear the Columbia trademark, and for obvious reasons. Tiny motor, flimsy undersized turntable, no ball bearings in the arm, awful heavy pot metal soundbox. Sorry, but I wouldn't want one if it were offered free! Just my opinion......

Barry

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