Portables to identify and discuss

Discussions on Talking Machines of British or European Manufacture
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Inigo
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Re: Portables to identify and discuss

Post by Inigo »

Don't know... But it looks fantastic, and with this soundbox and horn it must sound great!
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nostalgia
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Re: Portables to identify and discuss

Post by nostalgia »

I also don't know if this is a Paillard machine or not, but thank you for uploading photos of the machine. Doing this is the only way to hopefully sooner or later be able to get a decent grip on recognizing, categorizing, and even get some deeper knowledge about non UK/US portables. It is a good looking machine, and Paillard made high quality components, I am myself lucky to have a couple Paillard portables too, but I have not see this model before, with an exterior compartment for discs, as found on some older (Columbia) portables. A great machine you have in your possession here :clover:
Last edited by nostalgia on Sat Mar 27, 2021 4:56 am, edited 2 times in total.

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jamiegramo
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Re: Portables to identify and discuss

Post by jamiegramo »

Here’s a portable that I notice has just finished on eBay. ’The Sonorophone’ which has an unusual lid opening arrangement. Many portables relay on the lid to reflect or project the sound so I can’t help but wonder how effective this is. The horn appears to be just a basic conduit. The Garrard fittings suggest British origin. I found other examples on the net and it seems the mix of nickel-plate and bronze finish to the fittings is not unusual.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-GRAM ... 3922909893
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jamiegramo
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Re: Portables to identify and discuss

Post by jamiegramo »

More pics.
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jamiegramo
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Re: Portables to identify and discuss

Post by jamiegramo »

More examples from the net suggesting these are not particularly scarce. It’s seems the Fitzroy Soundbox is common to all of them.
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Inigo
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Re: Portables to identify and discuss

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So this soundbox is named Fitzroy? I have one of those since many years ago, and only had a patent number or a British Made legend, don't know well... but no name. The bright metal cover in mine is rounded instead of trunked cone shape, but the test of it is the same in all details. It sounds deep and warm, very powerful. It has a metal diaphragm with a shape I've never seen in other soundboxes. It is plane, but the central part is raised to a higher level, also plane. It has also six or eight short and small radial ridges in the central part.
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jamiegramo
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Re: Portables to identify and discuss

Post by jamiegramo »

Inigo wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 7:46 pm So this soundbox is named Fitzroy? I have one of those since many years ago, and only had a patent number or a British Made legend, don't know well... but no name. The bright metal cover in mine is rounded instead of trunked cone shape, but the test of it is the same in all details. It sounds deep and warm, very powerful. It has a metal diaphragm with a shape I've never seen in other soundboxes. It is plane, but the central part is raised to a higher level, also plane. It has also six or eight short and small radial ridges in the central part.
Well actually I’m wondering if this says ‘Fitzroy’ or ‘Fritzroy’... I’ve had this soundbox in the past but long ago so difficult to remember it but it may also have been unnamed.
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nostalgia
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Re: Portables to identify and discuss

Post by nostalgia »

I never stop getting amazed by how many different portable acoustic gramophones that were made. Thank you for uploading Jamie.

Here is another one, with one of the most impressive lid transfers I have seen so far. Maybe someone is recognizing it. The machine was for sale recently on an online auction, but was not sold. It is nothing special about the machine, but the lid transfer makes it stand out. When looking at the motor board and speaking my thoughts out loud, it reminds me of a Steidinger made gramophone, but this is much more a guess than a statement. I have restored two Steidinger machines so far, and they both had the similar type of motorboard and components on top of the board, but I for sure can't say of course if it is Steidinger or not.
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Last edited by nostalgia on Sat Mar 27, 2021 4:51 am, edited 3 times in total.

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Inigo
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Re: Portables to identify and discuss

Post by Inigo »

Very interesting! Here is my example with and without the cover
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nostalgia
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Re: Portables to identify and discuss

Post by nostalgia »

I also have a copy of this soundbox, it seems to be the exact same soundbox as Jamie uploaded photos of. It says "Made in England" on the back side, but has no trademark on the front. I don't know who made this soundbox, but I guess it must be reasonable to believe it is the same manufacturer as for the "F(r)itzroy soundbox?
When looking at your soundbox Inigo, it looks very very similar too, but with a slight difference in the screw holes section of the cover, and on the back it says "British made" instead of "Made in England".
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