HMV 102 questions

Discussions on Talking Machines of British or European Manufacture
Post Reply
Bluebird78297
Victor Jr
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2021 11:59 am

HMV 102 questions

Post by Bluebird78297 »

Hello all, just have a few questions regarding this HMV 102 I just purchased. From what I have seen online, the label which has the quote/serial number went from round to rectangular in 1936, is this correct? I am just wondering because mine has the earlier style round serial label but I also noticed that it does not have the two metal pegs in the motor board, on either side of the turntable. I was wondering if these were on all models up to 1936 then were removed? I am just looking for some clarifications about my model specifically. The serial number/quote number on mine is 1020 44867. Thanks!
Attachments
IMG_6168.jpg
3.jpg
2.jpg
1.jpg

User avatar
PeterF
Victor IV
Posts: 1913
Joined: Sun Jul 08, 2012 1:06 pm

Re: HMV 102 questions

Post by PeterF »

You might want to roam through this:

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=37206&start=30

Bluebird78297
Victor Jr
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2021 11:59 am

Re: HMV 102 questions

Post by Bluebird78297 »

Thank you, I was roaming around on that thread earlier. I just seem to be confused about the two pegs that I see on the motor board which apparently disappeared after 1936, but apparently that's also when the numbering system changed and it went to a rectangular label. Mine has the earlier quote number with the round label and no pegs (I'm referring to what's circled in the photo)
Attachments
IMG_6172.jpg

JerryVan
Victor Monarch Special
Posts: 5277
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 3:08 pm
Location: Southeast MI

Re: HMV 102 questions

Post by JerryVan »

Sorry, I don't have an answer, but instead, another question. What is the function of those pegs?

epigramophone
Victor Monarch Special
Posts: 5204
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2011 1:21 pm
Personal Text: An analogue relic trapped in a digital world.
Location: The Somerset Levels, UK.

Re: HMV 102 questions

Post by epigramophone »

The pegs engaged with the "feet" on the tray, preventing it from rotating when the machine was in transit.
Later trays had no feet, and the pegs were therefore no longer fitted.
It is thought that the trays were discontinued as a wartime economy measure. They were never reintroduced.
Attachments
Tray.jpg
Tray.jpg (18.51 KiB) Viewed 724 times

Oedipus
Victor II
Posts: 298
Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2018 7:59 am

Re: HMV 102 questions

Post by Oedipus »

I don't know exactly when the pegs disappeared, only that they had gone 'by' 1936 -- in other words, it could have happened earlier. The round label was replaced by a rectangular one in 1935, but again I can't say exactly when. It does not follow that changes like this happened on January 1 of a given year!

So your 102 could provide evidence that the pegs disappeared as early as 1934 -- but there may have been an overlap period when some had the pegs and some did not (for example, if motor boards in some colours were being used from existing stock after other colours were being made without the pegs.) Also, changes were not always made at the same time in all the company's branches. I know, for example, that the 1929 metal labels survived in use in India for a considerable time after they were discontinued at Hayes.

All in all, I wouldn't worry about the apparent anomaly of a pegless 102 with a round label. Sadly we have no factory records to consult for the pre-1936 serial numbers.

Post Reply