Dulcephone 'New Crescendo Soundbox'

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epigramophone
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Re: Dulcephone 'New Crescendo Soundbox'

Post by epigramophone »

Being no later than 1906 the original Nicole soundbox would have been fitted to a travelling arm machine, but the basic design continued to be made for other firms until at least 1920. Yours appears to have a Continental "push on" fitting.

Oedipus
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Re: Dulcephone 'New Crescendo Soundbox'

Post by Oedipus »

I covered this subject in For the Record No 41 (Spring 2012) with illustrations of various different Crescendo sound boxes and similar Paillard and Apollo models (they are mostly Paillard, not Thorens). Among them was one of WW1 vintage which appeared to be Paillard in all respects except that it said 'London Made', and had the name 'Decca' on it as well as 'New Crescendo'. Imports were problematic in the Great War, so it may be that some arrangement was made for a London company to produce Paillard soundboxes under licence perhaps using some imported components.

The 'Master' is familiar, from the late Nicole era onwards up to Orchorsol, as Epigramophones points out, but this is the first one I have seen with the New Crescendo name. It certainly looks as if it was made for a travelling arm, presumably as a replacement part for existing machines, which were pretty well obsolete by 1906.

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poodling around
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Re: Dulcephone 'New Crescendo Soundbox'

Post by poodling around »

Oedipus wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 10:17 am I covered this subject in For the Record No 41 (Spring 2012) with illustrations of various different Crescendo sound boxes and similar Paillard and Apollo models (they are mostly Paillard, not Thorens). Among them was one of WW1 vintage which appeared to be Paillard in all respects except that it said 'London Made', and had the name 'Decca' on it as well as 'New Crescendo'. Imports were problematic in the Great War, so it may be that some arrangement was made for a London company to produce Paillard soundboxes under licence perhaps using some imported components.

The 'Master' is familiar, from the late Nicole era onwards up to Orchorsol, as Epigramophones points out, but this is the first one I have seen with the New Crescendo name. It certainly looks as if it was made for a travelling arm, presumably as a replacement part for existing machines, which were pretty well obsolete by 1906.
So, if 'London Made' was possibly mentioned during WW1 then those without it could be earlier imported soundboxes in theory ?

Oedipus
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Re: Dulcephone 'New Crescendo Soundbox'

Post by Oedipus »

Those without 'London Made' were clearly imported, but exactly when the London Made soundboxes appeared we do not know; it is likely to have been during WW1, but it does not follow that there were no imported ones then. Supplies would have been difficult and subject to interruption, but it is possible that some got through from Switzerland at the same time that some were being made or assembled in London. It would be useful to find a few 'London Made' soundboxes on dated machines.

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