The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

My house is full of gramophones, my rented storage locker is full of gramophones, but when you get the opportunity to buy a rare Columbia portable for €25, and in addition are out driving 100 km from your home, and the same Columbia are for sale in this area, it is hard to let it go. Too hard. The machine originally was priced at € 80, and I emailed the seller two weeks ago saying I would be willing to make an offer, if the machine was not sold, and yesterday, two weeks later I received a response, on the particular day when I was out driving in this area, where I actually never have been visiting before. Well, call it coincidence or synchronicity, I could not let the machine go, in particular when we agreed on this low price, including a square metal SSS needle tin.

I upload some photos, so we can have a look and also keep the photos as a reference of a more sturdy and accomplished Japan made Columbia portable. Not every Columbia model made in Japan are this sturdy, far from. Much too often they also are very rusty, but this machine looks good.

Upholstered cover makes it solid, and it is heavy, I suspect it has two main springs, even if I have not opened it yet. The motor is not running, one of the springs may be broken, or not, that also caused the low price. I believe there is a screw missing in the auto stop control area, I don't remember exactly how it looks when writing this, but we can see there is a hole in the metal where the auto stop control needle is passing. I will later check up on this, I have one more sturdy Japan made Columbia, with the same auto stop control. This machine is however the first Columbia I own with a crocodile cover.

A peculiarity is the wax on the left side of the turntable. It is in Norwegian language, and is actually an import mark made by the Norwegian customs. I don't know if this machine was a single import or not, but what a peculiar way to mark an import product. I believe the machine is possibly a 1930 model, at least that is what I was able to find out when listing the model in the general Japan Columbia thread from March last year: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=44519&hilit=nippon ... a&start=10

An interesting machine, well worth the effort of restoration. You certainly know how to find them.
I have never come across this model before, but the case covering is the nearest match to my G-208 that I have ever seen.

That's a good pair, Roger

The hole you mention in the base of the autobrake, originally held one of three bolts that clamped the internal horn to the motorboard. I have a similar machine with an identical brake, and can understand why the bolt has been removed, it's because the auto on/off contro has to be lifted over the head of the bolt, instead of sliding smoothly from side to side.

What a great machine. And I love the wax customs seal.
I can certainly see why you can't say no to many of these machines. You seem to find a lot of attractive and unusual variants.
Congratulations on another fine addition to your collection.

Roger, your portable looks great as well.

nostalgia wrote: ↑Thu Jun 17, 2021 3:10 am I believe the machine is possibly a 1937 model, at least that is what I was able to find out when listing the model in the general Japan Columbia thread from March last year: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=44519&hilit=nippon ... a&start=10

Looking back at that thread, in which I posted a photo of my 113, I see that apart from the covering material, it is identical to your 114. I can't imagine that a different model number would have been given just because of that, so it will be interesting to see what motor is fitted to yours, single or double spring?

Barry

Thank you for your always positive congratulations Shane, they are always much appreciated.

Barry, thank you for nailing the missing screw, I had the same idea in my head when watching the auto stop, but you put it eloquently into words.
So, let us now try to find out if there are differences between the 113 and 114 apart from the covering material. I now opened the machine, the motor is very heavy, it is a double spring and we can see there are bigger springs than on the later HMV portables, to me they look like the spring size used on HMV 101/102? The horn is also of solid metal, much more solid than on the later HMV portables, and also much more solid than on some of the more cheaper Japan made Columbia portables.

There is an obvious governor problem with the machine, broken governor blades fell out when I removed the motor board now.

Hmm..... These pictures are of my 213. As you can see, exactly the same motor, and everything else, so could the different model number mean that the 213 and 214 were made in different countries, or is it purely down to the covering, which on my 213 is more like a lizard skin?

Barry

This is really hard to decide why they put different model numbers on these machines, if it is not due to the different cover material on your machine, or a subtle difference in the motor not visible before servicing the motor. They are both Japan made, I have been able to find an old advert for both machines and upload it, and one can see it tells about the difference between the 213 and 214, but it is all in Japan language.

These two old threads on the Japanese machines should be merged, but it is a big job..
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=44585&hilit=columbia+japan+list
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=44519&hilit=columb ... l&start=10

I believe I used the photos of your Columbia 213 for this list, Barry.

PS. According to this advert the machines are from 1930, and not 1937 as I originally wrote in the first post ( now corrected)

I was just about to start a new thread about these, glad that I found this one!

I have a 214 that is in very sad condition, and before I invest too much time in it, I’m wondering how the sound is compared to other machines. The case on mine has deteriorated padded covering of some sort. The wood underneath is in rough shape in some places, so I can’t just take the cover off and clean up and stain and finish the wood to make it look nice. It will likely need recovering completely, or I’ll need to figure out sourcing some relatively thick veneer that will be sturdy enough to use on the outside of the case.

This machine was given to me without the crank, and also has no reproducer. The reproducer is relatively easy to replace, but I can’t get the motor out yet to have a look at it, so the crank end shape eludes me. There are a couple of rusty screws holding down the remains of the motor board that won’t come out, and I will need to soak with penetrating oil to get them free. If one of you could measure the crank, so I can seek out or make a replacement, I would be most grateful. The motor does spin freely, and the arm looks to be in decent shape.

Are the motors on these Gerard models or Japanese copies of them?

Thanks in advance!