Aeolian Vocalion portables

[PortAbility]

I’m trying to find out about AV portables. The example I own has an attractive leather-covered case; the only other one I know of is teak cased (see pictures).

The GB patent number on both is 186728, which dates them to around October 1922.

Questions:
1. What other finishes, or models, were available?
2. Was the teak version for export markets (India etc)?
3. Were they wholly made in the UK by AV in Hayes - or assembled from parts made in the USA?
4. What was their original price, and when (which years) were they on sale?

Thanks in advance for any answers!

[gramophoneshane]

What an interesting portable.
I've only ever owned a few AV (UK) uprights and a table grand over the years, and they all used Swiss components from Thorens, although I think all but 1 motor were branded "Aeolian Vocalion Swiss Made". And of course the soundboxes were also branded Aeolian Vocalion.
Your portable however, I don't recognise anything at all as Thorens (except maybe the soundbox but hard to tell from the photo).
Even the usual pillar and plate motor is instead a cast iron motor.
I've never seen an American AV in person before, but if I had to guess I'd say this portable uses American components, or at the very least components not obtained from Thorens.
There's always a chance too that the entire machine was made by another company and simply had the Aeolian Vocalion transfer added then sold in their name.

[Oedipus]

As far as I know, these portables were made at Hayes. The British motor is actually a Collaro, and has an aluminium frame for lightness. (Collaro often supplied gramophone manufacturers with motors bearing their own brand name, more than Garrard did).

I haven't seen a teak one before, but I have seen one in black leather, and also rare cheaper version in brown leathercloth, branded as 'Aco', which is better known as A-V's popular record label. Apart from the covering, it is exactly the same, apart from the name Vocalion on the motor being machined out. (Unlike most gramophones, the owner would see the underside of the motor every time the gramophone was used!) The Meltrope III soundbox is, of course, much later; originally, a Vocalion soundbox would have been fitted.

[PortAbility]

Thanks both!

Has anyone come across any AV advertising for these machines? It would be great to see some; and also get an idea of their original price and when they were on sale.

[epigramophone]

I featured this Australian cover in my recent article on Aeolian Vocalion for the CLPGS magazine.
If you want to read it, join the CLPGS.
It is the only advertisement including a portable that I have ever found.

[Inigo]

In the photos of portAbility it can be seen that the leather example portable has its correct original Vocalion soundbox installed in the tonearm.
Then in another photo of the teak model, the AV soundbox is missing, but a Meltrope is stored in the case. The leather model looks very good and all original, a neat machine. I wish I could own one like that! Congratulations!

[PortAbility]

Thanks Epigramophone, I am in CLPGS, but missed the AV cover. Will now dig your article out!