Bargain grey 101 and initial question...

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Gramtastic
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Bargain grey 101 and initial question...

Post by Gramtastic »

I had given up hope of finding a reasonably priced grey 101 (the only one currently on Ebay is £349.99 and has the wrong lock and has been "re-dyed" !) A couple of weeks ago this one came up at a price of £135 or offers. It is by no means perfect, but apart from the wrong soundbox on it, was complete, original and "honest". I offered £125 and bought it. I was really pleased with it when it came and at that price was only at standard black 101 money!. I have cleaned it up and changed the soundbox and it is ready to join the collection (I think it is the 7th 101 variant I own). I know you guys across the pond won't like it because it isn't immaculate, but I prefer gramophones to be original and show their age, and the mould spots on the case are part of its history to me.
I have a question about the initials on the lid. I have several portables with initials and on thinking about it, they are all HMVs. This got me thinking - was this a service provided by HMV dealers ? I have never seen any period adverts offering this. Has anyone ever come across one ?
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JeffR1
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Re: Bargain grey 101 and initial question...

Post by JeffR1 »

What is that on the corner on the outside of the case near the brake, it looks like some sort of light ???

Phono48
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Re: Bargain grey 101 and initial question...

Post by Phono48 »

JeffR1 wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 4:28 am What is that on the corner on the outside of the case near the brake, it looks like some sort of light ???
Its a pivoted needle bowl, as fitted to nearly all HMV portables.

Barry

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Re: Bargain grey 101 and initial question...

Post by epigramophone »

Phono48 wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 4:46 am
JeffR1 wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 4:28 am What is that on the corner on the outside of the case near the brake, it looks like some sort of light ???
Its a pivoted needle bowl, as fitted to nearly all HMV portables.

Barry
Or as a non-collector once said to me "Wow! An ashtray! They thought of everything in those days." :lol: :lol: :lol:

If the initials on Gramtastic's 101 are painted on, anyone with suitable stencils (even the owner) could have done it, but if they are embossed they would probably have been done by someone experienced in leatherwork.

Here is my grey 101, an eBay purchase some years ago for £128. If I ever manage to acquire a grey 102 to complete my set I would sell it, although I would expect it to make rather more than £128 today.
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Gramtastic
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Re: Bargain grey 101 and initial question...

Post by Gramtastic »

The initials are embossed on all of them so I assume it was something offered by the dealer. I will have a look at others to see if they are the same font.......

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nostalgia
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Re: Bargain grey 101 and initial question...

Post by nostalgia »

Congratulations on finding your machine, and welcome in the Grey 101 Club :geek:
Shown in another thread, I found a pair of ( initially not too good looking, but very salvageable) grey 101 this summer, but one of them is still not serviced completely, needing some paint on smaller parts of the motorboard close to the manual brake since I was too hard with the cleaning and entered the canvas. :roll: I also have a third one in my storage locker, that is good looking and a keeper. I am planning to sell the last two grey 101s, when serviced, but shipping them outside Norway is unfortunetaly very expensive, so...they will most probably stay here. After finding the brown crocodile 101, I have started to dream of collecting the whole range of colors of HMV 101, also because I have the hard to find dark blue 101. So..I will unlikely start selling out my series of 101 like you plan, Roger. I have a much longer way to acquire the whole color collection of 102 machines though, but I will maybe still keep it as a long distance goal.
I opened my second storage locker this weekend, meaning more space :mrgreen: :squirrel:

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Inigo
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Re: Bargain grey 101 and initial question...

Post by Inigo »

There are eight 101 finishes : blue, red, black, green, all in rexine, plus blue crocodile, brown crocodile, red leather with gold finish, and the grey one. They named it grey, but the color is actually like dead or dark mustard!
And I've seen yet another one, kind of snake finish, which seemed a base of grey but it had brown touches on the skin.... Never saw this one in any advert... Maybe it was a special one..
And yet more, although they can be recovered cases : a dark burgundy one, and a turquoise blue one. The burgundy I didn't ask the price, but the turquoise was very beautiful, and the price was only 130€, and it was pristine . I went for it next week, and it was sold!
Inigo

Phono48
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Re: Bargain grey 101 and initial question...

Post by Phono48 »

Inigo wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 5:09 pm There are eight 101 finishes : blue, red, black, green, all in rexine, plus blue crocodile, brown crocodile, red leather with gold finish, and the grey one. They named it grey, but the color is actually like dead or dark mustard!

With respect, there are more than that! Plain leathercloth versions were black, red, blue, dark blue, green, brown, antique brown, and grey. Crocodile versions were blue, brown and grey. Plus the red leather with gold-coloured fittings. 12 in total.

Barry

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Re: Bargain grey 101 and initial question...

Post by Inigo »

A nice collection!
Inigo

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Re: Bargain grey 101 and initial question...

Post by epigramophone »

The usual green rexine 101 is a dark shade, but a much lighter green example is pictured on Page 54 of Christopher Proudfoot's book "Collecting Phonographs and Gramophones". Like the elusive light green 102 I assume that this colour was never catalogued.

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