Could you please help to identify these machines?

Discussions on Talking Machines of British or European Manufacture
Post Reply
AlekSander2310
Victor Jr
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Feb 13, 2020 4:56 pm
Location: Saint-Petersburg, Russia

Could you please help to identify these machines?

Post by AlekSander2310 »

Hello, I found two phonographs for sale, but cannot determine the exact model/manufacture:

The first one is from Switzeland as I see it from nameplate "Riccardo Petronio — Lausanne":
Swiss_1.jpg
Swiss_2.jpg
Swiss_3.jpg
Swiss_4.jpg
Swiss_5.jpg

No ideas about the second one
Unknown_1.jpg
Unknown_2.jpg
Unknown_3.jpg
Unknown_4.jpg
Thanks for your help

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: Could you please help to identify these machines?

Post by epigramophone »

The front of the soundbox and the bottom plate of the motor are the most likely places to find a manufacturer's name, so pictures of these will aid identification. The plaque on the motor board of the first machine is that of the supplying dealer, not the manufacturer. Based on the present pictures, that machine is probably by Paillard or Thorens.

The very small horn mouth on the second machine also suggests a Swiss/German origin.

gramophoneshane
Victor VI
Posts: 3463
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 3:21 pm

Re: Could you please help to identify these machines?

Post by gramophoneshane »

Yes, I think the first machine is a Thorens. All the running gear appears to be Thorens anyway, and the brass tag is definitely a dealers tag.
The second one I think is German, but the motor should help determine whether it's German or Swiss.
They're both quite nice machines.

User avatar
emgcr
Victor IV
Posts: 1086
Joined: Mon Jul 02, 2012 9:57 am
Location: Hampshire, England.
Contact:

Re: Could you please help to identify these machines?

Post by emgcr »

The Swiss-supplied motor seems to run in an anti-clock direction---rather unusual ? Do we know of others with similar rotation ?

gramophoneshane
Victor VI
Posts: 3463
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 3:21 pm

Re: Could you please help to identify these machines?

Post by gramophoneshane »

Lol, no it's simply shown with the soundbox lowered on the turntable in the wrong spot.
It would be placed at the rear edge of the turntable/record to play..
The soundbox should move from the back of the machine towards the front, not from the left side towards the right.
Last edited by gramophoneshane on Thu Oct 21, 2021 1:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Inigo
Victor VI
Posts: 3753
Joined: Mon Dec 18, 2017 1:51 am
Personal Text: Keep'em well oiled
Location: Madrid, Spain
Contact:

Re: Could you please help to identify these machines?

Post by Inigo »

I'd bet the first one is far better... Have you seen that big horn? Also the finish and general looks of it are much better. I don't know how these German machines with the small horns sound like.... There are plenty of them, but I feel they sound tinny and not good compared to a portable or tabletop hmv or Columbia. If I were you, i would center my interest in the big first one (suspected Thorens).
Inigo

User avatar
emgcr
Victor IV
Posts: 1086
Joined: Mon Jul 02, 2012 9:57 am
Location: Hampshire, England.
Contact:

Re: Could you please help to identify these machines?

Post by emgcr »

gramophoneshane wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 1:21 pm Lol, no it's simply shown with the soundbox lowered on the turntable in the wrong spot.
It would be placed at the rear edge of the turntable/record to play..
The soundbox should move from the back of the machine towards the front, not from the left side towards the right.
Apologies for the rather idiotic confusion---I am cracking up ! I had a four year old crawling all over me at the time of posting !

jboger
Victor IV
Posts: 1124
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 10:12 pm

Re: Could you please help to identify these machines?

Post by jboger »

With regards to the first one, the Thorens, I'd just like to express my admiration for how stylish so many Continental machines are. As for the second one, it reminds me of a copy of a Victor table top model, the kind sans external horn. Compared to the Thorens, it's rather heavy and uninspired, at least to me.

John

Post Reply