Exhibition soundbox question

[nostalgia]

I have not seen this type of Exhibition soundbox before, does anyone know more about it?

[epigramophone]

The Exhibition soundbox was widely copied, sometimes with similar names such as Exposition. To the best of my knowledge The Gramophone Company never had a Hamburg factory, so I assume that the soundbox pictured is just another copy.

[Inigo]

Could it be a German soundbox from the obscure inter wars period? Kinda links broken with The Gramophone Co etc...?

[Marco Gilardetti]

Could be, of course; but that's very hard to prove unless period ads with detailed pictures would surface.

I suppose - but this is just speculation - that if it were a genuine product of the German branch of HMV, it would show some resemblance to a standard Exhibition soundbox, at least in machinery. This soundbox instead looks to me quite different under all sides, excepting the "exhibition" writing alone.

[gramophoneshane]

that if it were a genuine product of the German branch of HMV, it would show some resemblance to a standard Exhibition soundbox,

I agree, and it would at the very least have a bayonet fitting like all the DGAG machines have, and which this soundbox does not.
I doubt this even has the same size diaphragm as a true Exhibition.

[nostalgia]

I too doubt this is a The Gramophone Company manufactured sound box, but I am quite surprised someone were bold enough to take the name "Exhibition" and use it on a sound box. And you are very right, Shane..this sound box is bigger than the original "Exhibition".
I upload some photos of the horn gramophone it was attached to. It is the first time I have bought a re motored horn gramophone, but I like the horn, and as we can see the re motoring has been done with excellence. Foe € 120, I could not resist it.
And yes it needs some glue work on the cabinet, and the back bracket is not looking too good as it is now.
I have no idea who the manufacturer is though, so if someone recognize it, I hope he/she will speak out.

[gramophoneshane]

That speed control is one I've never ever seen before. The numbering from zero to thirty makes me wonder if it's even for a gramophone.
As for being bold enough to use the Exhibition name, it seems to have been a fairly common practice with some of the European manufacturers.
Swiss and German companies were making tapered gooseneck tonearms almost a decade before Victor/HMV patents ran out, along with other hardware and cabinet designed that were covered.

Here in Australia we even had a range of "Victor talking machines" made by Palings music stores using Paillard parts in Australian made cabinets.
Whether American Victor was oblivious to this or simply choose to ignore it I don't know, but if the same had happened in USA the company would have been sued and bankrupt within 6 months.

[epigramophone]

Another strange feature is the lock on the front of the case. It is not quite centrally located and could be a later addition.
The question is, why have a lock there at all? It only gives access to the motor for maintenance.
Most external horn gramophones had a spring loaded catch to raise the motor board. Some cheap machines had no catch.
A lock is only of use on a machine with a lid, to prevent unsupervised playing.

[gramophoneshane]

The question is, why have a lock there at all?

The only reason I can think of is if it was a coin operated machine.

[gramophoneshane]

I too doubt this is a The Gramophone Company manufactured sound box, but I am quite surprised someone were bold enough to take the name "Exhibition" and use it on a sound box. And you are very right, Shane..this sound box is bigger than the original "Exhibition".
I upload some photos of the horn gramophone it was attached to. It is the first time I have bought a re motored horn gramophone, but I like the horn, and as we can see the re motoring has been done with excellence. Foe € 120, I could not resist it.
And yes it needs some glue work on the cabinet, and the back bracket is not looking too good as it is now.
I have no idea who the manufacturer is though, so if someone recognize it, I hope he/she will speak out.

That's actually a pretty good looking machine, and I too like the horn.
I think it would be Interesting to see the motor, the redundant motor screw holes under the turntable, and to see the locking mechanism on both the cabinet and motor board, to see if it appears to be a later addition.