Please id / assess this gramophone

[poodling around]

Is this gramophone a Frankenphone' - maybe made in India ?

Or something else ?

Thanks as always for any help.


https://www.bruceofballater.co.uk/our-p ... gramophone

[epigramophone]

The horn, tonearm, soundbox, brake and speed controls all look "period", the Garrard motor and turntable less so.
The rather basic case bears a "Crown" transfer, shown in the link to the auctioneer's description.
It might, just might, be genuine, and here's why :

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=13308&p=200926&hil ... es#p200926

[poodling around]

The horn, tonearm, soundbox, brake and speed controls all look "period", the Garrard motor and turntable less so.
The rather basic case bears a "Crown" transfer, shown in the link to the auctioneer's description.
It might, just might, be genuine, and here's why :

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=13308&p=200926&hil ... es#p200926

Genuinely fascinating !

Thank you very much as always epigramophone.

[jamiegramo]

This is a reproduction from the late 70s/80s. They were being sold on the Portabello Road Market by a lady called Maggie (Maggie Snell?). They are distinctive because they always have the beading to just the front panel and often use old cycle transfers. Better than the later Indian crapophones they would be safer to play records on. I always thought the horns looked good.

Edit: when I say reproduction, these did use motors, turntables and fittings taken from portables and other less saleable machines. This one has an old tonearm. The rather oversized and thick metal horn elbow is another distinctive feature of these machines,

[mrrgstuff]

Is this gramophone a Frankenphone' - maybe made in India ?

Or something else ?

Thanks as always for any help.


https://www.bruceofballater.co.uk/our-p ... gramophone

I've got a support bracket with a very similar design to that, though doesn't look exactly the same.

[jamiegramo]

Is this gramophone a Frankenphone' - maybe made in India ?

Or something else ?

Thanks as always for any help.


https://www.bruceofballater.co.uk/our-p ... gramophone

I've got a support bracket with a very similar design to that, though doesn't look exactly the same.

Screenshot_20230207_194337_Photos.jpg

A very similar design but yours is original cast iron and the reproduction is a copy cast in alloy. The copy is cast from an original but will be slightly smaller due to hot metal shrinkage in casting. The pattern on the copy looks less defined especially around the top. See how nice and sharp the shamrocks are on the original.

[poodling around]

This is a reproduction from the late 70s/80s. They were being sold on the Portabello Road Market by a lady called Maggie (Maggie Snell?). They are distinctive because they always have the beading to just the front panel and often use old cycle transfers. Better than the later Indian crapophones they would be safer to play records on. I always thought the horns looked good.

Edit: when I say reproduction, these did use motors, turntables and fittings taken from portables and other less saleable machines. This one has an old tonearm. The rather oversized and thick metal horn elbow is another distinctive feature of these machines,

So do you think the horn may be from some other musical instrument ?

[jamiegramo]

This is a reproduction from the late 70s/80s. They were being sold on the Portabello Road Market by a lady called Maggie (Maggie Snell?). They are distinctive because they always have the beading to just the front panel and often use old cycle transfers. Better than the later Indian crapophones they would be safer to play records on. I always thought the horns looked good.

Edit: when I say reproduction, these did use motors, turntables and fittings taken from portables and other less saleable machines. This one has an old tonearm. The rather oversized and thick metal horn elbow is another distinctive feature of these machines.

So do you think the horn may be from some other musical instrument ?

No the horns always look the same or at least similar and were made for these machines.

[Sidewinder]

Jamiegramo is totally correct. Repro's from the 70's. All the same cabinet style but with fanciful names like Imperial, Royal, Majestic, Windsor etc - Elephant..... Not sure how well they play, but definitely not the real thing.

As you see in the photo.....quality questionable over time

[Steve]

I remember Maggie Snell from the annual NVCF event. Whatever happened to her i wonder? I haven't seen her since the late 90s.

She was a reliable seller of Indian (pre-Chinese crapophone) repro stuff.