1915-ish Pathé

Discussions on Talking Machines of British or European Manufacture
Post Reply
Lah Ca
Victor III
Posts: 853
Joined: Sun Nov 21, 2021 10:22 pm

1915-ish Pathé

Post by Lah Ca »

A Pathé machine has come up here, listed as a 1915 Pathé floor model.

It is refinished and serviced, I think. I cannot find another online exactly like it. But even so, there are similar ones, and their appearances would suggest that there some things wrong with the one here for sale.

The machine is definitely outside my general area of interest, but it is appealing at the price for which it is offered as it includes records and accessories.

Thoughts? Opinions? Thanks.
2023-03-19 08.29.09 vancouver.craigslist.org 7267aa7421bf.png
2023-03-19 08.27.44 vancouver.craigslist.org 3685bb0b8659.png
It appears as if the tone arm has been broken and then welded/soldered back together and then supported with some mickey-mouse looking supports.
Screenshot from 2023-03-19 08-28-30.png

52089
Victor VI
Posts: 3745
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2011 7:54 pm

Re: 1915-ish Pathé

Post by 52089 »

The tonearm on these machines was mounted to the pot metal base with a cheap, pot metal clip. Almost all of these have broken over the years and replacing them is nearly impossible. The tonearm is supposed to swivel to play both lateral and vertical cut records, but in practice, swollen pot metal parts make this difficult. This can be repaired, but it's not a 5 minute job.

I like my Pathé machine, but I don't have a huge library of records for it. I don't consider it essential.

User avatar
drh
Victor IV
Posts: 1212
Joined: Tue May 27, 2014 12:24 pm
Personal Text: A Pathé record...with care will live to speak to your grandchildren when they are as old as you are
Location: Silver Spring, MD

Re: 1915-ish Pathé

Post by drh »

Information, in English at least, about Pathé machines is not exactly superabundant, but according to Copeland and Dethlefson's Pathé Records and Phonographs in America, 1914-1922, that appears to be a Pathé Model No. 7, dating to or after about the WW I period and priced, in the (alas, undated) ad/catalogue page shown there, at $95. Pathé appears to have issued two general "families" of cabinets, and this is from the second group, introduced in 1917. Rather analogously to the Edison Long Playing Consoles, the Pathé uprights and table models all look more or less the same, differing only in size and minor details like applique trim and grille design; the basic cabinet shape is that same straight-cupboard-with-short-legs configuration. Pathé did issue some art models, and the Actuelle machines are more distinctive, but the regular Pathé uprights, although perfectly nice machines (my first spring phonograph, from decades ago, was one a model or two up from the one pictured, and it's sitting behind me as I type this) don't seem to be much in demand and don't go for much money. As far as I can see in the photos posted, I agree the one in question has been refinished, but otherwise I don't see anything "wrong" about it. I assume that doo-dad at the base of the tonearm must be part of an auto-stop device; I see a set of instructions reprinted in the book that show how to operate a similar, but not identical, autostop device, albeit with a different tonearm design, so it's probably original. Despite any differences in the illustration, the tonearm here is definitely a Pathé design.

Needless to say, the record shown with the pictured machine is "wrong" in just about every possible way.

Lah Ca
Victor III
Posts: 853
Joined: Sun Nov 21, 2021 10:22 pm

Re: 1915-ish Pathé

Post by Lah Ca »

drh wrote: Sun Mar 19, 2023 12:07 pm I assume that doo-dad at the base of the tonearm must be part of an auto-stop device; I see a set of instructions reprinted in the book that show how to operate a similar, but not identical, autostop device, albeit with a different tonearm design, so it's probably original. Despite any differences in the illustration, the tonearm here is definitely a Pathé design.
Thanks. You assume correctly. It is an auto-stop device, according to the seller.

Lah Ca
Victor III
Posts: 853
Joined: Sun Nov 21, 2021 10:22 pm

Re: 1915-ish Pathé

Post by Lah Ca »

Mostly because of a lack of space, I passed on the machine, which was offered at a smoking low price given its working condition and recent excellent refurb with skilled repairs/servicing.

But I picked up the records and accessories that were offered with it.

Another buyer took the machine alone at an even better price without the extras.

The seller said there were Pathé styli in with the extras, but he was not knowledgeable enough to know what these were, and sadly there were none. Still no complaints about the purchase.

User avatar
Steve
Victor VI
Posts: 3123
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 4:40 pm
Location: London, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, New York, Evesham

Re: 1915-ish Pathé

Post by Steve »

It's an American Pathé model and not one I've seen in Europe. Its had an ugly refinish but otherwise looks OK.

Post Reply