Mystery soundbox.

[epigramophone]

This machine comes with two soundboxes, a Columbia No.9 (correct for a very early 202) and an unusual one which I do not recognise. Any thoughts?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Antique-Colu ... %7Ciid%3A1

[Curt A]

I don't know what the mystery reproducer is, but I like it...

[epigramophone]

Now we have another mystery. The unusual spare soundbox has disappeared from the listing without a word from the seller.
The machine has already been relisted once and is now even less likely to sell.

[phonosandradios]

That second soundbox seems to be back again and appears both in the pictures and the description. Perhaps they need to make their mind up!

[Dulcetto]

Whatever the extra sound-box comes from , I really can't see this 202 selling at £ 225 ! What planet are these people on ?? !! But I suppose the easy answer to that question is the seller is just not aware of likely selling prices for an example of that model

[Inigo]

Now it's off again. But the soundbox seems to have some lettering on the back, albeit unreadable in the photos...

[soundgen]

soundbox is now for sale !

According to a collector, this is " possibly a "VIRTZ"soundbox made by a jeweller in the 1920s. He often scratched the type of music to be played by the soundbox on the backplate, as they were tuned for certain types of music"

I have looked for something scratched on this but cannot find anything other than "British Make" stamped into the back. It does look like the rear bayonet is a later replacement as there is a 2nd hole next to the bayonet screw.
Please have a listen to it playing & judge the tone for yourself as I have no more information about this item.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Antique-Gram ... SwTzpfWhfo

[soundgen]

May be

http://www.gramophonemuseum.com/virtz.html

[epigramophone]

The collector who identified the soundbox as possibly by Virtz is a good friend of mine, and a fellow forum member, who knows his soundboxes.

I see that despite the soundbox now being listed separately, the price of the gramophone has not been correspondingly reduced. No wonder it is not selling.

[Orchorsol]

The Virtz possibility is interesting, but neither the suspension nor the tonearm mounting seem to show any development beyond ordinary soundbox designs. I suspect this may be an example of a standard soundbox of the type that Harry Virtz modified, rather than a Virtz one as such. Anyone's guess though - how many times do we wish we had a time machine (other than the glorious gramophones we all enjoy, that is)?!