His Master’s Voice Outside Horn Machine Marblehead Mass

[gramophoneshane]

Is that brake a Victor/HMV part?
I've never come across one like that before.
I've never noticed the screw that holds the motor to the motor board being visible at the front edge of the turntable like that either, almost as if the turntable is too small to cover it as normal.
The screw on the gooseneck looks a bit strange to me too.
I've only ever seen that smaller screw used on the model 100 portable, and I think on the fat tonearm machines equipt with a No.2 soundbox.
I've never seen it used on an open horn machine before, but then there's a lot of stuff I haven't seen in my 40 yrs of collecting.
The timber doesn't look like oak or mahogany to me either, but looks more like pine.
It'd be interesting to see the decal up close to see if it's a British decal or from somewhere else.

[gramophone-georg]

Is that brake a Victor/HMV part?
I've never come across one like that before.
I've never noticed the screw that holds the motor to the motor board being visible at the front edge of the turntable like that either, almost as if the turntable is too small to cover it as normal.
The screw on the gooseneck looks a bit strange to me too.
I've only ever seen that smaller screw used on the model 100 portable, and I think on the fat tonearm machines equipt with a No.2 soundbox.
I've never seen it used on an open horn machine before, but then there's a lot of stuff I haven't seen in my 40 yrs of collecting.
The timber doesn't look like oak or mahogany to me either, but looks more like pine.
It'd be interesting to see the decal up close to see if it's a British decal or from somewhere else.

Yes, the brake is a Victor part that wasn't in production too long.
The visible screw is pretty normal for an O. Here's a pic of another one with the same brake and the screw is just barely perceptible under the TT if you plus size the picture:



The box looks like pine... because it IS! Pine stained to look like mahogany.

See here:
http://www.victor-victrola.com/Victor%20O.htm

The O was in the catalog for 12 years- 1908 to 1920, so naturally there were lots of changes to this entry level machine over that time. This looks like a genuine O, though, but with an HMV decal and British horn.

EDIT: No idea why the image above isn't showing up. Here's a direct link to that machine:
https://thumbs.worthpoint.com/zoom/imag ... 1764c9.jpg

You'll notice the Zon O Phone style "cradle" on the arm at the back bracket. If memory serves, that's another part that came and went during production.

[Steve]

Yes, the brake is completely genuine and a Victor / HMV part. To be honest it was the brake which made me convinced it wasn't a Frankenphone although we still don't know what it actually is with a late 20s HMV trademark on the case. I like the pine case although that's nothing like any pine I've ever seen before. It had me fooled for believing it might be teak. Is this some kind of Colonial mash up?

[epigramophone]

You'll notice the Zon O Phone style "cradle" on the arm at the back bracket. If memory serves, that's another part that came and went during production.

Interesting. I gave the horn the benefit of the doubt, because although HMV Morning Glory horns usually have concave petal ends, some Zonophone horns have convex.

[Steve]

You'll notice the Zon O Phone style "cradle" on the arm at the back bracket. If memory serves, that's another part that came and went during production.

Interesting. I gave the horn the benefit of the doubt, because although HMV Morning Glory horns usually have concave petal ends, some Zonophone horns have convex.

It's not an HMV horn or elbow.

[JerryVan]

I don't get the mystery with this machine. Take away the HMV decal and the wrong horn, and it's a standard issue, late model Victor O. The tag under the turntable even says so.

[Django]

If there are no holes on the front, I would think that it’s a rebranded Victor 0. If there are holes from a tag, then it’s probably a Victor 0 in need of a replacement tag. I like the horn. I guess that a close inspection would solve the mystery.

[Steve]

If there are no holes on the front, I would think that it’s a rebranded Victor 0. If there are holes from a tag, then it’s probably a Victor 0 in need of a replacement tag. I like the horn. I guess that a close inspection would solve the mystery.

Maybe we'll get to see it eventually but I'm doubting the holes at the moment, at least until I see them!

It's a Victor O but I don't think anyone in Europe, myself included, has ever seen a rebranded O before so the question remains, where was it sold originally and are there other oddball Victor/ HMV machines, uncatalogued models out there?

[msarnold1990]

Hi All,

I bought this machine at auction and also puzzled me quite a bit! I do believe this is a Victor O meant for export to the European market. Here are some photos that may help clear things up.

I guess it's possible someone could go through the trouble to fake the label and the export markings, but I don't know why you would as it's not an incredibly valuable machine, but interesting none the less.

[Steve]

Victor O made for export. No mystery really. It just goes to prove that some things were more "fluid" back in the day than the academia surrounding the subject might suggest.

Although the Victor 1 was effectively sold in Britain rebranded it appears this "export" probably wasn't intended for the British Market but possibly the Australian market?

Anyway, thanks for the update and congratulations on a fine machine with original oak cabinet. Oh the difference a few higher resolution pictures can make.

Are you going to keep that non original continental horn and elbow on it?