India, Teak HMV 114 apparently

[epigramophone]

The machine has lived a life and has travelled half way across the world. It is only original once.

[Orchorsol]

I agree, I think these lovely things "tell us" whether they want a total restoration to look more-or-less like new in every respect, or just gentle tidying and to be left wearing their age with pride. To re-paint one part (unless all the rest were pristine) would look glaring.

[CarlosV]

This example has suffered with paint loss to the horn as has my own teak 114, although mine is otherwise almost pristine.

What is the opinion of you folks regarding repainting the horns when they look like this? I've owned my machine for almost 20 years and although the internal horn paint condition bugs me I've so far resisted the temptation to redo it, mainly because I look at it so infrequently! It spoils the appearance but on the other hand I believe the scrappy original paint is a little like one of those famous supermarket marketing tag lines: a WIGIG, namely "When it's gone, it's gone."

I have resisted the temptation of repainting parts such as this, mainly because the horn is not that conspicuous, and the probability of getting a decent result, i.e., a surface that will harmonize with the rest of the machine, is quite small. I have a green 114 with a banded case that has a big scratch, where the green paint is lost. Having shown and discussed it with other collectors, I decided to live with the blemish. A touch-up would stand out and look fake.

[Steve]

I agree, I think these lovely things "tell us" whether they want a total restoration to look more-or-less like new in every respect, or just gentle tidying and to be left wearing their age with pride. To re-paint one part (unless all the rest were pristine) would look glaring.

The rest of my 114 is almost like new, though unrestored, but the consensus here so far is to do exactly as I have been doing for the past 20 years ie. leave it alone. I'll come back to the question in another 20 years!

[Steve]

Listing prematurely ended.

[Ahmed]

Listing prematurely ended.

Yeah, an acquaintance got in touch expressing interest in it, so have taken it off eBay for now until he makes up his mind. If it is of interest, do let me know as he's not all confirmed yet, I just didn't want a bid to come in the meantime!

Happy to answer any questions and provide additional pictures etc. There is a clip that came with it, but that's fallen off and I need to fix it back in place (screw holes too wide and need to be sorted before I can screw it back in)

[Steve]

Help, I'm slightly confused here. I understand you removed it after a friend expressed interest in it and he's enough of a friend that you didn't want him to suffer the indignity of actually bidding with everyone else. Meanwhile he hasn't made his mind up yet but you're happy to accept offers or potentially sell it to someone else anyway.

[Ahmed]

Help, I'm slightly confused here. I understand you removed it after a friend expressed interest in it and he's enough of a friend that you didn't want him to suffer the indignity of actually bidding with everyone else. Meanwhile he hasn't made his mind up yet but you're happy to accept offers or potentially sell it to someone else anyway.

No need for confusion, he's made up his mind so that's all sorted now... I wouldn't have accepted another offer unless he had decided not to take it

[Steve]

So he's decided to buy it?

[Steve]

Hopefully not for £350. That crap 102 made over that and isn't a patch on your 114 obviously.