SA--Roberts Bestone Portable-View Royal, BC

[Lah Ca]

I saw this unusual machine, a Roberts Bestone portable, in the View Royal Salvation Army outside of Victoria BC.

They are asking $200 CDN for it, which seems quite steep.

Sorry for the poor picture. I did not ask to have a look at it because by the time I had noticed it, my wife was ready to leave. I took a quick photo through the display case glass. Its crank was nowhere in sight. The leather exterior of the case looked as if it had suffered a mildew attack. Otherwise it looked to be in good condition.

It seems to be an unusual machine in that you have to lower the top to engage the horn with the tone arm.

[Curt A]

Here's a video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4Ps15Ptrnc

[poodling around]

Here's a video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4Ps15Ptrnc

A very informative video. I would like one of these in my collection. Quite a lot of 'rattle' though.

The bit I liked best was - is it called a 'Bestone' or a 'best one'. I hadn't thought of that before.

[Steve]

I saw this unusual machine, a Roberts Bestone portable, in the View Royal Salvation Army outside of Victoria BC.

They are asking $200 CDN for it, which seems quite steep.

2023-11-14 16.20.32 b405ab348f74.jpg

Sorry for the poor picture. I did not ask to have a look at it because by the time I had noticed it, my wife was ready to leave. I took a quick photo through the display case glass. Its crank was nowhere in sight. The leather exterior of the case looked as if it had suffered a mildew attack. Otherwise it looked to be in good condition.

It seems to be an unusual machine in that you have to lower the top to engage the horn with the tone arm.

That's about £120 in UK money and you couldn't buy one for that price here in the country where it was made and where you'd expect to find them........they are quite rare machines in rexine cases, but the leather cased version is very rare. If I saw it in the UK for that price you wouldn't have spotted it as I would have snapped it up already. So I'd say it is a BARGAIN at the price given that it's Hen's Teeth rare over there and a very desirable machine to boot!

[CarlosV]

I saw this unusual machine, a Roberts Bestone portable, in the View Royal Salvation Army outside of Victoria BC.

They are asking $200 CDN for it, which seems quite steep.

$200 is a good price for this machine, which is not usually found and quite unique in that it is one of the few portables that has a frame completely made in aluminum (fitted in a leather exterior) and is designed to play only when closed. I bought one in the UK eBay for about that price recently.

[Lah Ca]

Thank you all for the replies.

I went back and actually looked at the Bestone machine this morning.

Out of the display case and visible from all sides, the machine is a bit of cosmetic train wreck--lots of leather rejuvenation work. Normally, I would have walked away and perhaps should have. However, with great encouragement from my wife (who thought the machine weird and sort of cool) and with considerable reservations and much hesitation on my part, I bought it. I would have haggled hard over it if it had not been in a charity shop, but hey ... it was.

Mechanically the motor so far seems completely sound. There was enough tension left in the spring when I released the break that the motor would run well and for some time, seemingly at an appropriate speed, and quietly without platter wobble at that.

And there is no crank. I will have to jury rig something. Also the clip inside the top for holding the crank is gone and has been replaced with a bag which closely matches the colour of the interior.

The gaskets in the reproducer are dried up and shrunk to nothing, but the mica, which is loose in the housing on the end of the needle arm, looks good and can probably be salvaged. I have tons of gasket tubing which should serve well here if it is of appropriate thickness.

The gasket on the tone arm where it meets the inlet of the horn has seen better days, but if I can get if off and rejuvenate it (or vice versa), it will probably serve OK flipped over. Or.. I go shopping for O-rings.

My machine differs from the one in the video in that there are no needle cups in mine, nor is there any evidence that there ever were any. Also the machine in the video is missing its platter retention washer. The spindle is cut for a flat blade screw driver and unscrews. On mine, beneath the spindle there is a washer which holds the platter in place. The platter cannot be lifted off without removing the spindle and washer.

How old is the machine? Well, mine left Liverpool on April (?) 20th, 1924 (?), on the Cunard ship, SS Athenia, in the company of a Miss (?) G. E. (?) Blackwell, travelling Tourist 3rd Cabin, in room 209. And, yes, the machine was wanted on the voyage.

[Lah Ca]

I saw this unusual machine, a Roberts Bestone portable, in the View Royal Salvation Army outside of Victoria BC.

They are asking $200 CDN for it, which seems quite steep.

$200 is a good price for this machine, which is not usually found and quite unique in that it is one of the few portables that has a frame completely made in aluminum (fitted in a leather exterior) and is designed to play only when closed. I bought one in the UK eBay for about that price recently.

I wonder if you could post a picture of your crank next to a metric ruler. A picture of the end would be helpful, too. Thanks.

[JerryVan]

I saw this unusual machine, a Roberts Bestone portable, in the View Royal Salvation Army outside of Victoria BC.

They are asking $200 CDN for it, which seems quite steep.

$200 is a good price for this machine, which is not usually found and quite unique in that it is one of the few portables that has a frame completely made in aluminum (fitted in a leather exterior) and is designed to play only when closed. I bought one in the UK eBay for about that price recently.

I wonder if you could post a picture of your crank next to a metric ruler. A picture of the end would be helpful, too. Thanks.

"And there is no crank. "

[Lah Ca]

"And there is no crank. "

Yes. I know. And this wasn't an entirely rational, sane purchase.

However, the motor is probably just a little Gerrard unit, and if so, it is likely that the crank will be a fairly generic Gerrard thing, supplied with the motor. So I hope it will not be so difficult to find a crank that fits.

Also a crank is not a high-tech sort of thing. With access to the right tools, I could fabricate a functional one. I know people with the tools.

I cannot find picture of another machine exactly like mine. Mine has a wine coloured lining and platter mat. Others I have seen have a green or white/cream interior. Others have needle cups which are mounted through the aluminium frame. Mine has no needle cups, and there are no holes in the frame for mounting them. Then there is the curious bag in the lid of mine. It is definitely of the same material as the lining and platter mat. The stitching is the same as that on the lining. There is no evidence of a rivet ever having gone through the case to hold a clip for the crank. There is evidence of there having been a crank. The lining is worn down behind the horn where the end of the crank would have rested. I am wondering if the bag is original, a pouch for needle tins and accessories. Its button-down leather strap is exactly the right place to go over the bend in the crank.

[JerryVan]

"And there is no crank. "

Yes. I know. And this wasn't an entirely rational, sane purchase.

My apologies! I thought you were asking the OP for pictures of the crank, when in fact you are the OP! And I am an idiot

A very cool phonograph! You got a neat item!