Pathé No. 25 Oak Table Top Phonograph

[Tom565]

Hi. I just picked this phonograph up at a yardsale for cheap. My plans were to restore it since the oak case is in perfect condition, minus the missing grill. Once I got it home, I realized the mechanicals have been heavily modified. I haven't pulled the motor out yet but I'm assuming it's not original since the handle has been moved and there are so many empty bolt holes under the turn table.

Does anyone recognize the tone arm? I'm assuming it's not original. Can anyone tell me the date on the No. 25's? I'm debating on if I want to restore this or part it out. I'm leaning towards restoring it and leaving all of the mixed matched parts on it. It would still display nice if I found a front grill. Thanks

[drh]

I had a look in Copeland & Dethlefson's Pathé Records and Phonographs in America, 1914-1922, and as best I can tell (it's not quite clear), the machine was current in 1917. The relevant advertisement is below; date is not 100% clear, but I think it's August 1917 or thereabouts from Talking Machine World. Your instincts are right: that's not a Pathé arm. I'm almost certain your machine would have had an arm like the one below, picture from the same volume.

[52089]

The tonearm is a replacement. The correct Pathé tonearm was made with pot metal in a key area of the swivel joint. Nearly all of them have failed over the years. I know George V. has had good ones in the past, but I don't know if he still does.

[Tom565]

Thank you both for the information. I actually do have a spare tone arm that came off of a different phonograph that looks like it could be a Pathé based on the above pictures. It's gold though and I prefer the looks of shinned up nickel. I think I'm just going to restore this guy with all the parts that are on it now. I'd probably spend more than the unit is worth trying to piece together all of the original parts.

[52089]

That is indeed a Pathé tonearm and still attached to its base, which means the pot metal joint hasn't broken (yet). On your table top machine, the correct tonearm would probably be nickel plated. Be aware that these tonearms also vary in length.

I can supply a nickel tonearm and reproducer, but the tonearm is separated from its base, which I do not have. Just PM or email me if interested.

[Tom565]

That is indeed a Pathé tonearm and still attached to its base, which means the pot metal joint hasn't broken (yet). On your table top machine, the correct tonearm would probably be nickel plated. Be aware that these tonearms also vary in length.

I can supply a nickel tonearm and reproducer, but the tonearm is separated from its base, which I do not have. Just PM or email me if interested.

Thanks for the help. I will keep you in mind while doing my restore incase I decide to switch the parts back to the original ones. It's a long shot but you don't have a tone arm base for a Brooks Automatic Repeating Phonograph do you? I've been searching for about 3 years now and I haven't found one. It's also made out of "pot metal". I purchased the tone arm on ebay but every base I've found is badly cracked.

[GlensterTX]

A bit off-subject, but may I ask what Supertone disk is on the turntable, please?

[Tom565]

A bit off-subject, but may I ask what Supertone disk is on the turntable, please?

Sure. The Supertone is "Hobo Bill's Last Ride" on the one side. I'm not at home right now to check the other side but I zoomed in on a picture I took when I first got the machine. The record came with it.

[Inigo]

It looks good... You can go on with three parts you have and see the results. As far as you already have a Pathé tonearm, you can always peel off the golden finish and reuse it. Pathé tonearms and diaphragms are good and sound very well, with vertical or lateral 78s. The Pathé motors used to be weak, si if your current motor is better, you always can stay with it, and amend better the false holes etc. You're going to have a good versatile m machine anyway... Tonearms like that usually popup in eBay etc, so you can eventually find a cheap one that suits better the machine and makes it still better. You can move ahead with little expense and a good dose of elbow grease... that will cost patience and effort, but it is cheap!

[Tom565]

It looks good... You can go on with three parts you have and see the results. As far as you already have a Pathé tonearm, you can always peel off the golden finish and reuse it. Pathé tonearms and diaphragms are good and sound very well, with vertical or lateral 78s. The Pathé motors used to be weak, si if your current motor is better, you always can stay with it, and amend better the false holes etc. You're going to have a good versatile m machine anyway... Tonearms like that usually popup in eBay etc, so you can eventually find a cheap one that suits better the machine and makes it still better. You can move ahead with little expense and a good dose of elbow grease... that will cost patience and effort, but it is cheap!

Thanks for the information. Do you know what type of finish is typically under the gold paint on the tonearm if I was to strip it off? It's hard to tell but it doesn't look like nickel plate. Maybe just the base metal like brass? I could be wrong.