Help identifying gramophone

[bherold]

Hello,

I'm new to this site and to gramophones. I recently bought this unit (see pics) and was trying to figure out the year and make. Please help.

Thanks,
Bob

Overall

Motor

[mrrgstuff]

Hi Bob, I'm pretty new here too Welome to the site.

You will hopefully get much better answers than from me. However I can say that it has an HMV model 32 motor and it looks like it has a Thorens Sonata soundbox. The soundbox is probably a later addition. This type of soundbox has been widely faked and although they are usually easy to tell apart, it's possible it is just a better modern fake. I made a video showing the differences here:
https://youtu.be/C9FyvIl6VD4
The HMV motor should indicate it is an HMV machine, however life is never that simple. The case appears to have had lots of holes and adjustments made to it, so the motor might not be original

Was there a horn with it?

[bherold]

Thanks for the info! Yes there is a horn with it but I'm pretty sure it's a repro.

[bherold]

Hi Bob, I'm pretty new here too Welome to the site.

You will hopefully get much better answers than from me. However I can say that it has an HMV model 32 motor and it looks like it has a Thorens Sonata soundbox. The soundbox is probably a later addition. This type of soundbox has been widely faked and although they are usually easy to tell apart, it's possible it is just a better modern fake. I made a video showing the differences here:
https://youtu.be/C9FyvIl6VD4
The HMV motor should indicate it is an HMV machine, however life is never that simple. The case appears to have had lots of holes and adjustments made to it, so the motor might not be original

Was there a horn with it?

Also, it looks like the Sonata soundbox is real, exra screws, etc... One more question. The motor seems to be working fine but I'd like to clean it up and lubricate it. What do you recommend for oil/grease/solvents?

[Lucius1958]

Thanks for the info! Yes there is a horn with it but I'm pretty sure it's a repro. 20220805_174927.jpg

Crapophone horn: the elbow is a dead giveaway.

- Bill

[Phono48]

According to the collectors' "bible" (His Masters' Gramophone) the only one that has the same cabinet as yours is the Model 5, which was made from September 1913 - June 1922. To be sure, check these measurements. It should measure 14.5" square and 6.5" high. The brake on yours is a wrong replacement, and not an HMV, and the motor has been replaced, as according to the book it should have a double-spring motor, not a triple-spring. Hope this helps?

Barry

[gramophoneshane]

It is a double spring No.32 motor, not a triple spring, so therefore correct.
The brake is a Paillard so is definitely not correct.
The back bracket appears to be correct from what I can see, so it's well worth looking for an HMV horn,, elbow, Exhibition soundbox and brake to put the machine right.

[Phono48]

It is a double spring No.32 motor, not a triple spring, so therefore correct.

What on earth made me say the OPs' machine had a triple spring? The picture's clear enough!! Senile decay, probably!

Barry

[bherold]

According to the collectors' "bible" (His Masters' Gramophone) the only one that has the same cabinet as yours is the Model 5, which was made from September 1913 - June 1922. To be sure, check these measurements. It should measure 14.5" square and 6.5" high. The brake on yours is a wrong replacement, and not an HMV, and the motor has been replaced, as according to the book it should have a double-spring motor, not a triple-spring. Hope this helps?

Barry

Thank you!