HMV salesmen on the road, 80 years ago!

[epigramophone]

These pictures first appeared in "The Morris Owner" magazine of November 1931. They show an early electric machine, but are nevertheless interesting.

The cars are a variant of the Morris Cowley known as the "Commercial Traveller's Saloon". This was in essence a standard Cowley saloon with the addition of a wide side hinged door in the rear panel, which allowed bulky items to be carried once the detachable rear seat had been removed.

Imagine the fun of loading and unloading a 202 or 203. These monsters were, in every sense of the word, difficult to move in 1931.

[gramophoneshane]

Looks like it might be an HMV 521, which sold for 39 guineas with record player, or 46 guineas with an 8 record automatic changer.

[epigramophone]

The car would have cost about £200 (the opening rear door was £15 extra) which shows how expensive some gramophones were by comparison.

[gregbogantz]

I'd be interested in seeing the record changer that you mention as offered in the model 521. Can anyone supply a picture?

[Swing Band Heaven]

Looks identical to my HMV 523 which came out in 1931. I have to charge my camera but will post some pictures of it later.

Greg, as far as I am aware I think that the auto changer on these was the sliding plates design which were notorious for records getting jammed in if you didn't use recods with the rounded edges. My 523 is the model without the auto changer so Im afraid I cant supply a picture...I used to have an early Marconi radiogram with that type of chager on it, but it got left behind in the UK.

S-B-H

[Swing Band Heaven]

HMV model 523 (1931)

S-B-H

[gramophoneshane]

Thanks for posting your 523 Richard. It's awesome!! (If you ever want to sell it, please let me know )

As far as I know, the 521 & 523 shared the same cabinet, but the 521 used 5 tubes/valves, and the 523 used 7. The station dial on the 521 was also located in the middle of the panel, rather than at the top as on your machine.

[Phono48]

Richard, that is one beautiful machine! Thanks for posting pitures.

Barry

[epigramophone]

Returning to my original thread, which would have been under "UK Machines" had that section existed at the time, here is one of a fleet of cars supplied to HMV in 1937. Special arrangements were made with the registration authorities for them to be issued with HMV plates.

The car is an Austin Twelve "New Ascot" saloon, and an identical example once owned by my father is the first car I can clearly remember travelling in. It was roomy, comfortable, heavy and SLOW.

Apologies for the fuzzy image, which originally appeared in the HMV house magazine "The Voice" in May 1937.