"Operaphone" Phonograph...Odd Machine

[estott]

The lettering on the brass plate and the decal is a very close match to the logo on Operaphone records. I think that the company got a hold of a batch of Actuelles and decided to remade them into something sellable. It might have even been done at the Pathé factory- Operaphone records used Pathé masters for a lot of issues so there was a business arrangement already in place. It might have been a convenient way for Pathé to salvage cabinets but keep it quiet. They weren't a stranger to the notion, Pathé had already acquired the Solophone Company and sold the Solophone with just a change of ID plate.

BTW- It would be VERY funny if you turned that Operaphone brass plate over and found it was a Pathé plate on the other side.

Looking at your pictures again it's pretty obvious that the Pathé decal has been removed from under the lid.

[edisawn]

Looks like the same motor as in my Pathé Acutelle. When it was moved upward and toward the center, a new crank and hole were needed. Can also see where they put the Operaphone decal over the Pathé decal, inside the lid. I'd guess these were surplus machines, sold cheaply to discounters.

[SonnyPhono]

I just took off the ID plate. It wasn't a plate at all, it was plastic? It cleaned up pretty nice. So you think there is a possibility that this machine is really an Operaphone? Does anyone have any information on Operaphones? I still can't find anything on them and would like to know if this is a lost cause or not. Estott, what else should I check? This morning the phonograph looked dirty, but like a phonograph. Now garage looks like I am trying to build a Frankenphone!

[JohnM]

This is all very interesting! The plate must be celluloid, the first 'plastic'.

[SonnyPhono]

I think you are right John. It is probably celluloid. The horn is odd too. It seems a little impractical to mass produce.



I also found the number 818 stamped in the top part of the door frame and wondered if anyone else who may have an Actuelle could tell me if their cabinet is marked as well.

Anyway, if this was made by the Operaphone Company and is model IV,serial #11010, then why wouldn't we see more of these around. I would think that there would have been a model I, II, III etc. And if they made at least 11,000 of each then shouldn't there be literature on them somewhere, or at least someone else who owns or has seen one?

This will be a pretty big project phono for me. The problem is do I build a Pathé Actuelle, or an Operaphone IV? Either way, this explains why there were so many Operaphone records at the auction. Come to think of it, there was a whole box of Actuelle records as well. Hmmm

[edisawn]

Thanks for the pics, btw! Love to see oddball items. That horn is quite artistic - I'd keep the thing as an Operaphone! Wanna bet that they STARTED the numbers at either 10001 or 11001 ? Yours could be the real #10 ! It's got to be rare, and surely worth more than a dollar!

[martinola]

Interesting thread! As regards the serial number, they could have started the number very high. That way it doesn't appear as much like one is buying a "white elephant" of a phonograph. Very, very cool find!
Martin

[estott]

Phonograph companies practiced a great deal of trickery with model and serial numbers. I have a portable built by a Vermont hardware manufacturer, there is no evidence they built more than this one style, but it's a "Style B".

[JohnM]

I concur on the inflated serial number theory. My Biggs 'Castle Grand' is s/n 1900, and I'm fairly certain that it is the first (and perhaps, only) one that was built. It was designed in 1919, and I think they started the numbering with the last two digits of the year. http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... f=2&t=2369

I vote to leave it as an 'Operaphone', even if it remains in an uncompleted state. It needs to be preserved as a historical artifact rather than as parts for an Actuelle (which are scarce, but certainly not rare). I've never seen an Operaphone phonograph in any condition in 42 years of collecting. Perhaps another-- or even some paper documentation -- will turn up that will give you guidance on what the finished product looked like. If it doesn't happen in your lifetime, then by all means, please just preserve it for the next generation.

The Operaphone horn is Brunny-like.

[estott]

You really should send pictures to the folks at Mainspring Press to expand their article on John Fletcher and his Operaphone label: http://www.mainspringpress.com/fletcher.html