The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

My wife spotted this at a flea market last week. She saw the berliner record on it and called me over to look. I just stood there for some while looking at it trying to figure out if it was real or what. I knew there were wooden ratchet machines but had never seen one of these. I was pretty sure it was old and the decal looked like a real one so we bought it. I would love to complete it if possible even if it required some reproduction parts. Are any available? Thanks

Very cool! looks similar to this --> http://mrgramophone.com/display_item.cgi?item=306

That has to be one of the Berliner finds of the century....even last century... . Worth thousands as it sits. Finding the correct parts will be next to impossible. Some repro parts are made but, the reproducer will be a major challenge.
Unless your an advanced collector..... you may want to put it out on the market for the guys that have the parts to complete it. I would estimate less than a handful have survived and even the one on Mr. Gramophone's site has some repro parts.

Congrats on a great find. Please post more pics and loose the piece of wood dowel that is on it. Nothing to do with the machine.

That little machine looks one step beyond music box technology with the ratchet wind and its shape.
I would be curious to see what the motor looks like.
I have a small Symphonium disc music box that winds with a ratchet that sticks out the side of the box.

Thanks Gramophone78, I have been collecting phonographs for years but had never seen anything like this. I don't want to sell it but would really like to complete it if I can afford to.

Congratulations!

Indeed you have a large portion of an original 1896 Berliner "tin-can" ratchet wind machine. These were introduced just after (actually concurrently with for many months) the Berliner String wind phonograph. It is truly a rare piece. Only a handful of them, complete, are known. The dowel, or stick at the front of the machine has been added. There would have originally been an elegant turned gutta percha post that accepted the pivot pin in the wooden tone arm. The parts you are missing - tone arm, post, reproducer, horn, and tone arm rest are essentially the same, or substantially similar to those on a later Berliner String wind. So yes, some parts have been, and still are reproduced. The competition for original parts for this machine will be tough.

Again, congratulations and great instinct!

Shawn

i was stunned when i found a meltrope III soundbox on a columbia 112A for 25£ and a large 40's hmv radiogram for £15 at a flea market, this blows them out of the water!, you lucky so and so !
good luck with it

Thanks Shawn, Thanks Kirtley, Here are a few more pictures. The second picture is what I found when I cleaned it.

Shawn, I forgot to ask. Where is the best place to find the parts?

Holy smokes! Congratulations! That's an unbelievable stroke of luck.

Your metal-cased lever-wind Berliner was manufactured between Nov/Dec. 1896 and March/April 1897. I'd be interested in knowing the serial number. It will be stamped on the rectangular piece of metal mounted horizontally above the governor weights with a nut in the middle.

Below is a photo showing how it would look complete.

With that kind of luck, you should take a trip to Atlantic City!

George P.