Zonophone parts

[penman]

Shouldn't the early glass sided Zonophone A have a horn with a leather elbow ? I know that later glass sided models have the typical Zonophone elbow.

[fonograph]

Jerry the letters on the reproducer are actually engraved. No paper.
And let me clarify, I get 100% money back if not completely satisfied...

So, it appears that Frank Seaman was quite an entrepreneur to say the least. Two questions: Is it possible that the machine could have come with the standard sound box originally? Would the horn also be correct for this machine?

I'm gonna try to post more pix of the whole machine later.
Thanks,
Bob

[phonogfp]

Shouldn't the early glass sided Zonophone A have a horn with a leather elbow ? I know that later glass sided models have the typical Zonophone elbow.

Yes, the early A/B/C/D series had leather elbows originally (which might be good news for Bob's restoration).

However, the original Zonophone sound boxes were pretty bad. Even worse than Berliners to my ear. When the V Concert was introduced, I suspect (due to the rarity nowadays of the earliest closed-face Zono sound boxes) that many, many owners substituted the V Concert for the earlier closed-face design. It may be (I don't know) that some of those owners also substituted the more modern metal-elbow horn for the less stable leather elbow design. I'm not so confident of this possibility as of the sound box switches. But there seem to be far more of the metal elbow Zono horns out there than the leather elbow type.

George P.

[phonogfp]

Two questions: Is it possible that the machine could have come with the standard sound box originally? Would the horn also be correct for this machine?

1) No - absolutely not. I'm not usually so black & white with answers, but there's no way the Universal Talking Machine Company/National Gramophone Corp. would have sold a Zono with a Gibson sound box on it. That's not to say a dealer couldn't have made the switch. Far more likely is that the original owner made the switch - especially if your A is an early one which would have originally come with a close-faced sound box.

2) Sorry - - I can't tell much about the horn from the photos.

George P.

[fonograph]

George, thanks so much for the insight...I'm having a hard time finding much info about zonophone. Here are a few more pictures.....sorry for the dust and dirt.

[fonograph]

More photo

[fonograph]

The elbow if broken off at the elbow...hence the electrical tape. I have a donor horn to rob an elbow from

[TinfoilPhono]

A nice early A, with the crank coming through the case rather than through a hump on the motor top.

If I had that I would carefully remove the metal elbow and use a leather one, which would be more accurate for a machine like this -- as well as a lot easier.

[phonogfp]

Ditto to what Rene said... Plus, the support arm is close-to-center: the earliest configuration. I'm betting your serial number is below 5000. In addition, although your horn has the metal elbow, it retains the earlier bell shape - - shallow. I'd do as Rene suggests and remove the metal elbow and use a leather one. That would all be perfectly legitimate and original equipment.

Original correct small crank too! You're lucky.

As far as the Gibson sound box is concerned, you could use it on the Zono as representative of an early (and extremely rare) upgrade that the original owner might have performed in 1901 or so.

Congratulations!

George P.

[TinfoilPhono]

:slaps forehead: I didn't even notice the position of the support arm. George is right, this one is very early. A great find.