Picnic Gramophone With A Difference !

[Steve]

When this was made the Decca range had recently introduced the models 10, 20 and 30 with the rounded ends. It has a similar motorboard (tonearm mounting) profile as the 10. Also the lid tray pocket is similar to the cheaper models Junior and Crescendo. It does benefit from the "extended" horn which was used on the 20 and 30, as well as the previous range models 85 and 90. It is odd why they didn't include the lid stay though.

I presume it has its original soundbox? It looks like a typical Decca type of the period anyway.

Well done, Chunny, for securing it. There are no hard feelings on my part.........well, not many anyway!

[Phono48]

Does anyone have a clue on how the hinges work as stays? I can't really use it without risking the lid falling shut on the soundbox.

Those hinges were used on many portable machines, including the HMV 99. If they are thoroughly cleaned and de-rusted ( is that a word?) they tend to make the lid lean slightly backwards. I've never had an accident with a machine that uses them, but any build-up of rust will prevent them from opening fully.

Barry

[Inigo]

I've had other Gramophones with these lid hinges, and I suspect they were designed to hold the lid up completely straight, vertical. In the example I remember the most, the lid had a reflector bowl with the tonearm attached, much like a Thorens copy of the Decca portable. These weighted a lot, so the lid stayed opened in the upright position fairly well. The hinges had some resistance to be closed, so the shape of the plate loops that hold the square ring in place surely had something like a narrow spot or something to retain the square rings in the open position.

[chunnybh]

I have these hinges on other cases but the lids all tend to lean further back. This one does not and is vertical, all four hinges had a bit of mushed felt stuck to the bottom of the square ring. In it's original position the felt must have helped hold the lid up. Once the felt was dug out the lids stay further back but on a picnic with a bit of wind the lid would fall.
...
On further cleaning, the lids open a fraction more and there was a click. The hinges seem to lock with a click when fully open. Seems to work fine now. I'd still feel more comfortable with a lid stay.