My first gramophone

[Gramofon]

Hey. I'm from Norway, so sorry if i spell something wrong.
I got my first gramofon two days ago. But have googled a lot! Knowing nothing about the gramofon I have received, tok some photos. Hoping that someone knows something about this machine? Another thing I must say is that the lid is stamped, stating: "gift from merchant navy comfort service". I have ordered a new diaphragm, pins and gasket. Hope someone can help me finding the name or brand.
How do I know if I have to, dismantle the engine for new oiling?

[Nat]

Jette bra! Men den ser ut som en slags HMV.

Portables are a lot of fun - I've actually got two. Best wishes!

Nat

[Gramofon]

I was sitting and google for hours last night. Then I came across a page on wiki. Know that it finds on the wiki should be taken with a grain of salt but maybe someone here can confirm this?
I cant find enny gramophone which is identical to the one I own. I may have misunderstood what I read, but the way I Understood it was "national band" origin of hmv
Also goldring portable does loock the same as mine.

What I found

Thank u Nat

[Joe_DS]

Other than the basic HMV style, which was copied by most off brand manufacturers, I see no exact match for HMV products, in terms of the components or parts used. Most of the components look like those supplied by Swiss manufacturers to the second tier companies.

There were a few online references to "National Band Gramophone Co." One shows a green version of the model you have -- http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/National_B ... mophone_Co -- but provides no information about the company.

Doing a Google Books search -- https://www.google.com/search?q=%22nati ... 4&dpr=1.54 -- I noted that the earliest references is from 1938, and the latest is from 1957. (There was also a mention a 1980 edition of the Hillandale News, which profiled antique gramophones, records, etc.)

A children's version of your gramophone, dated from 1949/1950 appears on this page -- http://books.google.com/books?id=IzhXyR ... 22&f=false

There may be a few references to the brand in historic UK newspapers--not available online, of course--and other trade publications. If I understand this correctly, the Gramophone Magazine -- http://www.gramophone.co.uk/news/gramop ... rchive-app -- now requires a subscription to access its archives. Perhaps some member of this forum who DOES subscribe could do a search for you, to see if there are any references to the company.

Joe

[Gramofon]

Im new to this so. I was searching and searching for and see if I can find relevant information. All tips, experiences and thoughts are received with great thanks! Will look at the links you sent me

[US PHONO]

National Band portables were in all probability manufactured by Thomson, Diamond and Butcher who were gramophone, radio and electrical parts suppliers in Tottenham Court Road, London.

They wholesaled the machines to dealers. They were taken over in the very late 1950's possibly by the Rank Group.

I agree with Nat, portables are a lot of fun, and exist in many forms of layout from the standard style as pictured above to bowl in lid reflectors like Decca, folding Apollos, Pixie Grippas etc the variety is huge and the list of different manufacturers quite vast. It shows the ingenuity of entrepreneurs during that era.

[Joe_DS]

National Band portables were in all probability manufactured by Thomson, Diamond and Butcher who were gramophone, radio and electrical parts suppliers in Tottenham Court Road, London.

They wholesaled the machines to dealers. They were taken over in the very late 1950's possibly by the Rank Group.

I agree with Nat, portables are a lot of fun, and exist in many forms of layout from the standard style as pictured above to bowl in lid reflectors like Decca, folding Apollos, Pixie Grippas etc the variety is huge and the list of different manufacturers quite vast. It shows the ingenuity of entrepreneurs during that era.

I think you solved the mystery! In fact, I saw a reference on this page -- http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Thompson,_ ... nd_Butcher -- and suspect the author meant "National Band " Gramophones and not "National Brand" Gramophones. (I also came across an electrical gramophone identified as a Thompson, Diamond Butcher "National Band" gramophone that was for sale -- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Recor ... 7675.l2557 )

A specific reference, linking the owner's names with the company's name can be found here -- http://books.google.com/books?id=4lRBAQ ... CD0Q6AEwBA

Joe
(I contacted Grace's Guide to alert them to the error.)

[Gramofon]

National Band portables were in all probability manufactured by Thomson, Diamond and Butcher who were gramophone, radio and electrical parts suppliers in Tottenham Court Road, London.

They wholesaled the machines to dealers. They were taken over in the very late 1950's possibly by the Rank Group.

I agree with Nat, portables are a lot of fun, and exist in many forms of layout from the standard style as pictured above to bowl in lid reflectors like Decca, folding Apollos, Pixie Grippas etc the variety is huge and the list of different manufacturers quite vast. It shows the ingenuity of entrepreneurs during that era.

Thank u! This is greait, thanxs too all off you for helping me

There is so menny on this site, whit so mutch knowledge! It make it so fun reading about everything

[Joe_DS]

...In fact, I saw a reference on this page -- http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Thompson,_ ... nd_Butcher -- and suspect the author meant "National Band " Gramophones and not "National Brand" Gramophones. ...I contacted Grace's Guide to alert them to the error.)

Darned if they didn't fix it already! I also received a nice email from them, as a follow-up.

Joe