Acoustic (spring motor) Panatrope with electric radio?

[Joe_DS]

1928 Brunswick Panatrope & Radiola -- http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/atq/4597478572.html (new link)


I've never seen this one before, and unfortunately, can't make out the model number from the photo --

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From what I can see, it's an all-acoustic Exponential Horn Panatrope coupled with a radio that uses a separate loudspeaker; comparable to the Victor VV-7-11 -- http://www.victor-victrola.com/7-11.htm .

Joe

[marcapra]

I've owned several Panatropes, both Exponential type and electronic. I have to say I've never seen this one and really doubt if that cabinet is a real Brunswick. First of all, all Brunswick Panatropes have doors covering the grille area in the late 1920s and that grille doesn't show any family resemblance to Brunswick. This would be a good one for Prof. Wakeman, the Brunswick expert, to look at.

[Skihawx]

I think I have seen this one before. In the un-refinished condition. I thought it was ugly
then and glad I didn't have one. I'd bet it was to compete with the Victor VE 7-11.

[De Soto Frank]

How'd she go so blonde ?

[epigramophone]

How'd she go so blonde ?

Yes, I wondered why no attempt had been made to colour match the refinished exterior with the original interior. It would not have been difficult to at least get close.

As for the cabinet itself, I cannot imagine that a quality manufacturer such as Brunswick would have placed the winding handle in such an awkward position. I suspect that the machine may originally have had an electric motor and has since been converted to spring power.

We don't see many Panatropes in the UK, but I wouldn't want this one!

[Joe_DS]

I've owned several Panatropes, both Exponential type and electronic. I have to say I've never seen this one and really doubt if that cabinet is a real Brunswick. First of all, all Brunswick Panatropes have doors covering the grille area in the late 1920s and that grille doesn't show any family resemblance to Brunswick. This would be a good one for Prof. Wakeman, the Brunswick expert, to look at.

I just looked through Brunswick Phonographs, Panatropes, and Records. By R.J.Wakeman -- don't know why I didn't think of that before. It's available for free at http://www.antiquephono.org/brunswick-p ... j-wakeman/ (JUST CLICK ON IMAGE TO DOWNLOAD BOOK)

It appears to be the model 2KRO -- (Page 234)

As suspected, the exterior of the cabinet received the "peroxide treatment" at some point. I noticed that the ad mentions that the radio is powered electrically, but nothing about the phonograph's motor, so I'm pretty sure that it did, indeed, come with a spring motor, as was also mentioned in this post -- http://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/vie ... 1&t=201348 . I also spotted this ebay ad for the motor -- http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-phonogr ... 1364583955

Joe

[Edisone]

I think 2 or 3 elbows would be needed, to wind this freak!

[Joe_DS]

I think 2 or 3 elbows would be needed, to wind this freak!

Well....I wouldn't exactly call it a "freak" any more than I would the VV-7-11. But it does make me wonder about the mindset of the designers.

It would have made more sense to me, for both this one and the 7-11, if the radios were battery powered. In that way these models could have been marketed to customers who wanted something that looked like the ones their "electrified" city dwelling relatives had. Conversely, it also would have made sense for the turntables to have been electrically driven, since the radio sets were slaved to electrical outlets. (Victor, at least, offered the electric motor option for the 7-11, but there's no mention of Brunswick doing this in the ad.)

Pure speculation, but I'd guess, in Brunswick's case, their goal was probably to use up the unsold stock of spring motors originally intended for the lower end Exponential Horn Panatropes. It's been noted on this forum that they had some left over spring motors after the company abandoned the phonograph business. Some of the old motor stock even made its way to Sears Silvertone products well into the mid 1930s, for instance -- http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=97

Since this is the only one I've seen in the 35 years I've been involved with this hobby, my guess would be that the 2KRO probably went over like a lead balloon. In contrast, the 7-11, even though it essentially housed the same Victrola as was used in the portable 2-55, seems to have been far more popular, based on the surviving numbers.

Joe

[rizbone]

The large price drop in the ad would seem to back up the "lead balloon" theory.

[Joe_DS]

I'd guess, as a collectible, this would be classified as "rare but valueless"?