Phrynis horn gramophone - which model and year?

[Steve]

I don't know the model number but I think it should be from around 1915 and will try to get more info.

Thank you, Jeff, that would be very much appreciated. I look forward to hearing more!

[Starkton]

This specimen is certainly not one of the best out there but after spending many hours cleaning the glue-like nicotine off the horn (which actually made me believe the horn was originally painted brown on the outside!),

Did it smell like nicotine? Did you use water to clean it?

Some day I will find a Triton horn of 1907 with matching phonograph arm by Max Stempfle of Berlin.

[Curt A]

Yes... those are exactly what I was thinking of - both of those "tuba" horn machines are great... I'm a fan of unusual looking machines, practical or not...

[Phonofreak]

Beautiful machines you have there. I really like these exotic European machines, myself. I think they have much more class than the usual Victor, Columbia, or Edison. The Phrynis is so cool. I really like the decal in the front showng the Swiss and American flags. You are so fortunate to own such fine machines.
Harvey Kravitz

[Steve]

Did it smell like nicotine? Did you use water to clean it?

Yes it did and no I didn't....well not water alone anyway. It was literally gloss brown on the outside - a very hard and well built up coating of nicotine so I used warm soapy water and some "Ciff" diluted and worked the hardened nicotine off with circular movements of a 'firm' sponge pad. Hence, why it took so long! I had to use some "T-Cut" in places to remove very stubborn areas and where the nicotine had coated inside seam edges and pressed grooves. I then rinsed it off several times with weak solution of detergent (washing up liquid) before finally using just clean water to rinse the soap suds off. When dry I polished it with a car wax.

[Steve]

Beautiful machines you have there. I really like these exotic European machines, myself. I think they have much more class than the usual Victor, Columbia, or Edison. The Phrynis is so cool. I really like the decal in the front showng the Swiss and American flags. You are so fortunate to own such fine machines.
Harvey Kravit

Thanks, Harvey. I totally agree with you. When I first started collecting I stuck resolutely to "HMV", the GB equivalent of Victor. I occasionally used to see the likes of these German, Swiss and French machines with fancy horns but whilst interested I used to steer clear of them fearing the unknown. There were numerous books and articles about discussing HMV, Columbia, Victor and Edison so it was easy to identify models and which part belonged to any particular machine.

It was only many years later that I took a gamble with a continental machine without any prior knowledge of what it should be. I'm glad I did diversify my collection now as, in the main, the machines pumped out by the "Big Three" are quite generic in design. The Europeans certainly had a lot more flare and dare-devil gusto.

[Phonofreak]

Starkton,
The photo you provided was very cool. I really like the picture of the Edison Standard with the back mount. Anymore details on this machine?
Harvey Kravitz

[TinfoilPhono]

Great machine(s)! I've wanted a Phrynis ever since I bought a copy of Marty's book in 1981 during a visit to Brussels. I've never seen one in real life.

[gramophone78]

Great machine(s)! I've wanted a Phrynis ever since I bought a copy of Marty's book in 1981 during a visit to Brussels. I've never seen one in real life.

Rene, you took the words right out of my mouth.... .

Steve, you have a very nice collection of unique machine's. Maybe now a hot-air is needed...???. .

[Retrograde]

Great machine(s)! I've wanted a Phrynis ever since I bought a copy of Marty's book in 1981 during a visit to Brussels. I've never seen one in real life.

The Marty book does give some inspiration to want one of these, however the horn of Phrynis in the book is not anywhere as nicely colored as the one posted by Steve.
...and notice there's a copy of the book on the windowsill in the last picture posted by Wagnerian from the CLPGS Phonofair. The cover of the book features a Phrynis No. 10 with a standard horn. In the book, page 141 is of a similar No 10(?) but with the more sexy horn.

The book (ISBN 0880293888) says that Phrynis was originally vertical play in 1906, but soon switched to lateral play.