Columbia Motor

[dutchman]

Any idea on what year this little Columbia motor appeared? I bought another client machine off Ebay and after working on it for a day have it humming along. I have a house full of machines and ran out of room for machines other than these little client machines. At any rate, this is a Columbia, does not look like it was ever stripped, has no decal, just the usual Pat stuff and oiling instructions. The single spring barrel is small but the motor runs quiet and plays through a full sized 78 and has plenty of spring left. TIA

[tinovanderzwan]

it looks like a standard disc hornless

[Phonofreak]

It is a late model BZH, circa 1914-15. It was sold by Sears in their Oxford line. I believe they sold for $9.95. Nice machine you have. I love these Columbia Client machines.
Harvey Kravitz

[Lucius1958]

It is a late model BZH, circa 1914-15. It was sold by Sears in their Oxford line. I believe they sold for $9.95. Nice machine you have. I love these Columbia Client machines.
Harvey Kravitz

I guess that puts my BZH in the earlier category: I wonder when they made the change from the old style speed control to the newer...

Bill

[dutchman]

Thanks for all the info. I'm starting to really like these little client machines. The last 4 machines I bought are Arentino, Lakeside, Standard Model E and this one. I sold 17 machines late last year and like many on the forum still have 40 plus and flat out of room

Thanks again and have a good weekend....

Bill K

[Phonofreak]

The early push-pull speed controls were used from about 1902 until around 1909-10 on the branded Columbia machines. Columbia went to the lever system on the branded machines around 1909. This early speed control was used on the client machines up until around 1912 until Columbia went to the lever system on top of the motor board or bed plate. As we all know, Columbia didn't seem to have standards like Edison or Victor. That's why we sometimes see late Columbia machines with earlier parts. It was what Columbia had on hand. To me, that's what makes these machines so intriguing.
Harvey Kravitz

[tinovanderzwan]

Thanks for all the info. I'm starting to really like these little client machines. The last 4 machines I bought are Arentino, Lakeside, Standard Model E and this one. I sold 17 machines late last year and like many on the forum still have 40 plus and flat out of room

Thanks again and have a good weekend....

Bill K

i love these too from a collectors point of view i like them
as a player machine... not that much things like weak springs and under-cured gears as well as bad balanced front mount machines are a everyday occurrence the busy, aretino and harmony front mounts are top heavy so don't put them on a small shelf with the horn sticking out it will topple off
iv'e seen bend gears in these machines because sometimes they lack the hardness they should have
and as for the springs most as-found clients wont play a whole record after the machine has been re-greased and oiled
so nice shelf queens but questionable player machines

[Lucius1958]

The early push-pull speed controls were used from about 1902 until around 1909-10 on the branded Columbia machines. Columbia went to the lever system on the branded machines around 1909. This early speed control was used on the client machines up until around 1912 until Columbia went to the lever system on top of the motor board or bed plate. As we all know, Columbia didn't seem to have standards like Edison or Victor. That's why we sometimes see late Columbia machines with earlier parts. It was what Columbia had on hand. To me, that's what makes these machines so intriguing.
Harvey Kravitz

Another point is the motor itself. My BZH has a typical Columbia motor, with cast plate and horizontal-axis spring barrel: the motor pictured above looks more like the third-party pillar-and-plate motors used in portables, etc. Could Columbia have outsourced motors for client machines at some point?

Bill

[dutchman]

and as for the springs most as-found clients wont play a whole record after the machine has been re-greased and oiled
so nice shelf queens but questionable player machines

Thanks for the tip. I hear you on the spring(s), I've been lucky so far

[Phonofreak]

Bill, I've been out most of the day and I'm answering your question. The early BZH had a small case with a stamped metal grill. It used the same push-pull motor that was used on the early horned machines, both front mount and rear mount. This one pictured used the later pillar and plate motor.I have both versions. I believe Columbia imported these motors from Germany around 1912 until 1914. These motors were used in the inexpensive Grafoniolas , Disk Graphophones, and Client machines.
Harvey Kravitz