Columbia "Princess" Grafonola

[estott]

I've just found out that the Grafonola I saw at Brimfield MA. is a "Princess". I wonder if it will be there when I go back in September?

[bbphonoguy]

For your sake, I hope it is still there. I think it's very attractive. I don't want my phongraph collection to be any larger, so my rule is that if one comes in then one goes out. I would would be happy to make room for this machine.

Let me know if you're able to get it.

[estott]

It'll be chancy, for one thing the asking price was around $500 which is a bit high for me, especially with the missing louvers.

[bbphonoguy]

$500.00 is high for a machine in that condition. Maybe you can talk them down? It's an unusual machine, and doesn't take up much space.

I just noticed in the ad that there's a little flap next to the tone arm. Is that just to give one room to manuever while working the phonograph? Also, the flap appears to interfere with the crank. How odd.

Was this Columbia's answer to the "Spider Leg" VVX?

[Victor78]

I noticed that side flap/door as well and was wondering what it's for. It sure is a unique little machine though!

[SonnyPhono]

I really like this one. So many Columbia Grafonolas tend to be somewhat bland. This one is not ornate by any means, but the simplicity and curved lines make it a very attractive phonograph. And the fact that it isn't going to clutter a room is great!

The louvers could be a problem. Apparently this is the first of Columbia's phonographs to have them. I found this ad while looking some things up today and it "announced" the louvers as opposed to doors. I wonder if the louvers from other Grafonolas may fit this one.

[Neophone]

Folks,

A day late and a dollar short-I've had this graphic tucked away for a while-It's part of another little gallery I've had planned-a machine gallery composed of images from vintage adverts &c. edited and tinted by some of us with a little bit of info to each one.

Regards,
John

[gramophoneshane]

It was certainly a well advertised model. Im surprized there's not a lot more of them floating around.
It looks like a rather small machine, so my guess is the side flap was to give easy access for changing the needle & records. It looks quite deep under the lid with not much room to maneuver. They might have been worried people would try & pull the tonearm upward too much to see what they were doing?

[estott]

It's one of the few "Leggy" machines that really looks nice- it's similar to the Victor X but much nicer proportions and with the lid closed and louvers shut it can pass as a parlor stand.

Here's another example of a Columbia Grafonola disguised as a center table- though the decal on the outside isn't all that subtle:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Rare-VIntage-Columb ... 911.c0.m14

[gramophoneshane]

Gee, Columbia certainly wasn't afraid to disguise their machines as other pieces of furniture. You could probably furnish an entire room with nothing but their machines, and most people wouldn't know there was a phono in there.