Junk People Will Try And Sell

[gramophone78]

It really makes me wonder why anyone would go to so much trouble to cobble a machine together in order to make a couple bucks. This is certainly not a Berliner. The distributor plate is the Berliner part on this mess... . However, the sellers name says it all.... .
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Victor-Talking- ... 2357e275c5

[Curt A]

But... it's "Hand Crafted" by someone who cares...

[Mlund2020]

I think that some people build and post 'crapophones' with the intent to deceive. However, often times I think uninformed people sell their 'treasures' assuming they are original and highly valuable without realizing they really have a worthless piece of crap. That is the case with this seller who I know well. He is a great guy and an expert in band organs, nickelodeons and orchestrions. I often rely on his advice when looking to purchase these type machines. However he has no knowledge of, or interest in phonographs. He recently bought out a collection of band organs which included a few phonographs. I told him I would be happy to looks at pics of the phonographs to give him some idea of value. Unfortunately he did not send me pics until after he had already listed this 'crapophone' on EBay. He assumed it was original and valuable. After he sent me pics and a link to his EBay listing I informed him this was a worthless machine someone had cobbled together from miscellaneous parts. I told him it had no value to a collector and maybe nominal value to a noncollector as a novelty piece. He immediately pulled the listing from eBay. The other machines that he received as part of this collection included 2 descent Edison Home machines which appear to be in excellent original condition and a small foreign puck machine. So as the saying goes 'Buyer be ware' because the seller is often unaware.

[gramophone78]

I think that some people build and post 'crapophones' with the intent to deceive. However, often times I think uninformed people sell their 'treasures' assuming they are original and highly valuable without realizing they really have a worthless piece of crap. That is the case with this seller who I know well. He is a great guy and an expert in band organs, nickelodeons and orchestrions. I often rely on his advice when looking to purchase these type machines. However he has no knowledge of, or interest in phonographs. He recently bought out a collection of band organs which included a few phonographs. I told him I would be happy to looks at pics of the phonographs to give him some idea if value. Unfortunately he did not send me pics until after he had already listed this 'crapophone' on EBay. He assumed it was original and valuable. After he sent me pics and a link to his EBay listing I informed him this was a worthless machine someone had cobbled together from miscellaneous parts. I told him it had no value to a collector and maybe nominal value to a noncollector as a novelty piece. He immediately pulled the listing from eBay. The other machines that he received as part of this collection included 2 descent Edison Home machines which appear to be in excellent original condition and a small foreign puck machine. So as the saying goes 'Buyer be ware' because the seller is often unaware.

I agree. Sometimes it's better to do a little basic homework first in order to not tarnish ones reputation. The real red flag for me (I"m sure many), were the other machines in the background.
This can make the whole sale even more suspicious in appearance.
Glad you were able to inform him "before" there's an issue. Although, at a starting price of $4000....it have taken a long while.... .