Early Japanese Knock-Off Orthophonic

[estott]

Check this one out:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Nice-Working-Antiqu ... 3a5528e918

A 20's-30's Japanese knock off of an Orthophonic table model- it copies all the essential features on a superficial level, even the triangular form of the lid decal. I've seen Japanese "Napoleon" needle tins so this must be the same company.

[phonophan79]

Reminds me of the VV-1-90.

http://www.victor-victrola.com/1-90.htm

[OrthoFan]

That's very close in style to the J1-80, produced by the The Victor Talking Machine Company of Japan, Limited (later JVC).

CLICK HERE

JVC produced a number of Orthophonic models--both table top machines and full size cabinet models--well into the 1930s, using virtually the same components Victor used in the late 1920s.

I wish I could see some of the patent numbers. Makes me wonder if this one was manufactured under license to JVC?

[OrthoSean]

One patent # on the reporoducer is 152711.

Does that help?

Sean

[brianu]

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! dean for uploading the photos. ebay links die eventually and are useless for preserving the images of machines - in this case, a pretty unique one - that are being discussed.

and it's funny, didn't the japanese for the longest time have the reputation for being the great innovative improvers, mainly in the area of technology... other countries, often the US, would invent something, then the japanese shortly thereafter would redo the same thing, but in a much smaller, better and faster version?

but yes, this machine definitely appears to be a fairly straight knock-off of victor's 1-80/1-90.

[OrthoFan]

One patent # on the reporoducer is 152711.

Does that help?

Sean

I'm able to see a little better this morning.

I checked 152711 on the Google Patent Search Page which covers American patents. According to what I found, it was issued in 1874, "Improvement in Leather Glazing Machines."

Another one I spotted from the ad looks like 95433. That's for "Improved Hernia-Trus."

If these are legitimate numbers, they must either be for European patents, or they are Japanese patent numbers.

[phonophan79]

It says UM patent #. Could be it's not a US patent?