Unusual Columbia reproducer ?

[Gramtastic]

Hi, can anyone tell me about this Columbia reproducer ?
Thanks

[phonogfp]

That's not a Columbia reproducer, but a Bettini Attachment made to fit a Columbia Graphophone.

The angles of these attachments vary to accommodate different models of Graphophones, so you'd need to try it on the actual machines to determine what it will fit. The orifice appears to be a "P" size. Bettini horns are scarce...

George P.

[rgordon939]

What an amazing find. You are very fortunate.

Rich Gordon

[Gramtastic]

Hi, thanks for the info. I was going by the box which says "Columbia Phonograph Co". It is not mine but up for auction in the UK tomorrow. I assume the badly dented red horn goes with it ?

[phonogfp]

Hi, thanks for the info. I was going by the box which says "Columbia Phonograph Co". It is not mine but up for auction in the UK tomorrow. I assume the badly dented red horn goes with it ?

Columbia marketed the Bettini Attachments in Europe, much as it marketed Hawthorne & Sheble record cabinets in the U.S.

Yes, the battered red horn is for a Bettini Attachment. Well worth straightening!

George P.

[US PHONO]

My understanding is that it is a "rip off" of a bettini reproducer by the French branch of Columbia. There is no ID on the piece, Bettini branded all his stuff. It is made of pot metal and usually quite fragile and prone to disintegration. As you can see its already been touched up where the weight screw enters the pot metal body. The horn is also made for this particular reproducer.

[phonogfp]

My understanding is that it is a "rip off" of a bettini reproducer by the French branch of Columbia.

I believe these were made under license from Bettini. I've read that Pathé was the European manufacturer, but that seems curious since Columbia was marketing them. Still, follow the money...

George P.

[Bruce]

This looks like a fantastic project and will restore very nicely.

I would take a serious run for this and don't be shy with the price

Good luck

Bruce

[US PHONO]

Pathé as manufacturer is very likely. The horn is identical to the straight Pathé horn with obviously the narrow end different.

The reproducer is rather just for viewing in its box, and they do degrade. If you display it on a machine, one night there will be a "clonk" as gravity wins over the pot metal and the counter balance parts company (had to learn this lesson twice). The part that connects to the Phonograph is very prone to breakage and if you have it on the AT for a length of time it can sieze onto the connector and you cannot remove it, or break under its own weight / or the metal contracting. Experienced this a few times.

The retaining ring is quite thin. They are quite brittle and slowly turns to dust.

Quality of these is far removed from the excellence of Bettini.

[Gramtastic]

If anyone is interested the auction is at Boldon Auction Galleries, Tyne and wear +441915372630.