Help about POLYPHON mechanism

[Roland]

I'm a new man on forum - so HELLO everyone
I have got a box only BOX and one disc.
Maybe someone has photos with mechanism for this polyphon.
The drive from the front ??????

[emgcr]

Hello Roland and welcome to this forum.

You seem to have a beautiful case there which would have contained a well-engineered mechanism. It is hard to discern the scale from your photos so a few measurements would help the investigation.

I have attached a few photos of my Mikado which, although different, might assist with generic information. Mine plays discs with a diameter of 24 ⅝". The top motor plate measures 12" x 5 ½" and has a height of 5 ½" from the case floor on which it sits. The double comb is 4 ¾" wide and 10 ¼" high. The mainspring is 2 ⅜"in width---more correctly 60 mm.

Here is a playing link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiIOz0Sx7gs

Your machine seems to have been front wound, as you suggest.

I hope this is helpful. Best wishes, Graham.

[alang]

That is a stunningly beautiful machine Graham.

Andreas

[Roland]

Graham,
Thank you for your help. You have got beautiful machine - polyphon.
I attach more photos - my box.
What do you think - it was changer polyphon???
I have got two polyphons - 19 ⅝ and 15 ½ now I'm looking for changer polyphon. At this moment I have got only box

Roland

[emgcr]

Roland,

My extended knowledge of these wonderful machines is somewhat limited but I do have a friend who owns "changer" Polyphons and examples from other manufacturers. I have sent him your details to see if he is able to help or point you in the right direction. I shall report back in due course.

All these large wonders are incredibly rare, especially the "changers". May I ask what makes you think yours was made by Polyphon ? As market leaders, they usually had their name clearly announced on the outside of the case. I imagine finding the "works" for this one may prove near impossible I am very sorry to say but....you never know now that we have the miraculous worldwide internet !

Graham

[Roland]

Today I find http://www.icollector.com/Music-Box-Pol ... r_i7151009
Very poor picture. Look at my jpg. There is the label on the back. No more info inside or outside.

[Roland]

I find!

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Polyphon-Muenzau ... 7675.l2557

[emgcr]

Well, I have never been so happy to eat my words ! What a simply amazing find---well done indeed ! However, do I guess that you found this after the sale had finished and that you were not the buyer ?

I promised to come back with my friend's comments and here they are:

The base seems to open from the top forward at an angle, similar to your Mikado. Could we establish whether or not this is the case? Autochangers don't do that, as you couldn't fit the discs in at an angle like that. Changers generally have a second side hinged door with a lock on it and you put the discs into a framework so that they stand up in a vertical position. Therefore I doubt if it was a changer. Is the case in two parts - upper with mechanism standing on a separate disc bin, or is the whole case a single piece? The bow-front part just below the upper door is certainly a Polyphon feature. The front wind is most unusual, and I would suggest that it is worth investigating whether someone once fitted a gramophone motor behind the handle escutcheon. Is there any sign of another winding hole (maybe plugged now) anywhere on the right side of the cabinet, probably about level with the floor of the upper section? If no, then we are looking at something very rare. Looking at the top of the cabinet there is a panel just below the dentilling that has a carved scroll device attached to it. It seems to be a different colour to the rest of the mahogany cabinet. Could it have been added later? If so, removing it might reveal the original maker beneath it.

I would agree that the top cover plate (slightly different colour) is likely to be non-original and hiding the Polyphon name and that this machine has been altered at some stage from its original specification in quite a few respects. I would guess that the front winding position has also been added at a later date to accommodate a different motor and set-up.

Perhaps the models are not too different and your case and these "works" can now be amalgamated ? Hopefully, one of you will be happy to sell to the other ? The best of luck anyway ! A very exciting project. Please keep us posted.

[Roland]

I'n NOT the buyer
I found only ebay.de HISTORY !!!!!

[US PHONO]

Hallo Roland

There was a 6 disc changer, Polyphon Autochanger Model 1N that had a similar cabinet design to yours but was taller in the upper portion. Why is your cabinet not from an autochanger? Polyphon Autochangers had their motors attached to the side, 1N was on the right side. As we see with your cabinet there is nowhere on the side that a motor would be positioned. As like a normal polyphon, you have sound grilles on the sides of your cabinet.

As for the cabinet, its missing some beading, and - as already mentioned - the odd piece of wood above the top door does not belong.

Are the original holes still in the cabinet, ie hopefully the back has not been replaced.