![[The Talking Machine Forum - For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings]](/styles/we_universal/theme/images/the_talking_machine_forum.png)
So,
I have been long interested in the phonographs that were made using actual clock movements for motors. The two most interesting are the Clockwork Home and the Amet Echophone.
Since I collect both clocks and phonographs this seems to be a perfect intersection of interests.
Now, both of these models are extremely rare, and the most I have seen of them have been pictures in books.
I have made a video about them and if anyone has pictures of the clock movement motors they could share it would be fantastic.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWepZxuIE7A[/youtube]
Clockwork phonograph anyone?
-
Wes K
- Victor I
- Posts: 190
- Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2014 2:26 pm
- Location: Northern Oklahoma <=> NE Ohio
- Contact:
-
phonogfp
- Victor Monarch Special
- Posts: 8253
- Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 5:08 pm
- Personal Text: "If you look for the bad in people expecting to find it, you surely will." - A. Lincoln
- Location: New York's Finger Lakes
Re: Clockwork phonograph anyone?
Wes,
You're absolutely right about the "clockwork" Home and the Metaphone/Echophone using clock motors.
The Metaphone in the picture you were examining in The Talking Machine Compendium has a motor actually marked, "Waterbury." Twelve years earlier, I made note of this marking in an article in The New Amberola Graphic (#51, Winter 1985, page 4). If you're a member of the Antique Phonograph Society, you can read the article (and Rene Rondeau's later article in The Sound Box) in the online archive. The slightly later Echophones do not have this marking on their motors - at least I've never seen one.
There are another couple of Echophones on page 52 of The Talking Machine Compendium.
I sold an Echophone earlier this year, and posted photos which you can see here:
http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... es#p171094
I also posted a comparison of three Echophones, and although the motors were not the main focus, you might see something worthwhile:
http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... es#p104784
As for the "clockwork" Home, you can find better photos of its motor on pages 47 & 48 of Discovering Antique Phonographs. Although scans of these pages cannot approach the quality of the originals, here they are for what they're worth. Click on the photos below to make them larger and clearer. I'd recommend looking at the book if you have it.
George P.
You're absolutely right about the "clockwork" Home and the Metaphone/Echophone using clock motors.
The Metaphone in the picture you were examining in The Talking Machine Compendium has a motor actually marked, "Waterbury." Twelve years earlier, I made note of this marking in an article in The New Amberola Graphic (#51, Winter 1985, page 4). If you're a member of the Antique Phonograph Society, you can read the article (and Rene Rondeau's later article in The Sound Box) in the online archive. The slightly later Echophones do not have this marking on their motors - at least I've never seen one.
There are another couple of Echophones on page 52 of The Talking Machine Compendium.
I sold an Echophone earlier this year, and posted photos which you can see here:
http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... es#p171094
I also posted a comparison of three Echophones, and although the motors were not the main focus, you might see something worthwhile:
http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... es#p104784
As for the "clockwork" Home, you can find better photos of its motor on pages 47 & 48 of Discovering Antique Phonographs. Although scans of these pages cannot approach the quality of the originals, here they are for what they're worth. Click on the photos below to make them larger and clearer. I'd recommend looking at the book if you have it.
George P.
- From "Discovering Antique Phonographs" by Fabrizio & Paul. All Rights Reserved.
- From "Discovering Antique Phonographs" by Fabrizio & Paul. All Rights Reserved.
-
Wes K
- Victor I
- Posts: 190
- Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2014 2:26 pm
- Location: Northern Oklahoma <=> NE Ohio
- Contact:
Re: Clockwork phonograph anyone?
Wow! Thanks George P!
That has settled something for me that has intrigued me for decades now.
I cannot imagine how underpowerd that Metaphone would be with the 30-hr alarm clock motor!
The motors in the Echophones look like time-only 30-hour pendulum movements that have been modified. Probably not much an improvement in the power department.
That motor in the Home has a very Seth Thomas look to it. The #10 movement was a go-to movement for companies that needed a high-torque 8-day time-only movement for running all sorts of gadgets, like chart recorders, time locks, and the like. I think it is out of its depths as a motor for a phonograph.
Very Cool!
Thanks,
Wes
That has settled something for me that has intrigued me for decades now.
I cannot imagine how underpowerd that Metaphone would be with the 30-hr alarm clock motor!
The motors in the Echophones look like time-only 30-hour pendulum movements that have been modified. Probably not much an improvement in the power department.
That motor in the Home has a very Seth Thomas look to it. The #10 movement was a go-to movement for companies that needed a high-torque 8-day time-only movement for running all sorts of gadgets, like chart recorders, time locks, and the like. I think it is out of its depths as a motor for a phonograph.
Very Cool!
Thanks,
Wes
-
phonogfp
- Victor Monarch Special
- Posts: 8253
- Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 5:08 pm
- Personal Text: "If you look for the bad in people expecting to find it, you surely will." - A. Lincoln
- Location: New York's Finger Lakes
Re: Clockwork phonograph anyone?
Actually the Echophones work surprisingly well for a single play of a cylinder record. They definitely need to be re-wound for each record!Wes K wrote: I cannot imagine how underpowerd that Metaphone would be with the 30-hr alarm clock motor!
The motors in the Echophones look like time-only 30-hour pendulum movements that have been modified. Probably not much an improvement in the power department.
George P.