Columbia Grafonola model 452 tabletop

apruizii · Post by **apruizii** » Mon Dec 03, 2018 6:48 pm

I'm about to pick up the machine in the attached photo. It looks really different from the traditional Columbia Grafonola lid, louvers, and style. It is a viva-tonal machine. I've seen the ad in the photo on a Chinese web site. Was this machine made in China? Does anyone have any other information about it?

Thanks,

AR

AZ* · Post by AZ* » Mon Dec 03, 2018 8:40 pm

It is similar to my Columbia Viva Tonal 420 I picked up about 10 years ago. I had assumed mine was made in India, as it is similar to other Indian machines of the 1930s onward. Note the cheap, tiny horn.

apruizii · Post by **apruizii** » Mon Dec 03, 2018 9:30 pm

After a little more research I found out it was manufactured by Japan Gramophone Shokai (Nippon Columbia) around 1936. So it's Japanese, not Chinese. It's definitely an unusual really cool looking machine!

AR

apruizii · Post by **apruizii** » Mon Dec 03, 2018 9:53 pm

AZ,

Thanks for sending the photos. There's not much info on the internet about these machines. So, you may be right about these machines being made in India...I'm just going by the little research I did.

I just picked it up and noticed the plastic handle on the crank of yours is the same as mine. I think yours and mine are identical except for the grill. I'll have to take the motor board out to verify. My machine doesn't stop automatically by moving the tone arm to the edge of the end of the record and don't see a start and stop mechanism. I think there's something missing. I've posted some photos so of mine. Could you please post photos showing the platter and any other parts around it to get an idea as to what mine may be missing.

Thanks!

AR

AZ* · Post by AZ* » Tue Dec 04, 2018 1:58 pm

AR,

Here are the photos you requested. I've also included closeups of the Columbia #9 soundbox. Your machine and mine are similar, but there are a few differences -- note the speed control.

Mine is also missing the part that engages the auto brake. I believe there should probably be a metal tab extending from a ring that attaches to the turntable spindle. It would be activated by the long flat arm from the base of the tonearm. On my UK portable Columbia 204 and Indian HMV 113, these tabs are located on the bottom center support of the turntable, but I see no way that would be possible given how the turntable on my Columbia 420 is constructed. Maybe someone else knows.

The auto brake on my Indian HMV 113 doesn't work, so I simply mounted a manual brake on the motor board. I was considering doing that as well for the Columbia 420, but never got around to it. I use the speed control lever to bring the machine to a stop.

Keep in mind that these machines have a British colonial connection. In 1931, Columbia and HMV in the UK merged to form EMI, so you will find some cross-polination with respect to Columbia and HMV machines after the merger. Columbia UK was a distinct entity from Columbia US, much as Victor and HMV were distinct organizations. The UK based EMI company comprising HMV and Columbia manufactured the mechanical parts, and the overseas machines were often assembled using locally built cases, such as from teak in India. History and documentation for these so-called tropical models are skimpy at best.

Yours might have been made in Japan. The Victor 1-80 Orthophonic was made in Japan.

See:

http://www.victor-victrola.com/1-80.htm

apruizii · Post by **apruizii** » Tue Dec 04, 2018 8:53 pm

Bill,

Thanks a lot for the photos and the added information about the machines! I appreciate it...really cool stuff. I removed the tone arm and motor board and now I see our machines are similar except for the speed control being different. It's too bad the brake mechanism is missing. I'll look into putting on a manual brake like you suggested. I noticed there was a brittle material around the tone arm hole of the base that I removed. I think it was to make a seal. What other material should I use?

Thanks,

AR

AZ* · Post by AZ* » Wed Dec 05, 2018 1:54 am

apruizii wrote:I noticed there was a brittle material around the tone arm hole of the base that I removed. I think it was to make a seal. What other material should I use?

You can use about anything that would provide a reasonable seal. I would avoid gooey materials like caulk. I would not use rubber, as it tends to react with nitrocellulose lacquer finishes. Cardboard, like the back of a paper tablet, sheet cork, or felt material should all work OK.

apruizii · Post by **apruizii** » Wed Dec 05, 2018 7:44 pm

Bill,

Okay, thanks for the tip! You have a very nice cleaned up machine!

Thanks again for the photos.

AR

Jaso · Post by **Jaso** » Fri Feb 01, 2019 4:52 pm

I believe these Columbia models were built by the Nipponophone Co., Ltd factory in Kawasaki after 1931. They started using the UK Columbia trademarks without the Great Britain text in 1931 and looks like they imported most of the metal parts from UK. Here is my model 452, serial no. 19116. The cabinet seems to be made of some sort of local stained birch wood. My example is missing the used needle pot cover and the No.15 nickel plated reproducer is not original. Yours is missing a spring loaded Bakelite stopper at the spindle axle.

Jaso