FOR SALE: Oxford BZH grafonola, brass tonearm, $200 OBO

[VanEpsFan1914]

Hello collectors,

I'm selling my Oxford Talking Machine. As the title says, it is the BZH Hornless type machine.

The mainspring in it is a vintage Honest Quaker, so I know it has been worked on before me. Motor spins over nice & strong--though it's a pillar-and-plate type it has power to spare even on 12" Victors.

Cabinet sports a beautiful original oak finish. This model does not have tone leaves, but a grill, and through the openings the wood-grained paint on the metal horn is showing. I'd rate the paint a 7 out of 10. It's not great but man, most of it's there and it's a nice touch.

Tone arm & reproducer are salvaged from an absolute piece of junk and rebuilt with bits supplied by Forum members. The sound is amazing--lots of crispness & clarity. I would compare it with a good quality open-horn talking machine, but without the thing on top to hit one's head against.

Now here are the quality problems:

1. Fiber gear works but motor does not start itself all the time. You have to spin it over by hand now & then. I'd get a replacement if I was going to play this thing constantly.
2. Crank is what is found on it but might not be original. I have started it with a flat crank from a BN Graphophone and those look really cool on there. They are also available cheap if you want replicas. I don't know what an Oxford crank should look like.
3. Platter felt is aged, but present. Has a couple small moth holes.
4. Sheet-brass Tone arm is cracked but repaired with adhesives, reproducer no longer swivels and nothing will budge it. All has been left "as is" to avoid shattering the thing. Presents very well, though, and plating is nice. I thought it would buzz but it's working just as good as my big Victrola.
5. Needs feet as it currently has nasty chrome bumpers.


Basically I put it back together & got it singing again, but it could stand a little sprucing up. This factors into the price. If you've ever looked for one of these, though, they're quite difficult to find. That also factors into the price.

They sold for $9.95 back in the day but I can't afford to go that low.

I'll get pictures when the light is better. Right now it's dark.
Best of luck,

Charles F.