Good from afar, but far from good.

[epigramophone]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ANTIQUE-GRAM ... %7Ciid%3A1

The two sections of the horn probably did not start life together. Most horns of this type that I have seen are all brass.
The machine appears to have been re-motored.
The soundbox appears to be an HMV No.4.
Nevertheless, someone has already bid £700 for it.

[nostalgia]

I am happy I, despite my short experience with horm gramophones, have been taught on the forum how to avoid the biggest pitfalls when buying horn gramophones.

And £ 700....

[jamiegramo]

I was somewhat amazed at the high starting price of this item and then gob-smacked when it got a bid. Also dumbfounded by the sellers declaration that the item has been well looked after over the years.

The case has been re-motored and appears to be held together with nails, there isn't even a spindle to place the record on.

The machine does have an unusual horn connector possibly from a German coin-op machine, and this may be what has attracted a bid to this frankenphone. All the same £700...

[epigramophone]

The one and only bid has now been withdrawn. Perhaps the alarm bells rang when the bidder realised that no-one else was interested.

[jamiegramo]

The one and only bid has now been withdrawn. Perhaps the alarm bells rang when the bidder realised that no-one else was interested.

I wasn't surprised the bid was retracted. Unfortunately someone else got stung. The seller immediately relisted the item and promptly got an offer of £700 which, I assume, the seller could not accept quickly enough.

The buyer may have made the mistake of believing that as it was a new listing it had not been seen on eBay before and made a rather hasty offer.

But then maybe they want that nice horn connector for a better machine. I hope so because as collectors we don't want to see potentially new collectors or enthusiasts get stung for a lot of money on an item that isn't correct. Perhaps the buyer will take a second look at the pictures or at eBay history and attempt to cancel the deal.

We may not have seen the last of this machine!

[epigramophone]

It is only about 20 miles up the M5 from me, so if it stays local I may well get to hear about it.