Mahogany or Walnut - or both ?

Discussions on Talking Machines of British or European Manufacture
Post Reply
User avatar
poodling around
Victor V
Posts: 2141
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 11:52 am

Mahogany or Walnut - or both ?

Post by poodling around »

Please let me know if you think that this floor standing gramophone is made from Mahogany or Walnut - or maybe bits of both.

I thought it was mahogany but the lighter pattern on the doors seems to indicate Walnut ?

Thanks for any advice / guidance / opinions about this.
Attachments
best.jpg

Daithi
Victor II
Posts: 265
Joined: Wed Dec 04, 2019 8:31 pm

Re: Mahogany or Walnut - or both ?

Post by Daithi »

It does not look at all like mahogany to me.

User avatar
Curt A
Victor Monarch Special
Posts: 6412
Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2010 8:32 pm
Personal Text: Needle Tins are Addictive
Location: Belmont, North Carolina

Re: Mahogany or Walnut - or both ?

Post by Curt A »

It looks like a faux painted cabinet to me... fantasy wood...
"The phonograph† is not of any commercial value."
Thomas Alva Edison - Comment to his assistant, Samuel Insull.

"No one needs a Victrola XX, a Perfected Graphophone Type G, or whatever you call those noisy things."
My Wife

User avatar
AZ*
Victor IV
Posts: 1143
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 8:51 pm
Location: USA

Re: Mahogany or Walnut - or both ?

Post by AZ* »

Curt A wrote:It looks like a faux painted cabinet to me... fantasy wood...
Curt beat me to it. That's what I was thinking. It doesn't look natural.
Best regards ... AZ*

gramophoneshane
Victor VI
Posts: 3463
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 3:21 pm

Re: Mahogany or Walnut - or both ?

Post by gramophoneshane »

It's hard to tell if the bare patches are missing paint or lacquer but if it's just the lacquer gone and the grain continues in those spots then it's could be a particular cut of burr Walnut. If the bare patches are just straight close grained timber then it's faux painted Walnut.
Either way, it can be fixed so I wouldn't go stripping it if it's only paint.
I think you'll find it is Walnut though as it was often used on art deco furniture, and faux finishes were pretty much out of Vogue by then.
To my eyes it appears to have book matched veneers on the doors.

The are a few veneers that were used in the art deco period that look very similar.
One was camphor laural but there are a few others.
If you check examples and advertising of HMV radiogram and upright (console) radios of the era you might narrow down exactly what timber veneer variety it is.
The piano manufacturers Beale of Australia were the biggest exporters of timber veneers in the world during the 30s and 40s so there's a good chance if it's not English burr walnut then it's likely an Australian timber.
They were used extensively by companies like HMV in UK and Philco and many others in USA

User avatar
poodling around
Victor V
Posts: 2141
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 11:52 am

Re: Mahogany or Walnut - or both ?

Post by poodling around »

gramophoneshane wrote:It's hard to tell if the bare patches are missing paint or lacquer but if it's just the lacquer gone and the grain continues in those spots then it's could be a particular cut of burr Walnut. If the bare patches are just straight close grained timber then it's faux painted Walnut.
Either way, it can be fixed so I wouldn't go stripping it if it's only paint.
I think you'll find it is Walnut though as it was often used on art deco furniture, and faux finishes were pretty much out of Vogue by then.
To my eyes it appears to have book matched veneers on the doors.

The are a few veneers that were used in the art deco period that look very similar.
One was camphor laural but there are a few others.
If you check examples and advertising of HMV radiogram and upright (console) radios of the era you might narrow down exactly what timber veneer variety it is.
The piano manufacturers Beale of Australia were the biggest exporters of timber veneers in the world during the 30s and 40s so there's a good chance if it's not English burr walnut then it's likely an Australian timber.
They were used extensively by companies like HMV in UK and Philco and many others in USA
Thank you VERY much gramophoneshane.

Here is a closer photo of the area you mentioned - does this indicate it is indeed 'faux painted' wood I wonder ? Showing 'straight, close grained timber' where it is worn ?
Attachments
wal.jpg

User avatar
poodling around
Victor V
Posts: 2141
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 11:52 am

Re: Mahogany or Walnut - or both ?

Post by poodling around »

Thank you very much to Daithi, Curt A and AZ* for their advice too. Really appreciated.

gramophoneshane
Victor VI
Posts: 3463
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 3:21 pm

Re: Mahogany or Walnut - or both ?

Post by gramophoneshane »

No, it really looks like timber veneer to me. I think if you wiped the area down with a cloth dampened with water, method or lacquer thinners, you'll see the grain and colour continue through in the dry spots. Those big cracks continuing from the finished through the unfinished spots are a pretty good indication isn't not a faux finish.

User avatar
poodling around
Victor V
Posts: 2141
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 11:52 am

Re: Mahogany or Walnut - or both ?

Post by poodling around »

gramophoneshane wrote:No, it really looks like timber veneer to me. I think if you wiped the area down with a cloth dampened with water, method or lacquer thinners, you'll see the grain and colour continue through in the dry spots. Those big cracks continuing from the finished through the unfinished spots are a pretty good indication isn't not a faux finish.

Thank you very much. I really appreciate your advice / opinion and am pleased to know that the front 'doors' are walnut vaneer.

Post Reply