Total hack job?

[USlakeside]

Hi estott,

Yes, thats what I was thinking. However its hard to find those fittings in the states!

[gramophoneshane]

To be honest, I'd be more inclined to find a victor machine to attach the back bracket to. At least you'd end up with an authentic, quality machine that will be a saleable item or addition to your collection, instead of a piece of junk that most people wouldn't pay more than $50 for.
Fill the holes in the cabinet & replace the top, and you'll have a stylish bedside cabinet or telephone table.

[Steve]

To be honest, I'd be more inclined to find a victor machine to attach the back bracket to. At least you'd end up with an authentic, quality machine that will be a saleable item or addition to your collection, instead of a piece of junk that most people wouldn't pay more than $50 for.
Fill the holes in the cabinet & replace the top, and you'll have a stylish bedside cabinet or telephone table.

Sounds like a good plan to me and the only realistic one. Finding good quality matching components from European machines isn't exactly easy in Europe either. At least you know where you are with the Victor hardware.

By the way, what soundbox does it have currently?

[Uncle Vanya]

Hi estott,

Yes, thats what I was thinking. However its hard to find those fittings in the states!

Not as difficult as one might think! I have a set smoke-damaged fittings form a Palliard left over from my late fire, in addition to a similarly smoked Pathé back bracket and tone arm, with a decent original horn and horn elbow.

What I need is an HMV back bracket and tone arm to complete my Gramophone & Typewriter Co. "IONIC"! Of course, I realize the G & T stuff is far more valuable than the Palliard or Pathé bits. Both are a bit hard to come by here in the 'states, though.

[gramophoneshane]

Actually, if USLakeside could pick up a cabinet such as an Ionic, or one of the other more highend cabinets, that would ensure his initial outlay wouldn't be lost. Those early G&T/HMV machines all used imported parts from Victor, so even if a totally empty cabinet could found overseas, it would well worth getting it posted to USA & rebuilding it.
I still think selling or swapping the only decent part of the machine is a bad idea & is really just throwing money away.
Even if you got a replacement horn & bracket along with a few hundred dollars, you are still left with a non-original machine that will never appreciate in value, or even be saleable.
Personally, I'd rather spend another $500 or so, and end up with a $2-3000+ machine

[USlakeside]

Thanks for these tips. I never thought about putting it back on a victor machine primarily because there was a soldered 1.5" brass tube soldered to what looks like a vic I or Zero tone arm between the goose neck and the taper arm. This was done so the needle passes over the center of the record correctly. Its well done, but totally wrong. The reproducer is also not victor, its a "New Universe" made in England.

The machine is in my parents place now, (i never see it) and seems to have settled into part of the decor so I am less inclined to take it apart these days. The green tin horn is the part that would be best put back on a vic, maybe my V! But I would have to send the parents something nice as a replacement. Something simple, like a mahogany spear tip horn

How hard is it to find these HMV Gramophone and T cases?

THANKS!

[Steve]

How hard is it to find these HMV Gramophone and T cases?

Almost impossible to find here these days!

[kiwibloke]

I have a HMV G&T IONIC, mine is missing the crank, horn, elbow, and yoke that secures the horn elbow in place. Turntable is present, motor purrs. Put someone has gone and drilled holes in the front of it Thank god I paid for it in NZ dollars in stead of pounds. The reproducer tone arm back bracket are present. So now I need is a another cabinet, well just the bottom with the pillars on the cnrs. Some one on this site has one missing the bracket and tone arm, reproducer. Would they consider selling it? Cheers Mark Dawson NZ. Email [email protected] phone 0064068700156.

[jamiegramo]

Hello, i'm Jamie from England and this is my first posting. Forgive me but I don't believe this is a pot cupboard. I believe it is an original gramophone pedestal. Arguably the most valuable part of the hack job. I have a 1903 Gramophone & Typewriter pedestal here and the art nouveau shaped corner pieces are similar to mine as is the shaped top. You will note that there is a line of wood going around the top surface forming a square. Originally this was raised beading that stood proud and the phonograph sat within this beading. It has been sanded down so it now just looks like an inlay band. Something like a G & T Monarch Senior (Victor Monarch Special) could sit there! The single shelf is also correct and you may find there is a vertical piece of wood underneath it in the middle. Albums of records were designed to sit on top and below the shelf. The G & T pedestals were made in Germany and distributed to the gramophone companies in europe and it appears none crossed the atlantic for Victor. I'm not sure if this is a G & T pedestal or another German/Swiss maker. I can send photos of mine if you want and you'll see the similarities. I would remove the phono parts and look into having the holes plugged or veneered but i'm pretty crazy about these pedestals.

[Valecnik]

Jamie,

First of all welcome to this board!

Regarding your posting, some pictures would be helpful. There was alot of discussion about this item. Perhaps your pictures would change, or possibly reaffirm some opinions here.