Pictures of My Sonora Jacobean De Luxe art case Robespierre

[Victrolaman]

Hi all, Finally got a chnace to take some pics of my newest find. This is a rare 1921 Sonora Art Case Model, Jacobean Robespierre. Some of the highlights of this fine machine are Triple Spring Gold Plated Motor, and it is a huge motor work horse, i never seen a motor so big come out of a phonograph and like new and very clean. All hand carved wood tone arm, mortor will play 45 mins on 1 crank, and it had a motor meter to on the motor board, the glass lens on the gauge reflected from the flash..
Electric Light to, im in the process of getting that going.
I have heard of these great machines and seen pics but never saw one till i got mine, This machine new was close to 1200 or more in 1921.
Enjoy the pics.

[alang]

Wow, this IS a beauty. I can't believe that all the parts look like they've never been used. It really must have been kept very well. Even though I don't really understand why anyone would gold plate the motor if it's hidden within the cabinet? Or is it somehow visible?
Also love the design of the tonearm and all these beautiful carvings. Only the grille looks a bit different, lighter color. Is it a replacement, or is it lighter because it was hidden behind a lid? I can't make it out if that's an open lid that slides in below?
Great find. Congratulations! I love it.
Andreas

[Victrolaman]

Wow, this IS a beauty. I can't believe that all the parts look like they've never been used. It really must have been kept very well. Even though I don't really understand why anyone would gold plate the motor if it's hidden within the cabinet? Or is it somehow visible?
Also love the design of the tonearm and all these beautiful carvings. Only the grille looks a bit different, lighter color. Is it a replacement, or is it lighter because it was hidden behind a lid? I can't make it out if that's an open lid that slides in below?
Great find. Congratulations! I love it.
Andreas

Hi,
No its the same color as the rest, i think it was the flash from the camera, yeah that motor you could eat off of it, very clean and like new..
gold plating to me seems od to, as you dont see, it, but when your speding a few thosand you want the best i guess, i paid 280 for it..

[gramophone78]

This motor is a Paillard "L" motor also known as a Apollo # 14 motor. It has a play time of 40 minutes and was the biggest spring motor they made.It is made of lacquered brass not gold plated.Paillard supplied Sonora with most of their hardware and motors because of the low cost factor.The motor in your machine is a later version called the "LS" that is cast in one of the cast housings.

[gramophoneshane]

I'm just curious, but is the name " Jacobean Robespierre" used on the machine or in any advertising?
It seems like a rather odd combination of names to me, the cabinet style has nothing in common with the Jacobean furniture I'm familar with, apart from the diamond above the grille.
Then again, the Chippendale model posted in the other thread doesn't look like an entirely accurate representation of Chippendale either lol. It does however show clear influences of the Chippendale style.

[Victrolaman]

I'm just curious, but is the name " Jacobean Robespierre" used on the machine or in any advertising?
It seems like a rather odd combination of names to me, the cabinet style has nothing in common with the Jacobean furniture I'm familar with, apart from the diamond above the grille.
Then again, the Chippendale model posted in the other thread doesn't look like an entirely accurate representation of Chippendale either lol. It does however show clear influences of the Chippendale style.

Yes that's the model name
Sonora had a artcase period models line of 15 models
they were made less than 100 or so as they ranged from 800 to almost 3k then
they were custom made to order only, as you couldn't walk into a dealer and just buy one
so basically only the Rockefeller's of the time could but them
as far as looking like a Jacobean period piece it absolutly does?
Just look at the carvings on it or google jacobean furniture
the other guys I can't confirm chipendale model unless he knows that for sure
it does have the legs and feet of a piece like one
these machines you never see 99 percent of collectors out there will never own one as they are far and between
they had one called a Milan model as well
I will see if I can get the model names of each one and post it
my friend has an original Sonora period catalog I can ask him
that motor in that is a work of art in its self

[gramophoneshane]

as far as looking like a Jacobean period piece it absolutly does?
Just look at the carvings on it or google jacobean furniture

I just did, not that I really had to, and I still don't really see it myself I'm afraid, but hey...if that's what the company called, then that's what the company called it lol.
To me, far more obvious (and common) Jacobean features would things like barley twists, or far more bulbous turnings to the legs, and doors would normally either have plain panels with a simple (often geometrical) moulding holding the panels in their frames, or carvings would be much heavier.
The carvings on your doors, I would call Tudor style, and legs look loosely influenced by the William & Mary style, although the stretchers do not.
Still, it's not uncommon to find revival styles that were popular in the 1900-1930s period, to have features from 3 or 4 different periods all thrown together and labeled "such & such" style. Even when different styles were originally introduced & became popular, there is was usually a cross over period anyway, where a couple styles would've used together, or one style would evolve into another.

Regardless of label & style, it's still not a bad looking machine, and at $1200 they certainly wouldn't have been flying out the door, so I doubt you'd find many collectors who would hesitate in paying $275 for an art model such as this and in this condition, provided they had the room.

[solophoneman]

Wow, what do you know !! I haven't been here in awhile, so I did not realize that Victrolaman was also a member here and had already posted photos of his machine. Anyway, I can confirm that it is was in fact advertised in the Sonora Catalog with exactly the description he has given you !!!! You can see it on the page taken directly from that Catalog. They gave their Art Models really fancy historic names from European History. with other names like: Italian Renaissance Bardini, English Renaissance Edgemoor, Louis XV DuBarry, Gothic DeLuxe Normandy, Hepplewhite Traymore, Chippendale Windermere, and William and Mary Raleigh among others. Fancy meeting you here Mr.VICTROLAMAN !! Good to see you.

[dennman6]

Wow! That has to be one of the most gorgeous production talking machines I've yet seen. One could say it was the Capehart of its day. Absolutely beautiful motor on this unit, total eyecatcher. I'm thinking of the heft that motor must have. The tonearms I've seen in Sonoras, Cheneys, Starrs have always seemed a little heavy & clunky to me. This one's tonearm still seems that way, but it is so beautifully done one could "make allowances":) What does it sound like or compare to? A machine like this almost makes Victor look like the Henry Ford of the phono world, cranking out sonic Model Ts. Until you get to a VV-XVII, VV-XVIII, or VV-230. But still, a breathtaking beauty you have there.

[Victrolaman]

Wow, what do you know !! I haven't been here in awhile, so I did not realize that Victrolaman was also a member here and had already posted photos of his machine. Anyway, I can confirm that it is was in fact advertised in the Sonora Catalog with exactly the description he has given you !!!! You can see it on the page taken directly from that Catalog. They gave their Art Models really fancy historic names from European History. with other names like: Italian Renaissance Bardini, English Renaissance Edgemoor, Louis XV DuBarry, Gothic DeLuxe Normandy, Hepplewhite Traymore, Chippendale Windermere, and William and Mary Raleigh among others. Fancy meeting you here Mr.VICTROLAMAN !! Good to see you.

Lol I got the name idea from you Bruce your the original Victrolaman I'm the second lol
I also like to note to that Bruce here assisted me in all my knowledge of this great machine so all the info he gave you all here I got from him so he deserves the credit
but I don't know why the poster above doesn't think this is Jacobean design?
It has the wheat scrolls down the sides?
But Bruce listed the other art models to in the catalog
maybe he will post a pic of the model he sent me from the catalog