Decca XL portable question

[Steve]

Same with me... not buying a flamant Columbia 109/112/201 ??? on a stitched leather case with gilded hardware.... I still lament for that...

Sounds like a 111 or 111A possibly. I can't imagine any living sane person would pass up an opportunity to buy one of them. That model is officially on my "Wants But I Know I'll Never Find It List"

[Oedipus]

The XL was a Junior - the latest in the Junior series, and the 'XL' differentiated it from earlier versions. Its main feature was the shallow case with full-height metal corners. There was also a similarly modified version of the full-size model (with round Dulciflex and Telesmatic sound box and arm), which was called 'X'. (It's all in the booklet.) If these letters were Roman numerals, the larger model was '10' and the smaller one '40'. I doubt that; I reckon they were just random letters chosen to identify new models (which were short lived, as they were cotemporary with the 'twin-digit' series, starting with the 'Six-Six'.

The 1930 'Salon Junior' which, as you say, resembles the 100, was as far as I know the last Decca to carry the Junior name.

[Steve]

The XL was a Junior - the latest in the Junior series, and the 'XL' differentiated it from earlier versions. Its main feature was the shallow case with full-height metal corners. There was also a similarly modified version of the full-size model (with round Dulciflex and Telesmatic sound box and arm), which was called 'X'. (It's all in the booklet.) If these letters were Roman numerals, the larger model was '10' and the smaller one '40'. I doubt that; I reckon they were just random letters chosen to identify new models (which were short lived, as they were cotemporary with the 'twin-digit' series, starting with the 'Six-Six'.

The 1930 'Salon Junior' which, as you say, resembles the 100, was as far as I know the last Decca to carry the Junior name.

The XL pattern of machine was also available badged as a "Junior", of course. Was it a "Junior" before they switched to badging it as an "XL"?

[Oedipus]

No sooner that I posted that last reply, I was looking through a 1927 Talking Machine News in search for something else when I found the attached ad for the XL. This makes no mention of the word 'Junior', but thinking about it, it does appear on the machine itself -- enlarge that previous photo I posted (and I realise it's not the best photo) and you can just see the words 'Junior Portable' under 'Decca'.

This ad also confirms that, at the time of its introduction, the soundbox, with its Duralumin diaphragm

was new and special to this model, though of course it might have spread to others later.

[Steve]

No sooner that I posted that last reply, I was looking through a 1927 Talking Machine News in search for something else when I found the attached ad for the XL. This makes no mention of the word 'Junior', but thinking about it, it does appear on the machine itself -- enlarge that previous photo I posted (and I realise it's not the best photo) and you can just see the words 'Junior Portable' under 'Decca'.

This ad also confirms that, at the time of its introduction, the soundbox, with its Duralumin diaphragmIMG_2730.JPG was new and special to this model, though of course it might have spread to others later.

Indeed this might be the case but there are XL pattern machines simply badged as Juniors. Here is one such example of 3 currently for sale on Ebay:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/275527643843 ... R96lgPOpYg

[Oedipus]

Yes, because Junior is what they say on them. XL might have been on the paper label under the turntable (I think they still had them, though such labels disappeared for a few years soo after). Ebay sellers tend not to look for such things.