Hmv gramophone identify

[fghr111]

Hello all

I found this gramophone at an antique shop. Lately I developed a passion for old gramophones, so owning an old HMV is nice.

The seller told me that all the pieces are original, I dont know to say, particularly about the motor which has Columbia engraved on it.

His selling price is around 1000 euro, I dont know what to do. Please consider that I am not buying it for selling it later, I will leave it to my children

Please advice. Thank you & best regards

[Steve]

If that motor is indeed actually fitted inside the cabinet anyone claiming it to be all original is either utterly clueless or worse! My advice is to run, not walk away from this. However, as the motorboard is still clearly covered with rexine on the top, the photo of the motor is not showing the motor inside the cabinet, so who knows what's going on?

With the Columbia motor (if applicable, though I say it's almost certainly not) this would be a "Frankenphone" based on an HMV No. 2 base. The Columbia 5A motor would not have any place whatsoever being inside that cabinet. The Decca soundbox is not original either. However, the horn condition is also quite rough. For 1000 Euros you might find an all original HMV No. 2 with decent wooden horn and correct Gramophone Company "Exhibition" soundbox. I would save up your 1000 Euros for something better!

P.S. The motor is from a portable gramophone judging by the rexine visible on the underside around the edges, although am I the only person slightly baffled by the inclusion of the correct winding handle, speed control and a case top that looks correct?......the two photos don't marry up at all. The motor photos are showing a motor removed from a portable with its original motorboard. They do not correspond with the machine cabinet whatsoever. How could you wind it when positioned correctly so the winder and winding gear are aligned. The motorboard wouldn't even fit the top. Is this a wind up? I suspect it might be. Whatever it is, I would not trust any seller who mixes photos up like that; their attention to detail will likely be next to zero.

[Hoodoo]

I agree with Steve, those photos don’t make sense.

[fghr111]

Thank you all for your valuable insights and advices. I had a feeling that the gramophone is made from scratches if I may say so. I will pass it and search for something else.
Best regards

[Steve]

Thank you all for your valuable insights and advices. I had a feeling that the gramophone is made from scratches if I may say so. I will pass it and search for something else.
Best regards

Just to clarify, it is certainly not made from scratch. It is a genuine HMV No. 2 with correct back-bracket, tone-arm, winding handle, speed control, brake and desirable wooden horn. The problem is that you have apparently shown us an incongruous set-up in the photos whereby the motor is a Columbia 5A mounted on a motor-board from a portable gramophone. It does not bear any relation to the rest of what is shown in the photos.

The soundbox is from a Decca and not the original Gramophone Company "Exhibition" type but that is a relatively minor problem to fix. Overall the condition is fairly good but the horn is not in a great state, making the gramophone not really worth the asking price. At 1000 Euros, you need to know that it can not be re-motored with the wrong motor. As I said, I don't understand your photos as I do not believe the Columbia motor has anything to do with it. As you have stated that you have seen this gramophone in person (and presumably taken the photos?) only you can shed any light on the Columbia motor question.

[JerryVan]

In simple words, (the only ones I know ), the motor that you've shown is not the motor in that gramophone. It's the wrong photo. What's really in that cabinet may well be the proper motor.

[Inigo]

There is also a mp4 video of an hmv motor in operation, which seems to function perfectly well, and it seems a video of the hmv Gramophone' opened...

[jamiegramo]

There is also a mp4 video of an hmv motor in operation, which seems to function perfectly well, and it seems a video of the hmv Gramophone' opened...

Inigo, I think this adds to the confusion. You have found a video of this Gramophone?

[Steve]

I think this whole thread is an early April Fool. I've said all I'm going to but yes, I'm curious as to who is behind this and how some people can miraculously find a video of this actual machine playing when, as I understand it, it's in a shop somewhere and not online?

[jamiegramo]

At first I thought it must be scam but a remotored machine for 1000 euros isn’t much of a bait. Perhaps genuine confusion or the seller is offering to supply the Columbia motor because the original motor doesn’t work?

Not much of an April Fool though. No one on this site would believe the photos were all the same machine.