Empty Cockleshell Monarch case

[Steve]

I know of a certain collector with parts for a Cockleshell Monarch, but after spending 18 months trying, have yet to be able to get them. If you get the case, I can give you the lead.

Garret

Thanks, Garret, but I'm never going to try and build a machine from a less than perfect empty box. The CM isn't exactly a rare machine (one just came up on Ebay last week); if I desperately wanted one, I'd just wait for a complete and totally original machine to turn up at auction and buy that instead. In over 32 years of collecting I've never once bought spares to "build" a machine nor regretted it. I've met too many collectors who have spent years and sometimes decades attempting to complete machines. For me, life is too short and I honestly lack the patience. There is also that lack of satisfaction of looking at the finished item and noticing how the disparate parts never quite gel together as those originally assembled in the factory would and then age together.

Shoot the purist in me!

[Steve]

I would love to have 2 columns for mine. Mine currently has 2 reproduced columns. Although done very well, as you say, it will always be a new part. I'd be happy to to buy 2 columns if you get this case. I'll admit, I'm not sure how this helps you however.

That's interesting. If you don't mind me asking, was it costly to get two columns turned?

[JerryVan]

I would love to have 2 columns for mine. Mine currently has 2 reproduced columns. Although done very well, as you say, it will always be a new part. I'd be happy to to buy 2 columns if you get this case. I'll admit, I'm not sure how this helps you however.

That's interesting. If you don't mind me asking, was it costly to get two columns turned?

Steve,

I don't know. They were installed by a previous owner. I had the machine for several days before I concluded they were reproductions.

[Curt A]

If you are not going to buy it, don't want to restore it from an imperfect cabinet, don't have any use for it... why ask?

[Steve]

If you are not going to buy it, don't want to restore it from an imperfect cabinet, don't have any use for it... why ask?

I shouldn't really have to justify myself to you when so far everyone else here has been polite and friendly and chimed in positively with their thoughts but since you asked, I'll explain anyway.

The world of gramophone collecting has changed considerably over the past few years and continues to do so. Prices are low for commonly seen items unless they are perfect or near perfect, or unrestored. The economical and practical aspects of a potential project like this need to be considered carefully as collectors are rightfully very choosey and some things are no longer viable for restoration and are perhaps "too far gone". I have little experience of restoring machines from scratch so I was hoping to obtain some input or thoughts from some other collectors who know more about major restoration than I do. I personally won't restore the CM and I'm not convinced anyone else will either as there is too little to start off with and it's not economically viable looking at it now with the suggestions various other collectors have made. It'll take too long and cost too much if you could even find the parts, which I doubt very much. Interestingly, today at RetroTech UK I saw another collector unload 2 empty complete CM cases onto another collector / dealer after he'd been sat with them for almost 40 years without success. That was a "Game Over" moment for me. Alternatively I was asking to see if anyone had any ideas about re-purposing the case or possibly if anyone simply wanted it to repair theirs etc. In either scenario it might have been worth me picking it up. As I said at the outset, being a long-time collector who obviously would like to find things in the wild (which I so infrequently have done) my collector's impulses are going to have me reaching for my wallet when I see something like this languishing on a shelf gathering dust. However, after today I realise, sad to say, the Cockleshell Monarch case is probably not worth buying, even at £40.

Come to think of it, if I'd bought one of the other cases with this I could have made a prayer stool in order to pray for a complete machine to come my way at a reasonable price!

[Curt A]

"I shouldn't really have to justify myself to you when so far everyone else here has been polite and friendly and chimed in positively with their thoughts..."

You read a lot into my comment... it goes without saying that you don't have to justify yourself or offer any explanation. You are also implying that my comment was not polite or friendly and expect all comments to be positive. Why? I was just pointing out the obvious - if you have no intention to buy it or restore it or offer it as parts to other collectors, why waste time beating a dead horse...? By the way, this is being made in a polite, courteous and friendly way, not to mention positive and not snarky - can't you see me smiling?

[poodling around]

If you are not going to buy it, don't want to restore it from an imperfect cabinet, don't have any use for it... why ask?

I shouldn't really have to justify myself to you when so far everyone else here has been polite and friendly and chimed in positively with their thoughts but since you asked, I'll explain anyway.

Thank you very much indeed steve.

I for one have always considered my-self to be a 'positive chimer' as I happily keep furtling around like an inquisitive, friendly little hamster.

[Steve]

If you are not going to buy it, don't want to restore it from an imperfect cabinet, don't have any use for it... why ask?

I shouldn't really have to justify myself to you when so far everyone else here has been polite and friendly and chimed in positively with their thoughts but since you asked, I'll explain anyway.

Thank you very much indeed steve.

I for one have always considered my-self to be a 'positive chimer' as I happily keep furtling around like an inquisitive, friendly little hamster.

I almost choked on my Cornflakes when I read that! You might want to check out the "Urban Dictionary" as "to furtle" appears to have other connotations these days!

[poodling around]

I shouldn't really have to justify myself to you when so far everyone else here has been polite and friendly and chimed in positively with their thoughts but since you asked, I'll explain anyway.

Thank you very much indeed steve.

I for one have always considered my-self to be a 'positive chimer' as I happily keep furtling around like an inquisitive, friendly little hamster.

I almost choked on my Cornflakes when I read that! You might want to check out the "Urban Dictionary" as "to furtle" appears to have other connotations these days!

I have to admit that I was dismayed when I hastily referred to my trusty, original copy of 'The New English Dictionary - With Appendixes', (March 1932) only to find that the word 'furtling' isn't actually listed there ........... and yes, it is the much revered and sought after 'John Bull' edition ! So I will have to accept that in this modern era things are different.

At this rate I suppose that even the old Shakespearean retort and adage: 'better to be a balloon frocked gull than a sped woruld sprite', at least in some circles, has also lost it's entire original meaning !

Gadzook's !

(It was a 12 though wasn't it )

[Curt A]

Sorry to everyone for my recent bad mood...