HMV 105

[poodling around]

I already have one but a while ago I noticed that one or two colleagues on this forum mentioned that they were interested in finding an HMV 105.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/387017963241 ... R5yYj6PyYw

[epigramophone]

Big black and ugly, but might appeal to an HMV completist. I wouldn't give it house room.

[Steve]

I already have one but a while ago I noticed that one or two colleagues on this forum mentioned that they were interested in finding an HMV 105.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/387017963241 ... R5yYj6PyYw

I have one too as it's an interesting stepping stone between the PBO and the 100. Of course it is just a PBC prettied up with the black nickel arm (why not the soundbox and rest of it?).

However, much like every BL car made, whilst the design might have been clever on paper, the standard of manufacturing reduced it to a failure. The cabinets on these are quite weak and are often found with distorted motor boards and loose frames. The sprung motorboard design put a lot of stress on the cabinet and the door aperture is a very weak point. Now just imagine if they'd made a teak version with a brass frame around the horn to give stability to the cabinet around the front opening doors.

Nevertheless, it's a highly desirable and rare machine to have in your collection.

[poodling around]

Big black and ugly, but might appeal to an HMV completist. I wouldn't give it house room.

The 105 might be ugly to some but it has a lovely personality !

If the sight of it becomes too much then you could always throw a towel over it ?

I don't think it is that big either really and doesn't seem to weigh that much when compared to an HMV 101 for example ?

[poodling around]

I already have one but a while ago I noticed that one or two colleagues on this forum mentioned that they were interested in finding an HMV 105.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/387017963241 ... R5yYj6PyYw

I have one too as it's an interesting stepping stone between the PBO and the 100. Of course it is just a PBC prettied up with the black nickel arm (why not the soundbox and rest of it?).

However, much like every BL car made, whilst the design might have been clever on paper, the standard of manufacturing reduced it to a failure. The cabinets on these are quite weak and are often found with distorted motor boards and loose frames. The sprung motorboard design put a lot of stress on the cabinet and the door aperture is a very weak point. Now just imagine if they'd made a teak version with a brass frame around the horn to give stability to the cabinet around the front opening doors.

Nevertheless, it's a highly desirable and rare machine to have in your collection.

Very interesting indeed.

The seller mentions that the 'winding (is) a bit stiff). Mine is too but I suspect that it has a very short but very thick spring which means it only needs a few turns to be fully wound ? If I am correct then this is a very unusual but nice feature.

* The other thing is never close the lid when the winding handle is connected or you will create a hole in the lid as the motor-board doesn't go down !

* Top Tip !

[poodling around]

Well, it sold for £ 190 including postage, which seems reasonable to me.

I hope that someone on the forum got it and is pleased to have it.

[Steve]

It's really quite cheap for a rare portable from HMV in very good condition but the current market and other collectors' views on these things never ceases to surprise me. This on the day I was able to buy a mahogany No. 2 (Intermediate Monarch) complete with its original mahogany horn for £750 on Ebay, not even the The Saleroom! Add to this it's in a very clean honest unrestored state and has the rarely found double-spring motor fitted to it as it was made during 1916 when supplies of single spring motors ran short.

There is even a surviving period newspaper inside it to soak up the oil spills and grease. If I didn't already own the exact same machine, it'd be an absolute keeper, that's for certain, but where have all the serious collectors gone?

[epigramophone]

Where have all the serious collectors gone?

The CLPGS West of England Group has lost two to the Grim Reaper just this month.

[Steve]

Where have all the serious collectors gone?

The CLPGS West of England Group has lost two to the Grim Reaper just this month.

Indeed, my own Grim Reaper predictions published in the magazine 27 years ago appear to be proving true. It seems gramophone collecting is almost solely the preserve of a particular generation which is sadly dying out with its generation.

Even in Japan and South Korea I note there are colossal ly expensive re-entrant gramophones for sale in recent years, no doubt belonging to buyers who bought them in the 90s and who have probably now passed on themselves with those inheriting them eager to dispose of the machines.

We will need a fair chunk of real estate to add all this material to landfill and that's not counting all the records! A pessimistic view, maybe, but if everybody is experiencing the same level of apathy towards our hobby, no doubt an accurate one.

[leels1]

It's really quite cheap for a rare portable from HMV in very good condition but the current market and other collectors' views on these things never ceases to surprise me. This on the day I was able to buy a mahogany No. 2 (Intermediate Monarch) complete with its original mahogany horn for £750 on Ebay, not even the The Saleroom! Add to this it's in a very clean honest unrestored state and has the rarely found double-spring motor fitted to it as it was made during 1916 when supplies of single spring motors ran short.

There is even a surviving period newspaper inside it to soak up the oil spills and grease. If I didn't already own the exact same machine, it'd be an absolute keeper, that's for certain, but where have all the serious collectors gone?

People may now be collecting machines that they can actually use and sound good. Not that I've heard the sound from a machine like this, but I'd rather use the storage space for a 102 to play records. Even on my Monarch Snr I use a Meltrope I in place of the exhibition as it just sounds a lot better (to my ear). Similar to early Berliner machines - they have "the look", they're rare and people want them because they are early, but do they even sound that great when compared to something later?