Starr Phonograph Dilemma

[Lah Ca]

Most of the lyre grill models seem to have cabriole style legs. The cabinet doors also close above the bottom shelf with the shelf extending out so that it is slightly proud of the door fronts. These features are indications of the lyre grill machines being more expensive models--more skilled labour required in their manufacture.

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The less expensive looking models have less complicated grills, straight square tapered legs, and doors that close up against the bottom shelf, obscuring the front edge of the shelf--much less skilled labour required.

Both your machine and the one at the bottom of the CAPS link seem to be different from either of the two machines above. They have the lyre grills, yes. They have the doors that close above the bottom shelf, yes. But there is no evidence of the cabriole legs on either. Note that the outward curve/bulge of the cabriole legs starts at or slightly above the bottom shelf here.

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So unless this outward curve has been planed off on both your machine and the one in the CAPS link and the wood refinished, it is likely that these two machines had square tapered legs or a slightly more complicated square style leg.

Plain:

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More complicated square legs on another style of Starr machine:

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Luckily, both the plain and more complicated square styles are much easier and cheaper to fabricate than the cabriole.

After thought .... I would hazard a guess that your machine being a deluxe expensive model had the more complicated square legs. The comparative structural weakness of this leg style to the plain square may have lead to breakage of a leg and then to the saw.

[Phono-Phan]

I believe that I have a Style 2 model based on the picture ad from the link in an earlier post. The legs look like a simple turned style legs. I should be able to have those made.

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[Curt A]

I would use these, they match the cabinet style better than turned legs, irregardless of what was originally on it. Just my opinion, since whatever you do, it won't be original and definitely better than its current condition.

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[Curt A]

It's a Style IV STARR upright in figured walnut with gold plated parts, as shown in the attached catalog picture. I'm also attaching a PDF copy of the catalog.

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STARR Phono Catalog.pdf

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