Help Identifying a Gramophone

[Stevoooo]

Hi, I'm new to collecting and just picked up a floor model that I can't identify. The only thing I can find is a plaque on the motor daying "Dayton Motor", The Thomas Mfg. Co" with a serial number 1059 and what looks like a possible J at the end of the serial number. Does anyone recognize what make this could be? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Benjamin_L]

Welcome to the forum, Stevoooo!

I don’t want to split hairs, but where are you located? Would it be wrong to guess Canada? You’re using the term "gramophone," which is more commonly used in British/European contexts. To people outside the collecting community, "gramophone" is typically associated with a disc machine, while "phonograph" is thought to refer to a cylinder machine. However, this isn't necessarily true. In the U.S., "phonograph" can refer to both cylinder and disc machines, mainly because Edison used the term for both. "Gramophone," on the other hand, was primarily used in Britain and Europe and wasn’t as common in the U.S. Canada also primarily used "gramophone" rather than "phonograph" for disc machines.

I ask because the cabinet has a somewhat British look, and Canadian phonograph/gramophone makers often alternated between U.S. and British cabinet designs. (I don’t think the Thomas Manufacturing Co. exported many motors to Britain.) Unfortunately, the information on the motor won’t be very helpful in identifying the brand. The Thomas Mfg. Co. was a motor supplier that produced motors in bulk for businesses assembling their own phonographs. Between 1910 and 1930, there were over 500 phonograph brands in the U.S. and Canada. So, without a decal or tag, it can be difficult to identify the brand.

I have a strong feeling this machine was made for the Canadian market. The Canadian Antique Phonograph Society has a great website listing minor Canadian phonograph brands. I’d recommend going through each of them until you find a match. It will be tedious, but it’s probably your best bet for figuring out the brand.

(https://www.capsnews.org/capp/capp.html)

I hope this helps!

[Stevoooo]

Thank you for the reply, Bejamin. Yes, I am Canadian born to English parents who emigrated to Canada just before I was born. The term gramophone is very common here and in England, and was certainly used by my Father who began collecting and repairing them decades ago. He was tool and die maker by trade, so would make any gears or parts he couldn't source through local Gramophone clubs. He's 87 now, and no longer involved so wouldn't know much about online websites, all his contacts were personal and face to face.
Thanks for the website, I'll certainly look through it to see if there's a match. The beautiful wood inlay on the lower doors indicates to me it's not a low end model.

Thanks again.
Steve