Unusual Gramophone

Discussions on Talking Machines of British or European Manufacture
zapper
Victor II
Posts: 254
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2012 2:21 pm
Location: UK

Unusual Gramophone

Post by zapper »

Hi all
Can anyone help with the identification of this gramophone. Looks like a Zonophone, but not sure.
Attachments
Screenshot_20250307_190819_Chrome.jpg

Online
User avatar
jamiegramo
Victor III
Posts: 920
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 5:52 am
Location: St. Albans, UK

Re: Unusual Gramophone

Post by jamiegramo »

Yes it’s a Zonophone from the Roy Woodcock Collection. Basically it’s all there except the soundbox is later. The winding handle is very unusual.

JerryVan
Victor Monarch Special
Posts: 6162
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 3:08 pm
Location: Southeast MI

Re: Unusual Gramophone

Post by JerryVan »

That's not the travelling arm I would expect to see with that machine. Those rod type travelling arms always seem to be associated with the fancier scrollwork type back brackets. I'm not saying it's necessarily wrong, just that I've never seen that combination before now. The tall horn support is also odd.

Online
User avatar
jamiegramo
Victor III
Posts: 920
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 5:52 am
Location: St. Albans, UK

Re: Unusual Gramophone

Post by jamiegramo »

JerryVan wrote: Wed Mar 12, 2025 10:40 am That's not the travelling arm I would expect to see with that machine. Those rod type travelling arms always seem to be associated with the fancier scrollwork type back brackets. I'm not saying it's necessarily wrong, just that I've never seen that combination before now. The tall horn support is also odd.
I think that’s true of American Zonophones and even in Europe the rod type travelling arm is more often associated with longer horns although not necessarily with fancy brackets. With European Zonophones it’s impossible to say for certain. Normally the cranks look the same as their American counterparts, what do you make of this one? I’ve never seen another crank like it on any machine.
Last edited by jamiegramo on Wed Mar 12, 2025 11:38 am, edited 1 time in total.

JerryVan
Victor Monarch Special
Posts: 6162
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 3:08 pm
Location: Southeast MI

Re: Unusual Gramophone

Post by JerryVan »

jamiegramo wrote: Wed Mar 12, 2025 11:34 am
JerryVan wrote: Wed Mar 12, 2025 10:40 am That's not the travelling arm I would expect to see with that machine. Those rod type travelling arms always seem to be associated with the fancier scrollwork type back brackets. I'm not saying it's necessarily wrong, just that I've never seen that combination before now. The tall horn support is also odd.
I think that’s true of American Zonophones and even in Europe the rod type travelling arm is more often associated with longer horns although not necessarily with fancy brackets. With European machines it’s impossible to say for certain. Normally the cranks look the same as their American counterparts, what do you make of this one? I’ve never seen another crank like it on any machine.
As to the crank, I am very skeptical. If the picture were better, it would certainly help matters some. Like you, I have never seen such a crank.

Online
User avatar
jamiegramo
Victor III
Posts: 920
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 5:52 am
Location: St. Albans, UK

Re: Unusual Gramophone

Post by jamiegramo »

The OP picture is a bit fuzzy.
Attachments
IMG_0787.jpeg
IMG_0790.jpeg

JerryVan
Victor Monarch Special
Posts: 6162
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 3:08 pm
Location: Southeast MI

Re: Unusual Gramophone

Post by JerryVan »

jamiegramo wrote: Wed Mar 12, 2025 11:44 am The OP picture is a bit fuzzy.
Thanks!

Well, it's not homemade, and it's not new. It also seems to conform well to the shape of the cabinet. I would still question whether or not it's the original crank. That being said, I would not be anxious to remove it without further insight.

User avatar
gramophone-georg
Victor Monarch
Posts: 4263
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 11:55 pm
Personal Text: Northwest Of Normal
Location: Eugene/ Springfield Oregon USA

Re: Unusual Gramophone

Post by gramophone-georg »

Looks a lot like a coffee grinder crank. Not saying it IS, though.
"He who dies with the most shellac wins"- some nutty record geek

I got PTSD from Peter F's avatar

Online
User avatar
jamiegramo
Victor III
Posts: 920
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 5:52 am
Location: St. Albans, UK

Re: Unusual Gramophone

Post by jamiegramo »

gramophone-georg wrote: Wed Mar 12, 2025 6:26 pm Looks a lot like a coffee grinder crank. Not saying it IS, though.
Now you mention it. It does look like a coffee grinder crank or a hand mincing machine.
Last edited by jamiegramo on Thu Mar 13, 2025 7:55 am, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Steve
Victor VI
Posts: 3674
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 4:40 pm
Location: London, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, New York, Evesham

Re: Unusual Gramophone

Post by Steve »

Why doesn't much about this machine look right to me?

Post Reply