More uncommon Decca portables

[Steve]

Hello, I'm new here and created an account because I'm interested in that theme about the Decca SD models.

I had found one here in Switzerland in not too good condition, not knowing in advance what I will get. It was an SD/3 Model, which looks mostly like an 120, but it has a polished wooden motorboard and if you look closely it is dark blue and not black. And it has a turntable with brown velvet and the flat rim mentioned above. As I didn't know about these models and did not find anything usable in the internet or Proudfoot's booklet, I was curious and opened it, and to my surprise it still has a (big, one-spring) Swiss Paillard motor, like all Deccas had from the beginning until the 100 to 130 series. According to the little booklet on Decca Portables by Christopher Proudfoot from the CLPGS this was ended with that series, and from then on all Deccas had Garrad motors.
So I think, it could have been some kind of pre- or first series, as these models do not appear very often. But that is only my conclusion, it may be wrong and I am happy, if anybody knows more about that.
I also have a Decca Salon Junior which I had bought long before via ebay UK. It is also dark blue with a polished wooden board and the brown velvet turntable, that's why I bought it then. It fits perfectly into this "SD" series.
And not long ago I found a SD/1 which had been sold in Malta by P.Carabott, who was one of the first to care about recording Maltese folk and popular music. I found that an interesting story, so I bought it despite its bad condition. It also has a polished wood motorbord, is dark blue and has the brown velvet flat rim turntable.

So the turntables on these SD/1-4 models are not HMV, as Phono48 assumed, but Paillard, as they have Paillard motors. So it could be a first edition of these gramophones but I don't really know. If anybody could bring more light into this I would be happy.
And could they be export models as Steve asked? As two of three of mine were bought outside the UK, this could be the case, but why should they have produced them parallel with different motors? But yes, it would also be possible.

A request for my collection: If anybody should have an album for the lid of these machines and would like to sell it, I would be happy, as mine in the SD/3 is missing. It could also be a black one from the 120/130 models, but a dark blue one would of course be great!

Alex

Hello Alex and a very warm welcome to the forum. It is reassuring to know that new members are still joining up!

I might have a spare black Decca Salon record album I would be willing to sell. Perhaps try to get a blue one first and if that fails, let me know. Mine isn't going anywhere in the meantime. Thank you for the information regarding the Paillard motors. I do believe these might have been export models, possibly even assembled overseas where the Paillard motors were more commonly available. I've never seen another Decca with a polished wooden motor-board beyond the '88' Deluxe model or the teak "Style 4".The '150' even has a faux wooden motor-board made out of pressed steel!

Steve

[Orthophonix]

Hello Steve,
thanks for the warm welcome! I did not join any forum yet, because I don't have too much time for writing. But as I have almost all my knowledge about gramophones form the internet and different sites and blogs as this one, I thought I should share some interesting finds and information, too.
With the SD models being export models you might be right, perhaps Garrad could not deliver enough motors... But the hypothesis they could have been made abroad is not supported by the SD/1: on the record flap inside it still says made in London. An on the SD/3 the album is missing, so there's no information.
Concerning the album: yes, thanks for the offer, I am still interested. But I'm also not in a real hurry, the machine is complete and basically working, but is still waiting for a big service and restauration. Maybe someone has the dark blue version to offer here...? But it might also be that someone has one not knowing it, as the gramophone case has almost turned black outside, and probably the albums will also get darker with time when kept outside the gramophone lid.