IX look-a-like

[schweg]

Does anyone recognize who made this one? Looks much like a Victor Victrola IX. I can't make out the decal though. Any help would be appreciated.

fi70[1].jpg (28.24 KiB) Viewed 1967 times

Thanks! Steve

[OrthoFan]

Looks like it might be an HMV Table Grand, made by the Gramophone Co. LTD, but I'm not sure which model.

HMV had one just like the later VV-IX, the HMV 125 (listed in the 1924 catalog), which then became the HMV 126 in late 1925, equipped with the newly introduced #4 sound box, swan-neck tonearm and elongated horn.

Anyway, that's the information that appears on page 66 of "HMV Gramophones 1921-1936" by Barry Williamson, which reproduced illustrations from period catalogs. There are a couple of HMV gramophones identified as the 126 and 127 on Howard Hope's site that look just like the 125 illustrated in the book!

HMV 126 http://www.gramophones.uk.com/informati ... y_220.html

HMV 127 http://www.gramophones.uk.com/informati ... _in_m.html

(Can all of these be right?)

[gramophoneshane]

I think it's some off-brand made with Thorens parts.
It's hard to tell, but to me the brake looks Thorens, and I'm guessing the turntable is one of their cast iron jobs with perforations under the felt. The soundbox could be an Exhibition, but if it's original to the machine, it's more likely a Thorens Exportation (which was a copy of the Exhibition).

[OrthoFan]

I think it's some off-brand made with Thorens parts.
It's hard to tell, but to me the brake looks Thorens, and I'm guessing the turntable is one of their cast iron jobs with perforations under the felt. The soundbox could be an Exhibition, but if it's original to the machine, it's more likely a Thorens Exportation (which was a copy of the Exhibition).

I was able to enlarge the photo using the Firefox "view" feature and I think you're right, Shane. In the smaller format, for instance, the brake looks like an early Victor/HMV bullet style brake, but enlarged, you can see it's actually a friction lever brake designed to stop the turntable by pressing on the outer rim. Along this line, the turntable has a definite raised rim, and I see no hint of the HMV logo.

BTW, do you have any photos of the Thorens Exportation sound box? I don't think I've ever seen that one.

OF

[gramophoneshane]

I've only got one showing the front of a very grubby Exportation. I restored a machine for a friend & took it to email to him, to show the cracks in the mica so he could see it needed to be replaced.
I never thought to take one after it was cleaned up.
I think Marcel might have one, so perhaps if he reads this thread he'll be kind enough to post some decent pictures.
The needle bar pivot arrangement is a little different to the Exhibition, but everthing else is the same including the overall size & the flange gasket.

[schweg]

Thanks- I figured it might be some sort of offbrand machine but had not seen one so close to a Victrola IX. The decal didn't look like one from HMV and I couldn't find a picture of one with the fancy design on the front anywhere. I still may go and have a look at it on Sat at auction to see if it would fit on the record cabinet I have.

Steve

[schweg]

Here are a few additional shots from the auctioneer. It doesn't seem as if the size is exactly the same as the IX according to his measurements. I think I'll not make the 4 hour drive in pursuit of this one..

fi164.jpg (27.24 KiB) Viewed 1798 times

fi165.jpg (13.16 KiB) Viewed 1798 times

[gramophoneshane]

Hmmm, I dont think I'd spend 4 hours on the road for this one either.
It's a British made machine that uses Swiss running gear. A quick google search for "Dulceola" brings up quite a few results, and it appears other table models are even closer matches to Victors IX.
The only slightly interesting thing about these (to me) is that the company appears to have used mixed parts from both Thorens & Paillard, which is unusual but not unheard of.
The auction example appears to use the same components as used on this console model someones posted on facebook, which uses a small Thorens motor, brake & tonearm, coupled with Paillard speed control & soundbox. (you may need a facebook account to view the px??)

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 8581918233

A couple other examples I came across use a later swan-neck tonearm & better motor by Paillard, but retain a Thorens brake.
Even for someone like me that doesn't mind off-brand machines, I'd have to be guaranteed an extremely low price to be prepared to spend all that time & additional cost in collecting it.

[schweg]

Thanks for the additional research Shane. I'm going to hold off until an IX shows up nearby to replace the rough one I currently have on the record cabinet with the wheels (pushcart that I showed in an earlier post). It'll give me something to chase. I have a lot of fun going after phonographs at nearby auctions that I can clean up and add to the menagerie I already own.

Steve