Pathé

Discussions on Talking Machines & Accessories
dutchman
Victor IV
Posts: 1228
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2012 1:14 pm

Re: Pathé

Post by dutchman »

Sounds good to me. I'll need some guidane on the format when someone has time. Tnx

gramophoneshane
Victor VI
Posts: 3463
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 3:21 pm

Re: Pathé

Post by gramophoneshane »

I dont think Mordeth ever got around to posting a Featured Phonograph tutorial or template, but instead used to post the template Sunday nights, and once someone posted their machine as a featured phonograph, the template was removed from the beginning of the thread, which then left the members name & machine as the first post in that thread.
It was a pretty good system while it lasted, but I'm not sure how we could replicate it, seeing as none of us have the power to remove a template post & leave the contributing members initial post and machine at the start of the thread??
Perhaps one of us could post the template in a thread of it's own, and "bump" it to the first post on the board once a week, as an encouraging reminder for our members to post a new Featured Phonograph?
Personally, I used to look forward to our weekly "featured phonograph" threads, and it would great to resurrect them again.

They were really quite simple to do.
To start with, you'd copy & paste the template below, & then simply fill in the known details, then add a few pictures, and Bob's your Uncle :)
If a machine didn't have a serial number, then you'd just put N/A next to the serial number line, and if something like the model or original cost is unknown, you could either leave the space blank or write "unknown" in the space provided.
Quite often through the course of the discussion about a machine, another member could provide the unknown information, and you could either edit your original post to fill in the blank/s, or you could just leave your post as is, and the information could still be found further down the thread.
Anyway, here's the template-

Make:
Model:
Serial #:
Year(s) Made:
Original Cost:
Case/Cabinet Size:
Turntable/Mandrel:
Reproducer/Sound-Box:
Motor:
Horn Dimensions:
Reproduction Parts:
Current Value:
Interesting Facts:

And here's a link to a featured phonograph thread I did some time ago.

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... +60#p20218

I probably used to go slightly overboard with pictures, and would usually try to post before and after photos, photos of the motor, horn & soundbox, and would sometimes include some original advertising &/or a youtube video of the machine playing, but there are no set rules as to how many pictures or videos you can or can not post.
I always thought more pictures of the machine & related material made the thread a little more interesting, but that's just me :)
If you're happy posting just 2 or 3 pictures of your machine, that's just fine and dandy too. As I said before, there are no set rules.
I do however think most members would agree that nice clear pictures (however many you choose to include), add to the enjoyment of the thread, and help make the thread more useful for future reference.

It's also worth remembering that it doesn't matter whether your machine is a common portable or a rare tinfoil machine, so you never have to worry your machine isn't worthy of being a featured phonograph.
I think the whole idea of "featured phonographs" was to build a reference library of all machines great & small, so members & guests can either see machines they are unlikely to see in detail anywhere else, or to find information & photos of machines they can compare to machines they may have in their own collection.
Dont forget too, that you can "preview" your feature phonograph thread before posting it, if you're concerned about things like spelling mistakes or the clarity of photos, and if you do happen to miss something or muck something up, you can always go back & edit your post at any time you like. ,

dutchman
Victor IV
Posts: 1228
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2012 1:14 pm

Re: Pathé

Post by dutchman »

Great idea to help identify some of these obscure machines.

Thanks for all the info. I'll put something together and post it in the next coupld of days.

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