What on Earth?

[operabass78s]

This has to be the strangest little machine I've ever seen. Anyone ever come across one of these?

http://rochester.craigslist.org/atq/3618990865.html

[Retrograde]

actually, yes. I have one. Not especially hard to find.
$225 is a fair price for one.

Check out this website.

[dutchman]

Ditto Retrograde. That thing looks in really good condition - if I was closer I would have $225 less in my check book..

[scullylathe]

These were called "cameraphones". The entire mechanism and soundbox/tonearm were contained in a case that was about the same size as a 620 box camera (the old "bellows" type). My dad had one of the cameras years ago.

[estott]

40's vintage, they are surprisingly loud and have good tone quality, mostly due to the soundbox. The arm feeds into a tiny little horn underneath the record, though having the sound waves reflect off the record might help them to disperse. These originally came with canvas and leather carriers so you could sling them over your shoulder like a camera. Real attention getters, though the vibration of the motor can transfer to the needle- Thorens recommended you stack two discs on the spindle.

[alang]

For posterity here are the pictures from the listing:

[gramophone78]

This particular model is called a "Excelda" and were made for decades by Thorens. That came in many different colors. They are also very common.
A little FYI regarding these. A man in Switzerland (where these were made) bought a huge NOS lot of these machines that were still in parts... He was able to put them together and for years were for sale on the market at $75.00. Although, they were were not assembled by Thorens....they are still original and mint unused.
There were many "pocket" types of Gramophones made. The Mikiphone (swiss), the Colibri (Belgium), the Peter Pan (English), the Cameraphone (Engish), the Mikky Phone (Japanese) and many others.

Please note..... that most of these brands and others had their motors made in Switzerland or even assembled there.
In my opinion the three most poplar of these "pocket" models are 1) Mikiphone 2) Colibri 3) Excelda.... followed by the others.
The Colibri (Hummingbird) Gramophone is one of the best built and a fine piece of technology. Of course this to is only my opinion.... .