1920's Polly Gramophone

[gramophone78]

Since there was a thread recently on the Peter Pan......I thought a thread on the "Polly" would be nice. I just helped a friend get missing parts for his and that lead me to look mine over again. It's been years!!... . It also allows me to ask those that have one.....have you seen the "Ultra" oscillator before?.
Most models I have seen have the green oscillator. Yet, on the paper direction disc there is mention of ordering the "ultra" for home use. Therefore, it was an option for these machines. I always keep the Zez Confery record "Polly" with my machine. It just seems fitting.

[alang]

I like the Polly. Yours looks much better than mine, which was falling apart and had to be glued, painted etc. Some genius even glued the paper cone together in the wrong way and then folded additional folds. I was able to still safe it, but it is very wobbly. I'll have to make a new one some time. I also had to make a new handle. I have never seen the Ultra Oscillator before. is it smaller or larger than the original?

Could you please post a close up of the needle screw? Mine looks somewhat funky and I'm not sure it is correct.

Could you also please post a scan of front and back of the instruction disk? The reproduction disk I have is too small and bad quality, hardly legible. I would really appreciate it.

Thanks
Andreas

[estott]

I've seen pictures of an oscillator with a basket weave pattern, but I don't know if it was for the Polly or the Brunswick Parisian.

[gramophone78]

[quote="alang"]I like the Polly. Yours looks much better than mine, which was falling apart and had to be glued, painted etc. Some genius even glued the paper cone together in the wrong way and then folded additional folds. I was able to still safe it, but it is very wobbly. I'll have to make a new one some time. I also had to make a new handle. I have never seen the Ultra Oscillator before. is it smaller or larger than the original?

Could you please post a close up of the needle screw? Mine looks somewhat funky and I'm not sure it is correct.

Could you also please post a scan of front and back of the instruction disk? The reproduction disk I have is too small and bad quality, hardly legible. I would really appreciate it.

Thanks
Andreas
I see it too mentions a "ultra" as an option. Just click on my pics for close-ups and you can see the oscillator nut. Mine is with a closed top. Yours looks open.
Estott, I believe the oscillator you mention was on the Brunswick version of these. However, I could be wrong.

[Mr Grumpy]

How would one describe the sound quality from these machines?
I've seen Brunswick versions available locally but never in person.

[gramophone78]

How would one describe the sound quality from these machines?
I've seen Brunswick versions available locally but never in person.

I think it was a weak attempt using a paper cone as a speaker. Something that would become a standard for many years to come. The "ultra" paper reminds me of speaker cone paper. Very thin and fragile. Not at all like the thicker green oscillator. There is no attachment at the top edge either....like the green oscillator. Here it is playing......
http://youtu.be/ypdEcXtCWDw
Andreas, I don't have a scanner or I would be happy to do so.

[alang]

Thanks a lot for posting these pictures. They are high resolution and very clear, so that should help. I missed that ne of your pictures had already shown the screw quite nicely.

The sound can be surprisingly loud when everything is working properly. Sound quality much better than a Bing Pigmyphone, but obviously far from a "real" portable with a tonearm and horn.

Here are some pictures of the British Guiniphone paper cone, instructions disc, and logo. Funny, the logo says "All British". I thought I had a picture of the basket weave pattern as well, but can't find it right now.

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$(KGrHqVHJC8E8fUFsHUKBPI8ENUgd!~~60_12.jpg (37.4 KiB) Viewed 901 times

$(KGrHqFHJCcE8fZyq,I)BPI8EvH)dg~~60_12.jpg (64.46 KiB) Viewed 901 times

Here is an ad from 1929 for the Polly.

Thanks again
Andreas

[estott]

Since it was sold under three names, and in the US and UK, who actually made it?

[gramophone78]

Thanks a lot for posting these pictures. They are high resolution and very clear, so that should help. I missed that ne of your pictures had already shown the screw quite nicely.

The sound can be surprisingly loud when everything is working properly. Sound quality much better than a Bing Pigmyphone, but obviously far from a "real" portable with a tonearm and horn.

Here are some pictures of the British Guiniphone paper cone, instructions disc, and logo. Funny, the logo says "All British". I thought I had a picture of the basket weave pattern as well, but can't find it right now.

Here is an ad from 1929 for the Polly.



Thanks again
Andreas

Adreas,
You are very welcome. If it helps you, I can try and take even better pics of the disc and PM them to you.I took these two in a hurry. You may have notice in my YouTube video I use a oscillator I make from thicker black paper. I just don't like to handle too much the original horn.

[gramophone78]

Since it was sold under three names, and in the US and UK, who actually made it?

AFAIK this type of Phonograph was first introduced by the "Polly" company of New York. I believe they also had a record label and needle tin made promoting their products.