Nipponophone with Victor soundbox?

[Steve]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181143078535

Does anyone know the origins of this strange machine / maker? The soundbox appears to be a copy of a Victor Orthophonic type.

[VintageTechnologies]

http://www.songster.de/dosen/n/nipponophone/index.htm

[Steve]

Thanks for the link!

What's the story with the Victor soundbox though? I see it says "Wick Phonic" on the back and is of US manufacture. Doesn't it infringe on Victor patents and surely it has nothing to do with this Nippon Columbia machine?

[Retrograde]

The machine appears to be a Nipponophone Eufon. The asking price of $1350 seems a bit high. About the orthophonic-like reproducer, a quick search turned up another wickphonic reproducer on a japanese site, not much else. (I would think this machine would have originally come with a pre-orthophonic reproducer).

update: I went back and looked at the larger image on eBay. The reproducer says Wick Talking Machine Co , New York USA. Also has WICK PHONIC REC'D PAT JAPAN with a date that looks like March 9, 1927.

[estott]

There were a number of cloned versions of the Orthophonic reproducer on the market as aftermarket accessories for older machines. This could have found its way onto the machine at any time.

[Steve]

I agree, $1350 for a hornless machine with replaced soundbox, does seem a bit high.

Estott, when you say "later" are you talking about 1940's through 50's? Otherwise wouldn't Victor have guarded its patents more carefully with contemporary copies?

[estott]

I don't exactly know when the clones were made but By the 40's I suspect Victor couldn't have cared less if someone copied their acoustic designs since they were no longer making them.