Cabinet Key for HMV 194?

[PeterF]

Hi - more out of curiosity than anything else, can anyone please post an image or description of the correct cabinet key for the later HMV uprights, such as my Model 194? Here in the US the keys are obviously even rarer than the machines, but I don't even know what one looks like. Some Victor keys have the letter V incorporated in them - did HMV also utilize any corporate reference? Thanks.

[PeterF]

Well, it looks like patience pays off. Found this picture online.

[soundgen]

I think it's the first not the second !

[epigramophone]

I think it may be the other way about.

The Oakley/Proudfoot book depicts the left hand key with it's original tag stamped "163". The right hand key is described as being used on the 193 and 202, so presumably it was also used on the 194 and 203.

Are there any forum members owning a large re-entrant HMV and key? Perhaps they could check and confirm which is the correct type.

[soundgen]

[quote="epigramophone"]I think it may be the other way about.

The Oakley/Proudfoot book depicts the left hand key with it's original tag stamped "163". The right hand key is described as being used on the 193 and 202, so presumably it was also used on the 194 and 203.

Are there any forum members owning a large re-entrant HMV and key? Perhaps they could check and confirm which is the correct type.[/quote

Would the 194 / 203 key have been Gold plated ?

[Retrograde]

One thing for sure is that a Victor "V" key works on a 163. I noticed on eBay that there are millions of "skeleton" keys listed for sale, and it's possible to find a key similar to the one on the left. Antiques shops usually have baskets full of generic barrel keys that might work if the tooth pattern is cut like a Victor "V" key.

[Steve]

The left hand key is definitely the correct one for a 194 and 203 as soundgen has already said. These two machines did NOT have gold plated keys and simply got the generic late period key design that also fitted the HMV record cabinets of the same period and machine models 162,163,192 etc. Only the 193 and 202 models had specific key designs as shown on the right hand side.

[PeterF]

Thanks for all the great responses. There seem to be lots of keys, similar to the left hand example, available on eBay. Interestingly, they are mostly tagged as being for Brunswick machines. I'll pick one up and let you know whether it works.

[Kiwi]

I have seen the left hand key on a 163, 193 and 202.
I have never seen the 2nd key and wonder if that key was for the very last of the 202s.
I thought that maybe the length of the key shaft was different on some of the keys?
Is there a difference in the length of the key shaft on the above keys?
All the best
Tony

[Steve]

The right-hand key is THE key for a 202 and 193. They were never offered with any different keys. The LH key will work on the 193/202 but it was a "generic" design and supplied with a lot of the late period HMV cabinet models including the 194/203.