Columbia 4 Spring Motor

[CDBPDX]

When was this motor used? I found this in a box and don't recall seeing this motor in any of my Columbia Grafonolas, but I'm pretty sure it's a later Columbia.

What model would this have been used in?

Thanks! Cliff

[FloridaClay]

WOW, it would be from a nifty one for sure. Too bad it is not all there. Based on a quick flip through Hazelcorn's book, candidates would include the BM "Twentieth Century," the BG "Sovereign," the BF "Peerless," or maybe one of the coin-op machines.

Clay

[CDBPDX]

WOW, it would be from a nifty one for sure. Too bad it is not all there. Based on a quick flip through Hazelcorn's book, candidates would include the BM "Twentieth Century," the BG "Sovereign," the BF "Peerless," or maybe one of the coin-op machines.

Clay

This is from a Graphophone disc machine. Is it from the same period as the machines mentioned above?

[FloridaClay]

WOW, it would be from a nifty one for sure. Too bad it is not all there. Based on a quick flip through Hazelcorn's book, candidates would include the BM "Twentieth Century," the BG "Sovereign," the BF "Peerless," or maybe one of the coin-op machines.

Clay

This is from a Graphophone disc machine. Is it from the same period as the machines mentioned above?

Ah, no, the above are cylinder machines. Let me get back to you later on what my reference shows for disc machines. Short for time at the moment.

Clay

[Phonofreak]

Cliff,
This motor was used in the higher end Grafonolas from the late teens through the mid twenties.
Harvey Kravitz

[CDBPDX]

Cliff,
This motor was used in the higher end Grafonolas from the late teens through the mid twenties.
Harvey Kravitz

Thanks!

[Victrolacollector]

I have a Columbia E-5 disc machine from the 1920's. Despite the poorer quality of the cabinet, it seems Columbia really put alot emphasis into their motors. The E-5 has a 3 spring motor, The Columbia motors are really good and can run for a long time without winding due to their number of large springs, putting them up their with the electrics.

[FloridaClay]

OK, back and using Baumbach's Columbia Phonograph Companion, Vol. II. There was at least one 4-spring Grafophone (as opposed to Grafonola), the "Improved Imperial," the BY, in 1909--a fancy machine with a serpentine case selling for $65. (That is a bit over $1,600 in current inflation adjusted money.) However I think that "Graphophone" was part of the company name into the Grafonola era, I don’t see the oil tubes on yours that were part of the BY motor, and the top plate on your motor has a Grafonola look to it so I am thinking yours came out of a Grafonola.

There were 4-spring Grafonolas, also apparently starting in 1909 with the “Elite.” Unfortunately Baumbach is hit and miss about giving motor sizes for the Grafonolas and the information is a lot more tedious to dig out, even when it is there, because it is buried in descriptive paragraphs with none of the nice quick-info tables you see in Volume 1 for the cylinder machines.

Clay

[TinfoilPhono]

Just for the record (no pun intended!), Bob Baumbach published the Columbia books but didn't write them. The volume on the disc machines was written by Mac Lackey. The Columbia cylinder book was authored by Howard Hazelcorn.

Baumbach authored several books on Victor.

[ChuckA]

I'm going to add my 2 cents on the motor, I believe it is from a large art case Columbia, probably a low boy. Look at the funnel on the
winding shaft, that is to make it easy to line up a long shaft crank from a couple feet away.

Chuck