The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Brunswick did all sort of odd things with left over cabinet parts. Most machines of this model have the oval grille that you remember. I've found one, but my digital camera is not working just now. if you PM your address, I will send it to you.

By the way, does your friend have the radio chassis for this set? I believe that I may have a spare or two lying about.

No the radio is gone if there ever was one? However if we had it I sincerely doubt if anyone around here could make it work.. I have had nothing but bad luck trying to get vintage radios to work for any length of time if at all.

Larry

larryh wrote:I keep forgetting to ask if anyone knows how to bring up the thread on this group where the machine in question was shown when I first mentioned that this painted cabinet.

Larry

Hi Larry, I think this is the previous thread you were looking for http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... 68&p=13457. I simply did a search for "brunswick grill". Hope that helps.
Andreas

Funny, I had forgotten about that thread. The BR-260 is a beast of a machine. I still have mine all cleaned up now and hiding in the spare bedroom. I still haven't tried to get my radio running, but I would love to sometime. Mine also has the off center grill (note in this pic from the original eBay listing where I bought the machine the grill is turned the wrong way)

Sean

Sean,

Is the horn behind that grill running horizontal almost to each side of the cabinet? I have about a ½ inch space between the edges of the horn an the edge of the grill panel.. That may be why they made the extra panel on the side, but in your machine it appears that its reversed and some of the horn would be covered. I guess by the design though that would be the case which ever way it was turned.. The other type of grill to my recollection would have used the full width of the horn left open as far as sound being able to come out, not blocked on the edge? A rather odd mystery why they came up with that pattern..


Larry

Larry,

You are correct, the horn has about ½ inch of space on each side. As I noted above, the seller had the grill on upside down, which is why mine looks funny in this shot. This is the seller's original photo before I had the machine.

Sean

Sean,

I see.. I am surprised he could get it to work since the edges are different thickness. At least that is how the one were working with is.. I was surprised to find that the thin, longer, end on his goes in the lower slot, while on my upright machine the small slot is the top one.. I don't know but Brunswick must have not had a standard to some aspects of their designs.

Larry

My Brunswick doesn't have what I guess you'd call a "keyed" fit, the grill will go on either way! As Uncle Vanya pointed out before, it seems they were using up all sorts of things at various points. The cabinet of my model 260 was recycled (I suspect) on some of their early all electric units as well. Makes sense, I guess, since this was a 1925 model, right before all-electric and orthophonic machines would soon render this model a semi-obsolete machine kind of quickly. I still doubt a whole lot of these were made.

Sean

The one I am trying to make the grill for is an electric motor model. When I got it back in 1961 the antique dealer said it came from the lobby of a major hotel in Kansas City. Never verified that but I rather think the person was truthful about that and may have explained why it had the painted kind of painted effect it did.

Larry

Sean was kind enough to take some measurements for me so that I could get most of the design to a close scale of the original. It worked better on paper than on the wood it self. The jig saw was difficult to see where I was going and I got some of the pieces a bit too thin. However the illusion is close to what the original would look like and will suffice for now. Should I get the time I may create another one now that I know what the difficulties are in making it and cutting it out. When I am able to deliver the grill I will get some photos of it installed an add them, that hopefully will make it blend with the cabinet. Won't know how close I got till I see it on the machine. The bad part is the machine is 90 miles away and the owners have been out of town a good deal so I can't get it to them at the moment.

Larry