The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

A room just for the off-brand machines, gee... must be nice

Just an observation and comment, your Stewart is sporting the narrow tone arm similar to mine. As I've mentioned in another thread these machines often don't have interchangeable parts. These are curious machines in that they seem to be a hodge-podged assemblage of parts. You'll notice the one that I have with narrow tone arm (see picture) is not exactly the same as yours. The reproducer configuration is definitely different.

(now you'll need to collect all the various configurations... heh heh heh)

Retrograde wrote:A room just for the off-brand machines, gee... must be nice

Just an observation and comment, your Stewart is sporting the narrow tone arm similar to mine. As I've mentioned in another thread these machines often don't have interchangeable parts. These are curious machines in that they seem to be a hodge-podged assemblage of parts. You'll notice the one that I have with narrow tone arm (see picture) is not exactly the same as yours. The reproducer configuration is definitely different.

(now you'll need to collect all the various configurations... heh heh heh)

I see what you did there...

Very interesting, and anything but boring. Thanks for posting the photos.

I have a Yale Bluebird like yours.My late friend Jerry Donnell gave it to my mom when we went down to Jerry's to pick up my C-250 Edison DD and Credenza.Both of them are gone now,and i REALLY cherish the Yale Bluebird.edisonplayer

I'm with you on appreciating those odd machines... look forward to seeing more.

Hello I too am a big fan of the off brand talking machines. I love the unusual variety of styles and wood work and i appreciate the craftsmanship and the fact that I may be preserving the very last example of a long lost company.
Most of my collection(aprox.80%) are floor models, with about 50% off brand and the other 50% the big three ( victor, Columbia, Edison,)

Could you give some additional information, like brand for us newer collectors. They are really neat machines. I see that some of them are Columbia products. Thanks.

Dear Brian, you set up a very nice collection (and, perhaps, it was also relatively cheap to put together - although toy gramos demand high money sometimes!) which is amusing to look at and a pleasure to the eyes. I also have a weak spot for off-brand gramophones: some of them are very cute and come in the most funny shapes / finishes. If only I had more room in my house, I would also purchase off-brand units quite often! Thanks for sharing your pictures!