The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Wow! this is all great information. Thanks so much! I've sent Marcel an email inquiring into the door plate and drawer pull plates only. Yes, even in USD, the full set is expensive. But, I make parts too and I know that there's "more to it than meets the eye" when reproducing things.

Just my opinion... Since these cabinets are extremely difficult to find and the "correct" original hardware is impossible to find, what's wrong with using the hardware that is reproduced and available? No one will know the difference anyway and the hardware is correct for a variant style of the cabinet... Since the cabinet now does not have even a version of the original hardware, I would go with the lions heads that are available and if some originals ever show up, then change them out...

Curt A wrote:Just my opinion... Since these cabinets are extremely difficult to find and the "correct" original hardware is impossible to find, what's wrong with using the hardware that is reproduced and available? No one will know the difference anyway and the hardware is correct for a variant style of the cabinet... Since the cabinet now does not have even a version of the original hardware, I would go with the lions heads that are available and if some originals ever show up, then change them out...

Curt,

I would normally agree with you 100%, however at $820.00 AUS, ($515.00 USD), the ones I have right now are looking pretty good for a while. Still, if the door plate is within my reach, it's worth doing that part at least.

Check the PM I sent you...

Thanks Curt. I know my lions are not original either, but I kind of like them just the same.

jamiegramo wrote:Hi Jerry,

This is a common problem.

I have thought about getting these cast and am happy to do all the finishing myself but all the companies round here that did metal castings have gone.

Jamie

Jamie,

Have you considered having a custom jeweler cast these? Or, perhaps someone in the artist community, who does art castings or sculptural pieces?

gramophoneshane wrote: The pedestal shown in Christopher Proudfoot's "collecting phonographs and gramophones" has this same drawer pull so I guess these are both the same cabinet photographed at different times?

An interesting point. I think this is the very same cabinet as shown in the book. The age markings on the wood appear to be the same. It's possible the drop has been replaced although the back plate is definitively correct.

JerryVan wrote: Jamie,

Have you considered having a custom jeweler cast these? Or, perhaps someone in the artist community, who does art castings or sculptural pieces?

Hi Jerry,

Actually I've thought about doing the castings myself. There are some new products on the market such as the firable Bronze Metal Clay that would be interesting to experiment with. My particular problem is that I need an original lion head from a 'Melba' cabinet (as said, smaller than the Monarch lion head) to cast from. Does anyone have one?? I have some excellent copies here but being copies of an original they are maybe up to around 10% smaller than an original, this is, of course, due to the shrinkage of metal from liquid to solid to room temperature. If I cast from a copy I will end up with a copy of a copy that is perhaps 20% smaller than an original.

The lion head that Curt has found looks good but the problem I notice with a lot of the newer lion heads is that they are much flatter than those originally used. The gramophone pedestal heads have greater depth and therefore project out further from the cabinet. Quite effective and more obvious. It's a difference I notice anyway. Remember, if looking out for a good match, that brass G&T/DG lions never show their teeth!

Some years ago there was a chap here in the UK making sets of the necessary hardware for around a £100. Unfortunitely he's now retired...

'Oak lion' variant:

Showing his teeth.

Jamie,

Thanks!

This has turned into an awesome thread thanks to everyone's input!