Orchorsol portable.

[Marco Gilardetti]

Orchorsols have one major defect: they're too hard to find!

An excellent purchase indeed. Portables are rarely seen in this amazingly good condition. And what a nice combination of colours and woods!

It's yours of course, but in my opinion this portable really asks to be played!

[flying500]

I have found very little information anywhere about Orchorsol Gramophones and plenty on many lesser brands.
Aside from that on this thread. I have a share certificate and Instruction sheets for the Portable and setting up the soundbox.
I can scan and post the latter if anyone needs it.
Has anyone got some more info of catalogue pages that they could post please?

[epigramophone]

I have written an article about my Orchorsol for the CLPGS magazine. It should appear in the next issue around mid December.
I have copies of the portable and soundbox instruction sheets. I have never seen a catalogue, but here are some period advertisements :

[poodling around]

As a collector of portables I could not resist this totally original unrestored Orchorsol.

Although not well known to collectors today, Orchorsol were once in direct competition with EMG, winning medals at the Steinway Hall competition in 1924 (see record cover pictured) and the Gramophone Congress in 1925. By 1930 Orchorsol's glory days were over, and their portables bore more than a passing resemblance to the HMV101, but they retained their distinctive adjustable soundbox.

Despite a rock hard "lifebelt" rubber coupling my new acquisition plays very well. An enterprising eBayer advertises replacements, but my machine is so original that my instinct is to leave well alone, as it will not be an everyday player.

Does your Orchorsol portable have it's serial / production number stamped on the motorboard underneath the turntable I wonder ?

[poodling around]

As a collector of portables I could not resist this totally original unrestored Orchorsol.

Although not well known to collectors today, Orchorsol were once in direct competition with EMG, winning medals at the Steinway Hall competition in 1924 (see record cover pictured) and the Gramophone Congress in 1925. By 1930 Orchorsol's glory days were over, and their portables bore more than a passing resemblance to the HMV101, but they retained their distinctive adjustable soundbox.

Despite a rock hard "lifebelt" rubber coupling my new acquisition plays very well. An enterprising eBayer advertises replacements, but my machine is so original that my instinct is to leave well alone, as it will not be an everyday player.

Oh, can I also ask please, does yours have a Garrard 12b motor ?

[epigramophone]

The answer to both your questions is yes.
The number 884 is stamped on the motor board, but is too small and indistinct to photograph.
The motor is indeed a Garrard 12B.

If you can date my machine from the Serial Number I would be interested to know.

Roger.

[poodling around]

The answer to both your questions is yes.
The number 884 is stamped on the motor board, but is too small and indistinct to photograph.
The motor is indeed a Garrard 12B.

If you can date my machine from the Serial Number I would be interested to know.

Roger.

Thank you very much Roger. I really do appreciate the information.

I am afraid that I cannot date these portables from the serial numbers. I guess you know that the Garrard 12B motor was introduced in 1930 so the gramophones must have been made some time during, or after then.

I saw your photographs and mine looks the same as yours except it is black and the winding handle clips are in a different position. The one major obvious difference is that mine has a very different tone arm which is very differently attached to the horn.

Therefore, I was thinking that mine might be a later and different model. This might have been confirmed if yours had an earlier motor and serial number. The motor is clearly the same. My serial number is 03190 so it is some-what later. How much later though, of course I don't know.

So, although my tone arm looks (to me) original maybe it was added later by an owner. It seems very well done though. Very solid. But maybe the original one was replaced for some reason or another.

Thank you so very much again.

[poodling around]

As a collector of portables I could not resist this totally original unrestored Orchorsol.

Although not well known to collectors today, Orchorsol were once in direct competition with EMG, winning medals at the Steinway Hall competition in 1924 (see record cover pictured) and the Gramophone Congress in 1925. By 1930 Orchorsol's glory days were over, and their portables bore more than a passing resemblance to the HMV101, but they retained their distinctive adjustable soundbox.

Despite a rock hard "lifebelt" rubber coupling my new acquisition plays very well. An enterprising eBayer advertises replacements, but my machine is so original that my instinct is to leave well alone, as it will not be an everyday player.

Aha ! I revise entirely my previous opinion. I have just found a red portable with exactly the same tone arm and horn fitting as I have, which confirms that this was indeed an original fitting and design.

So Orchorsol did either 'up-grade' the tone-arm + fitting or maybe it was simply a different model.

Also, the winding handle retaining clips are in the same place as mine !

Thanks for your help and I am so very pleased to have reached this conclusion !

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auct ... lotDetails

[Inigo]

This last tonearm seems thicker... Is there a story behind, same as hmv 101 versus 102?

[poodling around]

This last tonearm seems thicker... Is there a story behind, same as hmv 101 versus 102?

That is a very interesting observation and question.

The 'new' tone arm is certainly very 'solid' and thick.

Interestingly, the first long segment of the tonearm (connecting to the horn) is heavily magnetic, so must be made of good quality iron. The second segment however, which connect the Orchorsol sound box is not magnetic, so must be 'pot metal'.

The 'new, horn / tone arm connection is far more 'solid' and robust than the usual one.

I wish I knew more but I don't.