The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Collectors are always looking for the "big names" and/or the exotic oddity and the Sonora is somewhere inbetween. It is a very interesting machine but you need an enthusiast or someone near by to get a good price.

In the 5th and 7th picture, there appears to be a long gear that another gear slides along. Can anyone explain how this works?

Starkton wrote:Collectors are always looking for the "big names" and/or the exotic oddity and the Sonora is somewhere inbetween. It is a very interesting machine but you need an enthusiast or someone near by to get a good price.

According to another forum, the owner claims to have been offered $1500 for this machine, which is my opinion is probably top dollar- if not above & beyond- for this particular model.
From what I can tell, many art models of any brand will sell for a price according to how aesthetically pleasing the cabinetry is, and this particular cabinet is quite nice.

Palliard built this motor without this particular machine in mind- that odd gear might be to drive some unrelated mechanism- for example it might have run at low speed to power a store display or small christmas tree.

I think it must have something to do with the spring timer/counter, but as I've never seen one in person, I have no idea how the mechanism operates.
I guess it takes 40-45 mins for the small cog to move along the long gear, and its position would be relevant to the numbers on the timer?
It's certainly a pretty cool feature from a Swiss company that many collectors view as cheap and nasty.

gramophoneshane wrote:

Starkton wrote:Collectors are always looking for the "big names" and/or the exotic oddity and the Sonora is somewhere inbetween. It is a very interesting machine but you need an enthusiast or someone near by to get a good price.

According to another forum, the owner claims to have been offered $1500 for this machine, which is my opinion is probably top dollar- if not above & beyond- for this particular model.
From what I can tell, many art models of any brand will sell for a price according to how aesthetically pleasing the cabinetry is, and while this particular cabinet is quite nice, it's certainly not what I'd call spectacular.
Then again, beauty & value are in the eye of the beholder, and we've all seen collectors pay silly prices for some stuff, so who knows.
Perhaps if the owner fishes for long enough, he might hook a $3000 fish

Well it's not for sale anyways so there is no need to worry

I do appreciate and value everyone's comments and thank you to the ones with the kind words

I'm sorry, but I thought the information you were really seeking was value, judging by the number of threads asking for information and value, even though you appear to already have all the information like year, original price, cabinet model designation and numbers produced.
What other info are you hoping to find?

I didn't mean any harm by the motor posting, just that Paillard made the motor as part of their line of equipment. Sonora bought just about everything but the cases and wood parts of their machines from outside suppliers- I think almost entirely Swiss makers, though some parts might have come through Otto Heinneman of NYC (who both manufactured and imported)

The Palillard firm was capable of making the finest of objects like music boxes which sold for huge sums http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN6N2toVeI4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WnieUd6 ... re=related and fine quality cameras, but they also made a lot of well build but less spectacular goods- that's what paid the bills.
Calling them "cheap and nasty" is very shortsighted.

estott wrote:Calling them "cheap and nasty" is very shortsighted.

Isn't it just. That's why I don't understand why many collectors, including yourself, will often refer to Paillard motors as being poor quality rubbish.
I've never thought of them as cheap and nasty, and I've made that statement many times in the past as you know. With the exception of one or 2 small single spring motors, the Swiss companies made fine quality motors.