The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Victor guy1 wrote: Thu Jan 30, 2025 8:00 am I have trouble believing that neither company made this,
It is the exact same as a regular exhibition with a little bit of a difference?

But so are some of the European copies, particularly the German "Exposition".

Victor guy1 wrote: Thu Jan 30, 2025 8:00 am I have trouble believing that neither company made this,
It is the exact same as a regular exhibition with a little bit of a difference?

That's pretty much the very definition of a clone, (a.k.a. knock-off).
If it were made by Victor/HMV they would not be shy about placing their name on it.

Steve wrote: Thu Jan 30, 2025 11:23 am But so are some of the European copies, particularly the German "Exposition".

Yes, Steve, I have some of these imitations, and show two of them in the photo below, together with a genuine HMV Exhibition in the middle. I have also a Saturn, but could not find it for the family photo. The Amphion has some ambiguity: it shows Paris on the face, but also an Importé d'Angleterre - it is identical to the original. The one on the right has Exhibition as brand, barely visible, but showing made in Germany ; it looks identical to the Exhibition, apart from a mirror of the original, with the front spring in the other side of the needle stem. It may be genuine, but if so it is the first Exhibition made in Germany I have seen. The Saturn, from what I remember, has a different rubber back attachment with three instead of two bolts besides having a shiny brass front with the name Saturn, a comet and stars etched on the surface.

I suspect this is a Swiss made Exhibition “clone” made for a Russian company called “The American Phonoton Co.”

The mention of Saratow (Saratov) on the soundbox is a bit unusual (especially in series with New York and London). This led me to search for gramophone companies from this part of Russia with ties to the USA. The search yielded this: https://grammophon.biz.ua/5939/amerikan ... a-russkih-

I love your forum name, "Viva-Toenail"

Carlos thank you for sharing your pictures of the clones. I have not seen the Amphion before. 2 more from eBay:

jamiegramo wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 5:56 am Carlos thank you for sharing your pictures of the clones. I have not seen the Amphion before. 2 more from eBay:

You're welcome, Jamie. As I mentioned, I have also a Saturn stored somewhere in my house, you can see on the photo the three-bolt connection of the rubber back, that makes i a little different from the original. It's funny to see the proliferation of these Exhibition clones. Maybe Victor and the Gramophone Co did not patent its design, leaving the field open for such copies. Even the nice EMG and Expert soundboxes follow the basic design of the Exhibition, with several refinements.