The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

estott wrote:It's a clone- but a good looking one. I'd like to see what the grille looks like.

Check out the eBay link. The grill looks exactly like the Credenza.

I did check it- this is a very close copy- just different enough to avoid infringing the design patent. It would be interesting to see if they tried to approximate a folded horn. The next best to this I've seen was a Kimball- there are pictures in the old "Credenza Clone" thread.

Charmophone of Pulaski NY made a clone that copies all of the essential cabinet details, but the quality is laughable.

I often wonder who acquires these (US market) Credenza clones? Seems that they're bought and then disappear from the face of the earth. I've yet to see any detailed photos or videos of restored models posted by an actual collector; nor have I ever seen one in any collector's house.

Along that line, I've only spotted a couple of videos, such as this one:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n59Y5V6gIKc[/youtube]

For whatever reason, in the videos, they always seem to be operating in "as found" condition with frozen sound boxes and uneven running motors that (as in the case of the above Melophonic) sound like they might blow apart at any second.

I spotted a video of a large Tru-Phonic a few years ago, which has since disappeared from Youtube. The owner constantly referred to it as a "True Tone," in spite of the fact that he zoomed in on the decal under the lid. It wouldn't have sounded too bad if the turntable hadn't been running at about 90 rpm; and playing a blasty Hank Williams (MGM) 78 with an obviously worn needle.

I'd sure love to see a video of Sonora's answer to the Orthophonic Credenza, or even a decent, RESTORED large horn Tru-Phonic, or a Melophonic, or any other "Me-Too-phonic" for that matter.

...end of rant...

DS

It is most definitely not a Victor, but kind of interesting.

Clay

The knock-offs never have re-entrant horns, just simple designs.

After moving to the country a long time ago now I started to now and then see Tru Phonics and other catalog order Orthophonic era machines. I passed on one due to the fact it was missing the grill, other wise it was probably one of the larger sears offerings of the period. Most machines I have run across from either source are usually in very poor shape, thus usually not worth even attempting to buy. Seems the companies that made them really skimped on the mechanical parts. Usually the reproducers are either totally falling to pieces along with the tone arms or they have a cheap generic replacement reproducer basically falling off the end of the tone arm. It would seem that poorer overall quality, plus the conditions that existed in the 30's and 40's in rural america tends to make finding a good example of these machines pretty rare. I have really not seen any larger cabinet models so far that looked as though one could end up with a decent machine even if you went to the trouble of buying them. Then too you have to factor in the distaste that most seem to have for "knock off" machines which really shows the bias towards a couple major players which most collectors seek out. Personally I find many of them quite interesting and would love to hear some of them play again, but so far none has been in a condition to do so. What is surprising is the earlier Sears Acoustic models which have some rather interesting cabinets and quite fine sound have become somewhat popular of late. I think the quality of the mechanical machines took a big hit from the mail order firms when the radio was the main interest of the public.

Larry

I purchased one of the knock offs last November. I thought it would be interesting to compare to my Victrola Credenza. Here is the thread from my posting:
http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... f=2&t=7506

Mine doesn't have any markings or decals on the motor or the cabinet.

ColoradoPhonograf

I see the seller re-listed it -- http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Victrol ... 3a7103f109

-- but this time, there's a photo of the backside of the horn --
FROM -- http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Vintage-Victrola ... ~60_57.JPG


Not quite what I was expecting... (Seems like a lot of wasted space, unless that's where the original--Prohibition Era--owner was supposed to store his hooch.)

I see it was made by the Miller Rubber Company. I'd guess that this is the patent information -- http://www.google.com/patents?ei=vuxnT9 ... ph&f=false

I would expect those cross braces to have some oxidation. Looks like they were added later.

I thought the Miller Rubber co. sounded familiar, and after checking my RCA UZ-1325 radio horn speaker, the horn was indeed made by Miller Rubber.