The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Sadly EMI did not prove to be a partnership of equals. The HMV archives were (and still are) carefully preserved, but Columbia's were not. As a result, no-one will ever be able to write a definitive book about UK Columbia machines to match the size and scope of "His Master's Gramophone", but we all owe a dept of gratitude to Martin (nostalgia) for his sterling efforts in documenting Columbia's many and varied portables.

The portable labelled 110 shown on Page 1 of the thread clearly is a 110 in the market (presumably Japan) for which it was intended. As far as I can see, it is identical to the UK 109A, and it would be easy enough for the factory in Japan to call the updated 109 a 110, either not caring or not knowing that this number already existed on an earlier model in the UK.

The 10 and 10A are the portable version of the range introduced by Columbia in the UK late in 1923, all with the No 7 sound box and fat tone-arm. When HMV introduced their new models in the autumn of 1925, for the new electrical records, Columbia proclaimed "We did it two years ago", but of course they hadn't, and it took them another year to catch up, with the Viva-Tonal models. These had the No 8 sound box on a narrow-bore tone-arm. The 110 was the portable of that range.

Incidentally, the Model 100 was also made in red leathercloth.

I dont know if it fits in here, but there was only one Columbia Portable which was exclusively build in germany (all the others where imported by Lindström from the UK).
The Portable is basically a Lindström (the brand for Odeon,Parlophon...), but it used at first a Columbia No.15a and later his own kind of soundbox with Columbia connection.

The model is called 208 and was sold from 1935 to 1938 (not sure,I didnt‘t found it in later adverts)
Sold in black for 65 RM and in blue and red for 68 RM

The German Columbia 208 - interesting, but its ancestry looks more HMV than Columbia. (But then, this was into the EMI period in the UK.)
Keep Columbing, everyone! Remember, they are "The best Gramophones in the World" - their 1929 advert. said so.

While we wait for the lockdown to be lifted, here is a reminder of better times ;

Thank you for all positive comments and corrections to the Columbia portable lists, they have now been updated. More Japan made portables will be added to the list shortly, I am currently restoring a horn gramophone, and the HMV 34 monster motor is a challenge for sure, but also something I love to lay my fingers on. I will not even tempt to call myself a newbie HMV motor service man, before having mastered this "monster";) Becaus of it though, the update to the Japanese list is a bit delayed. Gramophone work has proven itself to be an even more wonderful hobby than ever during the lockdown. After some days/weeks needed to adjust to the situation, I guess/think it is more important than ever to keep oneself busy with something positive.
Thanks also for adding humour, Roger, it is much appreciated during times of hardship.
A special thank you also to "Nektreg", for adding your German made Columbia portable with photos to the thread. Since it is made in Germany and is a Columbia portable, I absolotely think it belongs in this thread ( as I see it), and also to the list, so the Model 208 has now been incorporated to the list, as also can be seen in the subject line of the thread.

epigramophone wrote:While we wait for the lockdown to be lifted, here is a reminder of better times ;

Do you know what year this ad dates from?
It's great, as is the addition of the German 208.

The ad was reproduced in "Hillandale News" No.194 October 1993. This was the former title of the CLPGS magazine, now "For the Record".

Unfortunately neither the date nor the publication in which it originally appeared are shown, but it was printed in England.

As to the date of the "outdoor" ad., we have only the ladies' fashions to go by. I'd suggest late 1920s/early 1930s ?
And here's a thought; when did Columbia give up using their arcane (1885) name "GraPHophone" ? I don't think that EMI (after 1931) would have countenanced it.

I feel a need to reopen this thread, since I would like to ascertain the difference between the UK Columbia Model 10 and 110. In this thread, on page 1 and page 3 (photos listed by Epigramophone and Gramophile) we see Model 10 (or 10A) pictured, but when checking different auction sites online, a model with the exact same appearance is named Columbia 110. I link to two different sites showing this Columbia Model 110:

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/16299/lot/37/
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/ ... -167727219

If someone is able to confirm what is correct here, it is highly appreciated. Is the Columbia Model 10 listed in this thread really a Model 110, or are the auction sites naming the gramophones with incorrect model number?

To remove all doubts, it would of course be enlightening if someone is able to show photos of Model 110 vs Model 10 in the same post, since I doubt they have the same appearance`?

Thank you:)