The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

gramophoneshane wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:57 am
This one I believe is pot metal and not brass, which explains it's low price.
If I remember correctly, the pot metal examples have 9 tear drops cut in the mask, and the brass examples only have 7.

You are correct. Additionally, the brass ones have a black needle holder cover, as the photo shows. These two differences make them quite distinguishable from the pot metal ones. The prices are correct, pot metal orthophonics are plentiful and most of them are not serviceable due to the pot metal deterioration, while the brass soundboxes are rarer and command much higher prices, as they can be completely disassembled and rehauled. As far as I can tell, the brass orthophonics were only commercialized in the US, all their English counterparts (HMV 5) I have seen are pot metal. It is the same with the Victor 4 (brass) and 4a (pot metal), both very similar to the English HMV 4 (these also exist in brass and pot metal).

The same thing is happening in all areas of collecting. Supply exceeds demand. The internet has made it possible to easily see what is for sale over a wide area and track sales. Ebay makes selling long distance easy. In the past, people went to yard sales and swap meets to look for stuff. That took time and effort and when you ran across something you liked, you pounced on it. Now all we have to do is type in a keyword or have Craigslist send us notices when something interesting turns up. We can pick and choose more. This is the market now. There's no going back. You paid what you wanted to pay when you bought it, and the person who buys it next will pay what they want to pay. If you've enjoyed using the phonograph for years and years and have to sell it at a loss, that's OK. You enjoyed it while you had it. It's a toy, not an investment.