The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Once Larry creates a Featured Phonograph post for it I will be happy to add it to the Archive section.

Andreas

Larry, Post the paperwork page you found with it and some pics behind the grill if you can..

)

Thanks,

Tony K.

New Pictures of the interior Motor compartment.

Larry


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More Pics

Very nice pictures, Larry!

Thank you for sharing your Diamond Disc Phonograph with us all.

Best,
Fran

That is so cool! So, as PeterF pointed out, it does seem like a Jones Motrola built into the cabinet. The wiring in it even looks super nice from what I can see. I'm daring enough to want to try it out as long as the wiring is solid and flexible.

Again, what a great machine! Thanks for sharing the additional photos!

Sean

A very interesting machine, to be sure!

The Jones Motrola seems to have been modified to allow the mainsprings to be wound up manually as well as electrically. I've never seen this before, and would very much like to see a photo of the right side of the Motrola where the crank connects to it. Of course, that's nearly impossible given its position in the cabinet!

The inspection slip makes it clear that this mechanism originally left the Edison factory as a conventional C-250, whose mechanism was later installed in this cabinet. The inspection slip has a section at the bottom titled, "Condition of Cabinet Before Crating," and the "Type" is marked, "250." This is consistent with the data plate and the production features relative to the serial number.

A number of excellent furniture companies (such as Orsenigo, French, and others) offered empty cabinets that would accommodate talking machine mechanisms. In this way, a dealer or an owner could convert a typical machine into something special. I believe that's what this machine represents.

And it's nice-looking too!

George P.

Larry,

The mechanism is definitely that of an Edison Chippendale C-250 and it's my opinion that the dataplate is the correct one for the mechanism. There is no indication otherwise.

You're fortunate to have the final inspection documentation!

I'd like to hear if anyone on the forum has ever seen a Diamond Disc Phonograph final inspection before now, I believe it's an exceedingly rare document.

The most likely scenario for the cabinet is that it was manufactured separately by a third party, and the mechanism and Motrola was installed into it at some point (obviously) after January 11, 1918. Whether this was done by a dealer or the original owner is impossible to explain without knowing where and when the cabinet was manufactured.

Is there a battery retaining bracket in the left rear corner of the horn compartment? The Electric Automatic Stop components look complete, and should function properly if given a power supply. From the pictures you PM'd me, I noted that the reproducer is entirely correct for this feature also.

Best,
Fran

Wow - - "great minds" think alike...and simultaneously!

George P.

Hah George, great minds think alike! I was typing the same time you were! (Must be something in the water):D

Thanks for your information, it'll help clear up some of the misconceptions, I hope.

Fran