The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I like this machine, but the only thing that bothers me is that bit of wood gouged out of the horn surround. If it was original to the machine, done so that the turntable clears the beading, surely the manufactures would have at least tinted the bare wood to match the rest of the motor board?

Barry

Barry, I have found out what has happened to this portable. After a long weeks pondering, I decided to put it back into its original black color. The labels found on the machine were very brittle, and dirty, and most of them were torn apart, and loosening from the cabinet. I kept looking at the machine every day for a week, and the more I looked, the less I liked it.

Two days ago I started the restoration, removing the labels, but it was pretty hard, since the past owner had applied glue. I eventually had to use leather paint to re establish the black color on the exterior of the machine. Now it looks good to my eyes. I have also glued the paper thin leatherette where it necessary along the sides and corners of the cabinet.

I checked the turntable, it is original Edison Bell, but when reinstalling the turntable I quickly had a suspicion what has happened, since Edison Bell of course would never carved out the surround like that. In the past someone has removed the motor, maybe serviced it, but we can see the rubber buffers are wrong on one side under the motor, causing it to be uneven. Instead of using a correct sized buffer, they have carved out the surround of the horn. Correct sized buffers will amend the problem, and the turntable will hide this destroyed part of the surround, even if of course always will be there.

I have not serviced the motor yet, and start to think I will not do it. I am considering selling it really, somehow I feel this machine would be better possibly going back to the UK, where it originated. I don't have any room left in my house, and I feel it should not be kept in a storage locker. It also needs some work on the record container area. The cover needs to be straightened out, it has bended over the years, and some amendments needs to be done to the hinges holding the cover. There are no parts missing, so it should not be too hard to fix.

That is looking SO much better, well done! Glad you found out the reason for the damaged horn surround, but as you say, new suspension rubbers will be the answer. I understand your reasons for thinking of selling it on, because it often happens that I buy something I really want, but then after a couple of weeks, start to find reasons to dislike it, and eventually sell it on. Sometimes, though it works the other way round! I recently bought an HMV 99 portable, which I wouldn't normally consider, because they are cheap and nasty machines, with very fragile arm mountings, but this one seemed to be in good order, and at a very good price, so I thought I might give it a temporary home. Now, after a couple of weeks, I have grown quite fond of it, and will definitely be keeping it (after replacing the broken spring!).

Barry

Well you've thought about it and decided this way... It looks better now.

Well actually I’m wondering if this says ‘Fitzroy’ or ‘Fritzroy’... I’ve had this soundbox in the past but long ago so difficult to remember it but it may also have been unnamed.

I'm sure it's Fitzroy as that is a family name in the UK and (nowadays) a shipping forecast area. Fritzroy brings up nothing much on Google and redirects to 'FitzRoy' (sic). Just a very fancy joined-up 'F'....

From your posts, I see you didn't purchase the "red Alto" so I had to post several pictures of my Alto portable. Made after 1927, based on patent dates I found on one part, it has a strange folding arm it looks like it is attached to several pipe fittings, at the end of the pipe is a tapered piece of plywood that reflects the sound back toward the storage area and upward and out. There is no conventional horn.

Thanks for uploading photos and information of your green Alto to the thread, it is always appreciated when new content is added

Australian late 20's Rexoport.

I like your Rexoport portable, I always like to see photos of portables that are new to me, and I have never seen this machine before, it looks both solid and well made.

To continue, I add another portable, and I am curious if someone can identify it?

I will give a hit, it is made in the UK
I bought it yesterday for the price of 5 liters of petrol, and I just could not let it go...in particular because it has a stitched leather case...

I have covered the brand name initially, and add some detailed photos for guidance.

It needs a new friction leather pad, apart from it...it looks surprisingly good.

Itonia?

Barry