The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I recently purchased this Triumph from a friend in Seattle. As you can see from the photos, the mechanism is an A mechanism with a ball like end gate release and an early square opening in the crank. The case is a B Triumph case with just the "Edison" decal. I was skeptical and still have questions. I could see the possibility of an A mechanism in an early B case with banner decal but this is not the way the machine came to me. The machine came to me in "as found" condition. The case was very dirty. The rubber suspension between the top works and flat metal deck had turned to goo and the mechanism needed cleaning. It appeared that the machine had not gone through the hands of collectors that had mixed parts because it was dirty and needed attention. I asked my friend what he knew. He said he took the machine out of an attic of a 1950's "rambler" house. The house had been built so the children of the original owners could live and take care of their parents. Now those parents are moving to senior housing so the grandchildren are selling items. My friend bought the machine from the third generation of the original owners. What do I have?
*
Is it a machine as it left the Edison factory?
*
Is it a machine that the original owner made current by buying a later cabinet and replacing the banner decal greenish cabinet?
*
Is it a marriage of parts done in modern times?
*
The serial number is 45867. Are there similar Triumphs around this number?
*
I would appreciate any comments. Thanks, Jerry

Jerry,
It's a Triumph A/B. A works in a B case falls in the 45,XXX to 50,XXX serial number range.

Steve's right.

It's not generally known that, for a short period, Triumph A mechanisms were supplied from the factory in what we now consider to be Triumph B cabinets. The earliest example of these A/B Triumphs I've encountered is No.45025, and the latest one I've encountered is No.49752. By No.50636, the B mechanism had appeared.

So Jerry, your machine is perfectly legitimate.

George P.

I too have often wondered about my A/B triumph - exactly as yours, but serial number starting 472... When I got mine, it too had the gooey perished rubber buffers. It had also been amberolised and fitted with an 11 panel mahogany grained cygnet horn. I have substituted a later carriage with an N reproducer and it sounds great, although springs need re-greasing ( terrifying prospect) and one of the governor weights occasionally starts to wobble causing vibration.

Richard