The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hi everyone,

A seller from a french website show me these 2 gramophones. As he doesn't know very well the gramophones, he is not sure about the models. Can you help me to identify them ?

This first one is "La voix de son maitre" HMV french version: The second is a columbia: Cheers !

Tiwi

The first is an HMV Model 102 introduced in 1931 and produced until about 1960. The presence of the detachable record carrier indicates a pre-1939 version.

The Columbia superficially resembles a Model 109 of about 1929, but this and most other models have the case locks on the front, whereas your picture shows them on the side. On Columbia portables the model number can usually be found inside the lid, and it would be interesting to know which this one is.

The second is a Columbia 109, and the lid is obviously still hinged from the back, as it should be. When the cabinet was tarted up by the addition of the bits of "marquetry" (why would anyone want to do that?), for some reason they relocated the catches on one side. Again, why? Neither original or attractive!

The soundbox on the 102 looks to be wrong, or is it just the angle of the photo?

Thanks for your reply !

I am mainly interested in the HMV but how can you see it looks wrong (I just asked for more pictures).

Cheers,

The soundbox looks too thick around the edge to be the correct one. Originally, the 102 was fitted with the No.16 soundbox, then the 5a, and finally the 5b. If it's any of those, then it's correct. As I said, it could just be the angle that the picture was taken at that's giving me that impression. Let's hope so!

Hello,

You were right Phono48. I just received the pics and the soundbox does not look original at all.

Thanks for your advices !

Tiwi

That Maestrophonic soundbox was made by Paillard, and the name on the front mask is probably that of the retailer.

Unfortunately a non-original soundbox on an HMV102 will devalue the machine, as the original No.16/5a/5b soundboxes are sought after in their own right.

You'd have to try hard to take a worse photograph. Hasn't he thought of using a tripod. Does anyone know what the piece of metal is that sticks out on the right side of the sound box on the first photo?

CptBob wrote:You'd have to try hard to take a worse photograph. Hasn't he thought of using a tripod. Does anyone know what the piece of metal is that sticks out on the right side of the sound box on the first photo?

It;s the winding handle in the lid sans handle handle !

I've got a French HMV 101, which I bought on Whit Monday at a Vide Grenier in Penne D'Agenais 47. I was lucky as at that time I knew nothing about gramophones, apart from the fact that I'd quite like to have one. I hadn't done any research and the only thing really wrong with it was that the sound box needed re-building, which has now been done by John Sleep.


IMG_5774 by RWPD, on Flickr



DSCN1018 by RWPD, on Flickr