HMV 101: new green addition

[beaumonde]

I just added a very nice green example to my HMV 101 collection (of three). Like my blue one, it's a late, transitional model (from 1929 I think), with the crank storage at the base of the lid, like the 102, and with an automatic brake activated by eccentric groove. While the green and croco machines are pretty nice, with minor wear, the blue one is a NM example. It felt and smelled new when I first got it 10 years ago, and I don't think the motor casing had ever been opened previously.

Here are some (not so great!) photos:

[epigramophone]

Green was the last colour to be introduced on the 101 range, in late 1928/early 1929. With a relatively short production run it is less commonly found than the blue version.

Although clearly light brown, your Crocodile 101 was catalogued as grey. A brown model was also catalogued, but this was a much darker shade.

To have three coloured 101's in an American collection is quite an achievement, and they all look very well preserved. Congratulations!

[beaumonde]

Thanks for that information about my new one, much appreciated.

[FloridaClay]

Handsome machines. I especially like the crocodile. If I ever find a nice one on this side of the pond, I may try to add it to my collection.

Clay

[Uncle Vanya]

What an impressive group!

[Phono48]

Although clearly light brown, your Crocodile 101 was catalogued as grey. A brown model was also catalogued, but this was a much darker shade.

This is all a bit confusing! According to "His Master's Gramophone", there were three crocodile skin models. Blue (SB101), grey, (GC101), and brown (BC101), which was superceded in 1929 by the "antique brown", then by the plain dark brown.

Dave Cooper, in his book, states that the "grey" crododile skin machine was a paler brown, but with a light beige turntable mat, and that the internal horn was sprayed in grey, which does not apply to the pictured one, or mine.

My crocodile skin machine, which is the same as the one pictured, unfortunately has no model number plate under the turntable. It would be interesting to know if the one above has?

[beaumonde]

My croco does have the model plate underneath the turntable, toward the back.

[Phono48]

My croco does have the model plate underneath the turntable, toward the back.

So what does it say? GC101 or BC101?

[beaumonde]

Neither! I guess there's more to the story...

[Phono48]

Thanks for that, it's what I would have expected. These ID plates don't usually give any indication of colour.