The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

This looks "right" to me, but I am no expert on these early machines. No doubt others will have more to tell us :

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Very-Rare-Tra ... 79f45bb7ll

wow I think it is correct but maybe Gramophone78 or one of the others that knows Berliners better can comment. I'd love to have it.

I wouldn't touch it with your wallet, unless I could see it in person first!

There are far too many "genuine" TRADEMARK machines out there for my liking and a lot of them are wrong or missing original parts. You can't tell for definite with lousy low resolution pictures.

Steve, I agree about the lousy pictures. I really can't fathom the mindset of people who would hope to sell something for thousands of Pounds and yet can't be bothered to take large, focussed, well-lit pictures! My cell phone takes larger pictures than that, much less a cheap Canon pocket digital. /rant

I'm not a Berliner expert either, but the whole package looks authentic. The only part that I would quickly suspect is the leather elbow; it looks too good compared to the rusted metal parts. The record hold-down clamp may be missing unless I've overlooked it.

The original carrying case is brilliant and is probably why it looks so good , definitely worth having if you could afford it

The original carrying case is brilliant and is probably why it looks so good

Sorry Mike, but I'd have to disagree with you there. Most Trademark machines found in their "original" carrying cases tend to have spectacular condition horns, complete with good condition original lacquer which can be attributed to the protection afforded by the case. The current eBay example does not have a great condition horn to my eyes. Like "Richard" (on eBay) I also suspect the elbow and soundbox could be reproduction parts. As I said before it is almost impossible to be sure from poor pictures on eBay.

I really can't fathom the mindset of people who would hope to sell something for thousands of Pounds and yet can't be bothered to take large, focussed, well-lit pictures!

Neither can I! My attitude these days is to avoid sellers / listings like this when anyone provides links to them. If it wasn't for this forum, I wouldn't even find the link as I no longer bother to have an eBay account and ordinarily never look at it anymore. The people selling rarely deserve the money they get for the items they sell.

Picture from Ebay. Is this a good price?

That oak table looks familiar to me! I looked at the previous items this seller has sold and he / she appears to be a dealer of "vintage communication" items including other gramophones!

I note a picture of the soundbox storage tube has been added but to me it looks like either a used toilet roll centre or an empty cylinder box, maybe (the same thing really! )? I don't like the look of this machine.

Apparently this machine sold for over £3,000 plus charges at a UK public auction late last year !

Apparently this machine sold for over £3,000 plus charges at a UK public auction late last year !

This could mean one of two things: either it was bought by a greedy dealer speculating he/she can subsequently get over £5000 for it OR it was purchased by a private collector who bought it unseen, was very disappointed with it and now wants to dispose of it.