The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Need help on a Magnola upright phonograph. Pictures any information. It has 3 doors that drop down. One for horn and two for records. It's in mahogany and good shape. What is one worth? Jerry

I have no idea of the value, but here are a few pics...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MAGNOLA-Talking ... 3f32fac4a6

Previously listed for $1795.00 (no bids obviously)..

phonocookie wrote:Need help on a Magnola upright phonograph. Pictures any information. It has 3 doors that drop down. One for horn and two for records. It's in mahogany and good shape. What is one worth? Jerry

I had one just like it. Bought it from an antiques shop in Lowell, Indiana. The dealer practically begged me to take it. I paid $100. The two record storage drawers are mounted on metal slides, and the records are supported in an expanding cloth sling system. Heavy as lead even with the motor and the drawers removed. Worth what someone is willing to pay, I would say.

You can also check in our "search" section. There are over eight pages discussing this brand. Here is a link to one.....

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... it=magnola

Here's another......

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/search ... a&start=50

I have go admit I was pleasingly surprised to see a quirky upright and I like quirky uprights. It looks like a quality built cabinet and I love the walnut. You could build an interesting collection if all you bought was odd ball uprights and had a lot of room. This machine would be much less desirable in mahogany. Value is a tough question. I get tired on the statement that something is worth whatever the buyer is willing to pay but in this case it's really true. If it is worth the buy it now price to you, buy it. Hopefully, when it's time to move it along, you can recoup your money. I suppose that's a good way to say it is not a good machine to flip. I've paid that kind of money for quirky machines like my Puritan, wicker Haywood Wakefield (sp?), and Keen-O-Phone #1. Jerry Blais

John, was your machine a walnut example?

It's not a Victor, but I genuinely like the cabinet. If I came across one for the right price, I'd buy it.

Yet another talking machine made by a piano company- that goes some way to explaining the quality of the case.

Thank's for all the help. I guess the next time I see it I have to buy or walk away.

Hi:

I own a Magnola Talking Machine, it is the 2nd one up in the line, and is Mahogany. I really like the Oak.

My dad paid $125.00 for it back in 1987, and so at 40, I have had it since I was 13 years old. The governor was running too fast so my grandfather helped me set the governor. It would be in 1993, that I would be able to acquire new gasket material to repair the reproducer, and have both mainsprings replaced.

The machine even in restored condition would probably only fetch $ 200-$400, which tells me it most likely has not appreciated in value above the purchase price in 1987.

I posted a rare catalog on here for all the Magnola Talking Machines. The machines were made by a company Otto Shultz which made Pianos.

As the others have said, it is an unusual machine. A lot of us, myself included, like unusual machines that you don't see every day. After a while, it gets old looking at Victor machines that everybody has at least a couple of.

The only bad thing about oddball machines is that they can sometimes be tough to find parts for. As for value, if it's all there and is nice, I don't think $300 would be out of line.