The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

A while back a I bought an off mark internal horn machine made by the Domestic Talking Machine Co. I'm looking for the governor Several photos of the motor and machine follow. It was obviously put in the barn for some time. It's all there except for the governor and mainspring. Interestingly enough, the horn is made of wood.

Once you find the governor, you'll also be looking for the fiber gear that drives it. It appears that your is stripped.

Interesting tonearm design...

It was the first machine I ever bought back in May. Had no idea what I was buying. I got the crank. It was inside the machine.

I would send those pics to George Vollema. He might know and have it.
Bob

I had, and George Vollema did not recognize the motor. I believe the motor may be Swiss based on how one of the pinions is cut. Here is a photo of a 1916 ad. They really touted this machine. Be interesting to hear this thing go again.

As you may know, the Domestic Talking Machine Co. was likely Horace Sheble's last attempt at participating in the talking machine business. Earlier he had been involved with Ellsworth Hawthorne in manufacturing phonograph horns, Star records and phonographs, and (with John O Prescott) American Records--pressed in blue shellac and sporting a lithograph of an American Indian on the label. Interestingly, the orange-labeled Domestic records that were marketed with your machine were apparently pressed in the same blue shellac as were the earlier American Records. At least to my eyes, the shade of blue is exactly the same. Best wishes, Mark

Did not know that. I have a Hawthorn and Sheble horn. What you write adds some interest and motivation to my getting the darn thing up and running. The ad claims that the wooden horn is made like the fine violins of old. Ha!

"The ad claims that the wooden horn is made like the fine violins of old. Ha!"

Check out this Rishell ad from the October 1916 Talking Machine World, which makes the same violin comparison (note: full page may take a while to download):

http://www.antiquephono.org/brand-talki ... j-wakeman/

A Google search for "domestic records Horace Sheble" turns up some interesting hits, including a motor patent with diagrams that, to me, look a lot like those for your motor (US1240497 A). There is also a patent for a sound box support (US1280565 A), but I cannot tell if it is the same as yours.

Glenn Longwell has the label of a 7 inch Domestic Record on his website…

http://majesticrecord.com/labelsd2.htm

… that seems to be pressed in black shellac and seems to be a pressing made for Domestic. But I have an orange-labeled 10 inch Domestic Record which is pressed in blue shellac and seems to be made by Domestic themselves.

I hope you do get this interesting off-brand up and running!

Best wishes, Mark

Mark: Thank you very much for that information. I had not known the Sheble connection, and so my internet searches in the past only provided a few hits, one of which was the 1916 ad that I posted above. The patent information is fascinating. I do believe this is the patent for my motor, but only a partial view of the motor is included in the patent application, so hard to say. Perhaps a close reading of the text with motor in hand will help. Now, it would seem the Domestic Talking Machine Corp folded after two years. That probably means the number produced was small, and the number that has survived even smaller, all of which does not bode well for finding the governor. Still, a piece of history. By the way, George Vollema does not think this is a Heineman motor; your patent information further suggests that George is right.