The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

No, not the car, but a phonograph that I got a few weeks ago. I rather like these small portables. Being relatively new to this sort of thing, I never knew there was such variety. I've included a picture. Made in England. When I removed the motorboard to take look, I found Dec 1952 stamped on the inside bottom, which I take to be either the date of manufacture or inspection or both. A very inexpensive machine with a simple motor and a plastic reproducer. I think the diaphragm is aluminum (or in deference to our English cousins, aluminium). The tone arm is plastic as well The horn? Just the case itself. There are some perforations in the motorboard to facilitate one's listening pleasure. So I put a record on, plugged it in, pushed the switch, moved the tone arm over, set it down, and--voila!--it works. Sound quality, you ask? I played the same record on a VV-VI with a rebuilt Exhibition reproducer. No comparison.

jboger wrote: So I put a record on, plugged it in, pushed the switch, moved the tone arm over, set it down, and--voila!--it works. Sound quality, you ask? I played the same record on a VV-VI with a rebuilt Exhibition reproducer. No comparison.

Meaning what? Let me guess---the VI/Exhibition was far superior.

Henry: You are 100% correct.

Now, I've done a brief Internet search for this machine and have found a few for sale but not a whole lot of information about the machine. This machine must have sold for just a few bucks back in the 1950s. And although English made, it is for 110 V AC. So I guess made for the American market. Still, it would be interesting to know if the manufacturer targeted any specific market, perhaps a growing teenage market?

One thing more about the machine, although it has an electric motor, the sound is purely acoustic, that is, no electronic amplification. The power switch is just for the motor.

So if this machine was made in 1952, when did manufacturers finally abandon this type of reproducer in favor of the electronic pick-up? Anyone know?

I think some of the kiddie phonographs had acoustic reproducers as late as the early 1960s. I remember our having one. They played those little yellow plastic 78 rpm records. We never changed the needle!

In the UK the Lumar was the most popular child's gramophone during the 1950's and possibly into the 1960's. I bought this one, complete with it's original box, for old time's sake :

That Lumar is a right pretty little thing.

We all like the early machines, but these toy phonographs, the camera boxes, and other small portables are a fascinating part of the hobby. It would seem what was once high tech, as it evolved and became antiquated (my apologies to the diehards), found a niche in the youth and children's markets before breathing its last.