The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

This looks like an unholy alliance between a crapophone and a wedding cake, but the catalogue illustration appears genuine......

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321681572660? ... EBIDX%3AIT

That is a lot of work if it is somebodies recent creation.

Either way it is a spectacular machine and will make an amazing centre piece in any collection.

Bruce

I was extremely doubtful - and then the catalog picture appeared. It could be over-restored, or a fantasy made with genuine parts, but it's certainly not the usual crsap

From the catalog description, it looks like the real deal... a pimped out Russian Victor VI

It doesn't look like any recent concoction and it certainly could have been made for a Czar. Considering the fantastic Faberge eggs and other luxuries that were made for the Romanov family, this would not be out of line. If this was made for them, they only had a short time to enjoy it, since they were executed in March 1917, and this certainly would have been saved by someone. The motor is well made and looks specifically designed for this machine...

I started this thread with an open mind, but now agree that the machine is probably genuine although over restored.

Components which would originally have been nickel or possibly gold plated appear to have been chromed.

The soundbox looks like a 1930's Paillard Maestrophonic.

The brass plaque on the base has been glued on, leaving the mounting holes vacant.

The horn may or may not be original to the machine. It does not match the catalogue illustration, but manufacturers frequently offered alternative horns at extra cost.

It would be useful to have a translation of the catalogue description. Are there any Russian speakers amongst our membership?

I like that he shows countless pictures from the same angle, but avoids showing the inside with the motor in it. Also no view of the rear of the machine IIRC. With that many pictures and the price expectation i would expect to see a machine from all sides, top and bottom, inside out. So it could be the real deal, or it could be only parts of it. The seller should take a look at listings from Raphael or Firebottles about how to present a high value machine.

It also concerns me a bit that it seems that the horn has to be held up for the photographs.

Andreas

And it has to be personally picked up in Poland.

I think it's a mix of parts. The machine looks similar to the catalog. The back bracket is a nickel plated HMV product. If that's the case, then the motor should be an HMV/Victor product. Since the motor is a Palliard??, I think the it was swapped. I'd love to see the inside of the case. That's my take on this.
Harvey Kravitz

Bruce, How difficult would it be to take the machine out of Poland? When we visited, I got the impression that it was very difficult to remove antiquities because Poland had been pillaged many times in history and authorities were reluctant to give up historical items. Jerry B.