The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vi ... 1337360927 Its missing the traveling arm support, the traveling arm, the horn, reproducer, crank, part of the brake, and traveling arm rest. It's up to $610 and the reserve isn't met with 5hrs to go. I bet it could be saved because reproduction parts are readily available. The only tough part would be finding an original reproducer and horn. Also, I've never seen reproduction brakes made for this machine but I could be wrong.

The sound box rest was torn right off by the looks of it.

I've never seen a U.S. Berliner with the serial number stamped on the speed control plate. That's interesting.

George P.

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When I saw this I had a crazy thought in my head that I would try and bid on it BUT I really need to save my money and not blow it all out on a machine that is missing a bunch of parts and is not practical for listening purposes. I'm a young collector (at the age of 13) and of course I would love to have a Berliner machine in my collection and someday I will purchase one but right now I'd rather have a nice Victor II because it's more practical for listening than a Berliner machine. Anyway, are there reproduction brakes made for the American model? And what about a traveling arm? JAS antiques on eBay sells excellent reproduction parts but they don't have the Berliner traveling arm availible. They do have reproduction traveling arms for early Victor machines but not Berliner.

gramophone78 wrote: Well, now you will see a second. I know of a few others. I think I did a thread on this transitional model. I can't remember now...

I'm curious; what makes the model "transitional?"

George P.

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gramophone78 wrote:

phonogfp wrote:

gramophone78 wrote: Well, now you will see a second. I know of a few others. I think I did a thread on this transitional model. I can't remember now...

What makes the model "transitional?"

George P.

There appears to have been a change sometime in '98. Some have the barrels stamped serials and the brake with a center rivet and mounting screw on each side of the nickel disc (much like the earlier swing brake) and with side lever. Whereas these models with the serial on the escutcheon have a single center mount screw mounting the brake assembly with side lever.

I have not seen this model with a side guard as seen in the listing. I have only seen this guard on "99 model's.
However, like many machines of from this time period....designs were in a state of flux.

Yes, I have an Nat. Gramo. Company Improved Gramophone in the 19000 range, but it does not have the serial stamped on the speed control plate. It has a center screw brake actuated by a lever, plus a side guard (both like the eBay example). The eBay example is numbered 14819 on the speed control plate, whereas mine is stamped on the spring cage as is typical. I have always estimated my example as being late 1898.

George P.

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It got up to $910 at the close, but that didn't meet the reserve.

Clay

I don't know much about berliners but it seems that this one is similar to the ones in discussion so I thought I would share some photo's. This one was bought from the estate of a 91 year old man in Ohio. He still lived in the home that had been in his family for several generations. The berliner had belonged to his grandfather and had a collection of 33 berliner and 8 early zonophone records with it.

Rick