The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

When one thinks of early radio/phonos, one doesn't think of Columbia Viva Tonals right away. But starting in 1927 and continuing until about 1931, Columbia coupled with Kolster radio to produce some very interesting radio/phono combinations. I think I've only seen one: U V's gutted 950, which is a substantial piece of furniture in the form of an old fashioned secretary. Bob Baumbach's digital book on Columbia disc machines has some tantalizing looks into these machines that I never see for sale anywhere. Has anyone heard any of these Columbia/Kolster R/P machines playing records?

I do know personally of a few intact machines out there. Usually when I find one it is just the cabinet as you mentioned. I also run across pieces and parts from time to time. One interesting point was the design was the arm and pick up. The horseshoe pick up was mounted in a yoke so that it pivoted. The arm stayed parallel to the motor board the entire time and supported itself. This way there was reduced tracking weight on the record. It was similar in appearance to Capehart's 1930's pick up just without the zero tangent swivel feature. The supporting arm was an interesting 1920's fluid form looking a little whimsical and fluid - right out of cartoon.

There was a nice example at Wayne this fall... I'll have to look in Baumbach to find which model it was.


It was plugged-in and playing nicely when I walked-in, and it had a crowd hovering around it.


By the time I'd made my first loop around the room, it wsa gone.

De Soto Frank wrote:There was a nice example at Wayne this fall... I'll have to look in Baumbach to find which model it was.
It was plugged-in and playing nicely when I walked-in, and it had a crowd hovering around it.
By the time I'd made my first loop around the room, it wsa gone.

It was a 980, a rare model. I owned a gutted cabinet and know of only 2 other complete units. I wish I had gone back to the show on Sunday. It was there on Saturday but because of the rain wasn't out. It uses two 50 type output tubes and a 14" speaker.

The rarest model is the 990/991 the only model with a changer, an Allen-Hough unit, lots of pot metal, Zenith used it in their Model 75. I've seen 2 or 3 of them and none were working.


Chuck

Springmotor70 wrote:I do know personally of a few intact machines out there. Usually when I find one it is just the cabinet as you mentioned. I also run across pieces and parts from time to time. One interesting point was the design was the arm and pick up. The horseshoe pick up was mounted in a yoke so that it pivoted. The arm stayed parallel to the motor board the entire time and supported itself. This way there was reduced tracking weight on the record. It was similar in appearance to Capehart's 1930's pick up just without the zero tangent swivel feature. The supporting arm was an interesting 1920's fluid form looking a little whimsical and fluid - right out of cartoon.

The geometry of the Columbia arm and pickup was borrowed from that of the early Western Electric pickup. The 1a and 2a units were so set up.

I wish I had been there, I would have bought it on the spot. The 980 looks very interesting, even though Baumbach's book just shows a sketch of one. 14" speaker was very large for 1928! They probably had a TRF radio.

I think the asking price was around $600 ?

Frank, do you know if it was playing records or just the radio? i wonder how 1929 records would sound on it with a 14" speaker!

It was playing records and sounded wonderful!
B.

It did sound wonderful - I heard it playing from the other end of the room, where the entrance is, and it pulled us to it, like moths to a bulb !


My buddy who was with me is en electrical engineer and audiophile, with a good ear and life-long interest in old radios and phonos, and he was quite impressed with the sound quality.

Had it still been there when we came back around for a second lap, I think one of us would have bought it !