Soviet Russian Gramophone by Leningrad

[Curt A]

Apparently the Russians decided to infringe on the Indian Crap-O-Phone patents...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Soviet-Russian- ... 2027390517

[Curt A]

You've gotta love that brass bell...

[epigramophone]

They also made a close copy of the HMV102 portable. Here is mine sitting next to the genuine article. The Russian inscription translates as "Pathéphone" but this is just a generic term in Russia with no connection to Pathé Frères.

[Steve]

I've had two of those Soviet clones in the past: a 102 type as you have there and also a 97 clone.

I like the funky record storage tray in the lid. My example never had that. What I do remember though is the soundbox made from bakelite making it a very lightweight soundbox in comparison with the HMV. I like these actually and I think they are usually very under-rated by most modern collectors.

[epigramophone]

Yes that bent wire record holder is quite a practical design, whereas the HMV102's tray is frequently missing from surviving machines and can be expensive to source.

The Russian 102 clone is not as solidly built as the HMV, and almost every measurement on it's case is different, but it's bakelite soundbox is probably kinder to records.