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Since my last posting regarding my mk Xa other than enjoying plying it I haven't got round to working on the horn or rebuilding its box .Also my VIII box is to be rebuilt .

I was offered this IV by a collector friend recently and I picked it up Sunday .

The soundbox again needs new rubber etc , but other than a chipped foot and sun fading on one side the cabinet is extremely nice and original . Walnut with stringing to doors and lid .

What I am interested in at the moment is dating it and comparing it to other s to see how they differ .

This one has a hatch door on the deck with two needle bowls and a compartment inside .

The pictures were taken before I got it .It had apparently come straight from the house it had lived in from new which is nice .

Lovely acquisition, congratulations! That looks like a very nice early soundbox, from around the era of the Mk VIII approximately.

Many congratulations Paul---a really superb instrument---well done !

This would seem to be of the highest quality and I have never seen a deck with a hinged cover for needles before. The general look of the case makes me think that it might be one of the earliest examples which would perhaps put it at being made in 1929 or possibly 1930 ? Later examples that I have seen do not seem to have been so lavishly constructed. The ebonite tonearm rest is certainly of the type and design that was used in earlier times as is the tonearm bearing. Also, as Andy says, the soundbox is indeed early. Useful to have a rebate towards the top of the lid to hold onto !

It would be interesting to see what motor you have---possibly Garrard XB or Cowey ? The internal horn is, I think, made of paper but could conceivably be "vulcanite"---can you accurately assess/guess ?

As far as differences over the years are concerned, it seems this model was availably right up to 1946 although the likelihood is that few were built after the war. I cannot quite remember if later models had swan-neck tonearms but certainly the earlier ones had goose-necks with Quincke tube.

I have attached a couple of schedules showing trading addresses and manufacturing dates which have been extracted from the definitive book written by Frank James.

Thank you both,and thanks for the files ,,,

I am very pleased with it .

Despite seeing the photos before hand, when saw it for real I could see how nice it was . The cabinet work is very high quality .

It had crossed my mind that it was an early one ,partly due to soundbox and because it has a solid wood mitred frame in front of the (paper )horn which would be expensive to make . On picture of others I have seen there was no frame .Of course it could have been a higher spec option .

The lid moulding I have seen in early 30s ads for the electric radiogram cabinet .

It does sound nice too a you would expect but some record s are flat sounding where as the larger horn machines tend bring them to life as well more so I think . The original box although it blasts due to rubbers sounded better than the meltropes I have tried on it so far .Though I am worried that when i take it apart I may loose the "tune"of it ..

I shut the lid on the meltrope just now ..it pushed the thorn down inside the hole .! There is a warning sign not to do that too....But no damage .

There is a lovely original card box and info leaflet inside it as well for the soundbox .Handwritten on the leaflet "READ THIS BEFORE UNPACKING SOUNDBOX"

I will take some photos when I find the camera later in the week ,There is no base board so you can see up inside .The horn is paper . Motor is possibly garrard or callaro ,but wont tell till i take it apart probably at the weekend .

What a lovely Mark IV, thank you for posting the pictures. An early date certainly looks likely, particularly with that soundbox and the known provenance. (Very unlikely it would have been retrofitted with an early model I would suggest.) Interestingly the door knobs are identical to those on my (1929) Mark V. Congratulations! Any chance of an upload of it playing on YouTube?

Thank you .
Thats interesting about the knobs .

I intend to do some vids on You Tube . I have a camera problem at the mo .I dont have a phone that does it .My Vid camera has lost its lead and the photo vid camera has gone caput ! . When I get a new one I will do so .

Is your mark V the lovely floor standing model in super condition I have seen pics of somewhere ?

Very nice indeed.
Most of the ones I have seen that have paper horns are finished with a gold leopard skin top paper and the black ones are "vulcanite". Interesting that this early one is paper.
The body looks like solid wood? except for the veneered doors.

I would not worry about loosing any tuning in the soundbox. Take lots of pictures so you know where the springs are and then re-build it with new gasket tubing.
I am always surprised how good the Mk IV sounds. Great for early acoustic records.

Thanks Chunny ,

Yes it sounds nice enough .
Its definately paper as it is dead when you tap it and sounds lightweight ,.I suspect ebonite is a bit like Bakelite and smells of rubber .
Cabinet could well be solid wood .I wouldn't be surprised .I will know more when i had time to inspect it on the Kitchen table .

ALVES wrote:Thank you .
Thats interesting about the knobs .

I intend to do some vids on You Tube . I have a camera problem at the mo .I dont have a phone that does it .My Vid camera has lost its lead and the photo vid camera has gone caput ! . When I get a new one I will do so .

Is your mark V the lovely floor standing model in super condition I have seen pics of somewhere ?

Yes, my Mark V is the subject of a thread on the forum and was also in 'For the record' a couple of issues ago. Best of luck with the video camera...I look forward to hearing it once that is sorted!

Is the horn of the V Ebonite?