The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Some of us may have some rare machines, and some of us may just own some obscure, peculiarly designed ones. This is an opportunity for you to show us (and talk about) those machines. I'm interested to see what you guys post, and if you can, please post pictures!

Thanks,

Jack

My weirdest, rarest machine is a Diamond Disc mechanism factory installed in an Amberola 1 cylinder phongraph cabinet, using a mish-mash of gold- and nickel-plated parts.

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... =+featured

This is arguably the first wood horn phonograph. The inventor built a multi chambered horn (patented), modified a Zonophone sound box (patented), and used a slightly modified Victor R. This outfit was used to generate investor interest but the project never materialized. Thankfully the inventor's family kept the machine and I purchased it at Union a few years ago. This machine generated quite a bit of discussion at Union. Some collectors wouldn't have it because it was never actually put into production. Others, like myself, found it very interesting and it followed me back to Oregon. Jerry Blais

Very cool Jerry. I love odd ball stuff.

One of these days I'll come across something rare like this. Down here in Louisiana it seems hard to find anything phono/gramo related for what I'm thinking are a couple reasons: the humidity, and hurricanes/flooding along the coast. Things don't survive well in attics here luckily I've been able to outsource my collection from up north!

It may only be a Columbia portable, but neither I nor anyone else I know has seen another in this unusual finish. It is an overseas Model G-208 which I acquired from the family of the original owner, who purchased it new in Hong Kong shortly before the Japanese invaded in 1941.

The case dimensions are identical to the UK Columbia 204 and HMV 97, but the fittings and finish are more elaborate. In particular, the lid stay and record carrier hark back to pre-EMI Columbia designs.

I claim an Emerson crank portable ---- a black leatherette box, that I never knew was produced. Always interesting when something surfaces.

well,.. my rarest and most peculiar machine is my 1924 Linguaphone most probably used in a school setting since it came with a table with wheels
most rare because there seem to be only a few left in the world and peculiar because of the speech indicator (not repeater like some sites state) with this you could go back to certain words

and also my favorite because there's so little info on this machine and what I found you guys found out for me on this very forum! tino

[quote="epigramophone"]It may only be a Columbia portable, but neither I nor anyone else I know has seen another in this unusual finish.



I've seen an HMV model 97 in this faux sharkskin finish I saved the pics for just a moment such like this!... and a columbia 211 they are not as nice as yours though

tino

I would have to say my Columbia G-50, seeing as I have only seen one other on Ebay and no one seems to know much about them.

I have one of the three known Victor VV-360s. It was produced exclusively in 1924, and sold for $235. Although there were around 1,287 VV-360s produced, it was extremely unpopular and only sold very few units. It took a huge hit when the Orthophonic Victrolas came out, and was discontinued and removed from the victor catalog in early 1925. I don't have great pictures, but I need to clean my parlor before I get better ones. I'll post a featured machine too after I clean up.