The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Columbia Gothic, Case is in excellent original condition but is missing all mechanical parts, Can deliver to Union $800

offers considered

Does it need a special mechanism or does it just use the regular Columbia upright mech? Curious!

I believe originally it had an electric motor with gold plated tone arm, .

Would love to have it.....but it would be like my Keenophone....never be able to find the works for it!

Iowa Dale

This machine came with either a spring motor or an electric motor.

The electric motor version had a special transmission/mechanical comparator. The motor started when the tone-arm was swung over to the start groove position, and then shut off automatically at the end of the record. It did not sense the eject groove on the record, rather it sensed when the tone-arm stopped advancing.

In my opinion, the motor, tone-arm and other related parts would not be hard to find, but the automatic stop mechanism would be very difficult to find. (Yet, it could be made to operate with a motor similar to that found in a Grafonola Mignonette (Late), or many of the 1915 and 1916 "E" models, and some of the later year models with electric motor.)

This machine came out in 1919 according to The Columbia Phonograph Companion, Volume II. The spring motor would be from the Alpha series, D on up. These came out in 1918. Also, had the Columbia Automatic stop. Also, the parts were gold plated. looking at the cut out in the case, the later motor and bed plate would fit. The earlier 1915 models had the round bed plate, and would not fit. I couldn't tell from the pictures if a crank hole was present. If there is, it would be easier to restore than hunt for an electric motor mechanism. If this has a crank hole, It would be a great candidate for restoration. I'm not discounting the electric version. That, too is a worthwhile restoration.
Harvey Kravitz

Is the horn there?

wjw wrote:Is the horn there?

The horn is not present.

The price was reduced from $800 to $799? Surely that's not a typo?

Garret