The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hi All,
My friend George Epple arrived with his Polly oscillator yesterday and it varies in color and dimensions from the ones I have seen on The Talking Machine Forum. His Original Oscillator is 16 ⅜ inches in diameter with a ¼ inch hole the angle cut out at the center is 47 degrees as measured with an angle gauge (I am a Mechanical Engineer so all measurements are accurate) the added strip is 1 ⅛ inches wide. I did not measure the length of the added strip and it should be noted that the material is not removed from the 47 degree wedge area that is under the strip. I will try to add the length of the strip to this post in the future. I have an email George sent to me with a picture of the Oscillator that I can send to any one interested. The material is a very hard brown paper that is 0.017 of an inch thick and it has the color print of the Polly parrot on it.
Thank you all for the help I have received along the way to getting a speed control and reproduction Oscillator.
Allen
P.S. So far no one other than G. Epple has reported having a spring under the speed control knob.

This sale brochure I have lists several styles of “oscillator”. I have only seen the heavy paper with either Polly’s picture on it or the basket weave pattern.

Hi pianolist,
Thank you for your post! I am printing it the very second as it has a lot of information that is of interest. My friend G. Epple told me he thought there were non-folding horns, but this is the first literature to prove it that I have seen. He also thought the non-folding type might be larger but this we may never know unless some one finds an original example.
I am also into reproducing pianos and have been since the 1967. would like to have a foot pump player but limited in space.
Thanks again,
Allen

The Polly Portable that I have has the metal case.I found out on the flyer that the original price of mine was $10.I'll have to tell the friend that I bought it from.Good to know! edisonplayer

The Polly portables owned by myself and G. Epple are also the $10 variety. I had cut some segments of rubber bands to place under the springs supporting the armature that holds the oscillator but I am replacing them with thin silicone for it should last longer.
Allen

I read on the flyer for the Polly Portable a blurb about Polly Records.I didn't know there was such a thing.Has anyone ever seen them? edisonplayer PS:From what I gather Polly didn't make that big of a dent in the market.And,it wasn't long after that phonograph and record sales began to decline.

Yesterday at the flea market I showed the friend that I bought my Polly from and his wife the flyer.It was nice for them to see the original prices.I told them that I don't think the Polly company made much of a dent in the phonograph market.edisonplayer