The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I got this today for $25 today. The guy who had it even had the exhibition reproducer that it has been with supposedly forever. The company name seems to by non-existent on the internet. I will post pictures of the motor soon, and also before and after pictures in the future. Does anyone has any info on it?

The crank looks like one from a Victor motor?

The plaque on the front is likely a dealer plate. I don't know what you got there, but even if it's a frankenphone it was a very good deal at $25. I like the carving on the base.

Speed control makes me think of a Columbia and the elbow screams Victor...horn looks like aftermarket OR this is an Oxford machine. Oxford/late Zonophone were built by Victor.

If it has good tracking and a strong motor I'd keep it, and if it's a frankenphone I'd customize it, particularly horn paint. Congratulations on finding a horn machine!

Motor and crank

This is a Talk-O-Phone cabinet and motor (motors were Victor rip-offs) with an actual Victor back bracket and tonearm. No idea when/why the Vic bracket was applied. Columbia used up Talk-O’s remaining stock after Victor destroyed them in court. This may have been something put together by a phono collector 60 years ago. Who knows. I personally am not aware of any Talk-O’s with copied Vic brackets and this one looks too crisp to be a copy.


-Jake

Peiced together. I will do you a favor by giving you what you paid for it . but great parts. Great find

Find some Talk-O-Phone bits and trade the Victor parts for them?

Could it be possible that the dealer matched and distributed them together?

Martin

That's a great group of parts for $25! The back bracket, tone arm, sound box, and elbow alone are worth about 10 times what you paid.

Mormon S wrote:Could it be possible that the dealer matched and distributed them together?

In situations like this, it's best to abandon wishful thinking, and apply logic from a dealer's standpoint.

First is the unlikely chance that J.C. Groene & Co. carried franchises for both Victor and Talkophone. As a matter of fact, that Talkophone cabinet was used for "client brands" made by Talkophone (such as "Globe"), and since a Google search shows that J.C. Groene & Co. was a prominent sheet music publishing company, it's likely that they were selling this Talkophone-supplied machine as its own brand.

Second, why would a dealer discard the Talkophone-made support arm, traveling arm, sound box, and horn - - only to substitute Victor parts? That would result in an expensive machine for the dealer to assemble and for a buyer to purchase.

Again - - congratulations on a very nice bargain!

George P.

phonogfp wrote:That's a great group of parts for $25! The back bracket, tone arm, sound box, and elbow alone are worth about 10 times what you paid.

Mormon S wrote:Could it be possible that the dealer matched and distributed them together?

In situations like this, it's best to abandon wishful thinking, and apply logic from a dealer's standpoint.

I have to be a little wishful dont I? . What I probably will end up doing is selling the victor parts, and spend it on correct ones (if I can find any...)

Martin

I'd do the reverse.