The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

There was a discussion about ten years ago when one of these with a dilapidated case and incorrect reproducer showed up on ebay. I don't know what it sold for, but it received a fair amount of attention on the forum. I like the reflector horn portables and I have been looking for one of these for a long time, (ever since the first time that I saw an image of the ad. I found this one and grabbed it despite the staining on the case and missing the lid supports and part of a latch. The motor is strong and quiet and the calf skin is all there. I will clean and condition the covering and produce new lid supports and one of the latches parts.

The horn is a nice, turned wooden bowl and the case is actual calf skin. The latches say English Lever. English Lever was a high end luggage manufacturer a hundred years ago. The machine has similarities to the Decca Trench Machines, but the quality of this machine is very high. This appears to be a 1918 model, (or there about), and sold for $60.00. It was not really after the Decca, and maybe the Decca followed.

If anyone else has one, or knows much about them, I would love to see close up pictures of the lid supports.

To the best of my knowledge, the "Bowl in Lid" sound reflector first appeared on the Pathé Elf and Reflex table models in about 1911/12.

Decca adopted the design, which they called the Dulciflex, in their first portable of July 1914. Many were sent to the Western Front to entertain the troops during WW1, hence the term "Trench" Decca by which they are known to collectors, even though most examples date after 1918. The model continued with only minor changes until about 1927.

On early examples the open lid is restrained in the upright position by two short chains (see picture) later replaced by a conventional stay.

In the UK, Sonora gramophones were sold by Keith, Prowse & Co Ltd, the well known music publishers and ticket agency. Sonora cabinet and table models turn up from time to time, but I have never seen a portable.

I do have such a model. I think this model is pre 1918, as the later non bowl shaped reflector type should have already succeeded it by then. The last patent date on my machine is 1910, the Sonora decal is post 1914. Mine is in reasonably good condition for its age. I bought in the south of France, so maybe a real "Trench" one. One can at least imagine it

epigramophone wrote:To the best of my knowledge, the "Bowl in Lid" sound reflector first appeared on the Pathé Elf and Reflex table models in about 1911/12.

Decca adopted the design, which they called the Dulciflex, in their first portable of July 1914. Many were sent to the Western Front to entertain the troops during WW1, hence the term "Trench" Decca by which they are known to collectors, even though most examples date after 1918. The model continued with only minor changes until about 1927.

On early examples the open lid is restrained in the upright position by two short chains (see picture) later replaced by a conventional stay.

In the UK, Sonora gramophones were sold by Keith, Prowse & Co Ltd, the well known music publishers and ticket agency. Sonora cabinet and table models turn up from time to time, but I have never seen a portable.

Sonora claims that their portable went into the trenches as well. It is odd that I cannot find many images of this machine, but the Decca seems to be easy enough to find. Does anyone know the years that Sonora produced this machine?

Thanks

Teak wrote:I do have such a model. I think this model is pre 1918, as the later non bowl shaped reflector type should have already succeeded it by then. The last patent date on my machine is 1910, the Sonora decal is post 1914. Mine is in reasonably good condition for its age. I bought in the south of France, so maybe a real "Trench" one. One can at least imagine it

Thanks for sharing your images. Yours looks to be in very nice condition. My latches are a little different and mine has a dark horn and it looks like it only had a lid support on one side. Mine does not have the tube that holds the crank. Does that tube have any features that protect the crank crank or stop it from moving around? If you wouldn't mind, could you please post a close up image of the lid supports?

Thanks,
George

The other reflector Sonora pictured below (not mine) is the second generation portable, and is equipped with a cheaper smaller horn. Its last patent date is September 1917.
My guess is, your portable is earlier than mine, because mine already got the "updated" clasps, later used in the 2nd model. I also think your horn should not be painted.

Teak wrote:The other reflector Sonora pictured below (not mine) is the second generation portable, and is equipped with a cheaper smaller horn. Its last patent date is September 1917.
My guess is, your portable is earlier than mine, because mine already got the "updated" clasps, later used in the 2nd model. I also think your horn should not be painted.

The dark horn is not painted. If I look at it closely, I can see the grain. The horn is dark on the back side as well. There is really no telling if the color is original, but I suspect that it is and I agree that mine is earlier.

Thanks

The crank is held by friction, working reasonably well. Your one latch version seems to corroborate the idea of your machine being earlier.

I think the horn should not be painted based on all others I have seen (maybe 15) not being painted. You of course have it in front of you.

Would you post a picture of your motorboard without the turntable?

This machine saw action in a 1915 battle and still appears to be newer than mine, (newer style latches). I guess that the Sonora was also a true Trench Gramophone, (at least some of them). I have no history on mine and it probably stayed clear of the trenches, but the history of these little Sonora machines seems to have been colorful, but mostly lost to time.

Django wrote:This machine saw action in a 1915 battle and still appears to be newer than mine, (newer style latches). I guess that the Sonora was also a true Trench Gramophone, (at least some of them). I have no history on mine and it probably stayed clear of the trenches, but the history of these little Sonora machines seems to have been colorful, but mostly lost to time.

It seems that my earlier image was a bit of false advertising. Sonora may have had machines in the trench, but the image that I posted above seems to have been doctored.