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I was looking at buying this locally. It is supposedly an ALBA but i was told they only made internal horn machines.

Any help is appreciated...

Kirk

I think the answer you're looking for is right there on the front of that case!

Here's another

Well i was told it was a franken or something. They said the badge was put there by someone later.
I dont want to over pay or even buy an unoriginal piece.

I'm the one who posted that- and it seems I was mistaken.

In your defense Eric,
A few people have said it on that post. I got him down to $300.00 but I don't know.
Something is preventing me from being excited.

Im going to see it today and will decide at that time.

estott wrote:I'm the one who posted that- and it seems I was mistaken.

Neither machines pictured look particularly good and I think if I was a collector I wouldn't want either , they are OK for a one off talking point in an ordinary home and they could also be made up , as estott maybe implied m you would need to look at the machine to check if they look original , the red horn is definitely off putting anyway and $300 is a lot for a talking point

Alba gramophones were made by A.J.Balcombe Ltd using bought in components, what we in the UK call "assembled" gramophones. They also sold components to other firms.

I understand that they commenced business at about the end of WW1, so it is possible that they introduced an open horn model although I have never seen one.

Both gramophones imaged in this thread are frankenphones. How can you look out the red horn or the cheap portable turntable and speedcontrol on the pic Soundgen posted and even remotely think it is original.

edit: Do not buy this! If you don't believe me, let them show you the turntable, motor etc. It will be a cheap, new style motor with cheap turntable from a portable.Horn gramophones never had the outer edge curved over on the platter.

Teak wrote:
edit: Do not buy this! If you don't believe me, let them show you the turntable, motor etc. It will be a cheap, new style motor with cheap turntable from a portable.Horn gramophones never had the outer edge curved over on the platter.

I wouldn't say "Never". My Beka has their "Union" motor with a cast iron turntable that looks quite original to me- and that turntable has a pressed on metal rim which originally covered the turntable edge. Beka literature refers to a turntable with "Patent rim". : http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... hilit=beka