The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Has anyone found the serial number on the ivorene disk (under the spent needle cup) anywhere else on the instrument?... stamped on the cabinetry or other parts for example?

My oak-cased HMV163 has a serial number of 1772, but there is the number (12084) stamped on rear,top back board, upper left corner, just below the hinge. (It may be a case or finish number.)

Numbers stamped into the wood probably refer to the cabinetwork only, and are not serial numbers for the finished machine. Serial numbers on the Re-entrants are most often found on ivorine labels, but on very early ones with a gilt transfer giving the model number, the serial number is stamped into a tiny metal tab hidden in the case, visible only when the motor board is lifted. For most of 1929, there were no serial numbers. Instead, the model number was stamped on a metal plaque under the turntable, and unless it was the very first version, there was a suffix letter which, for ordering spares, was supposed to render serial numbers unnecessary.

My re-entrant is inaccessible in storage but I seem to recall that there was a plaque stating "for correspondence please quote..." and a number? I always assumed this to be the serial number?

My Spanish 194 has no ivorine plate, but a steel plate screwed inside the cabinet, at the left side, under the motorboard, with number '2' on it. The number '2' is also engraved on the motorboard, just in the center of the long side, in the middle of the edge of the wood.

I'd like to thank everyone for their thoughtful input to this discussion. I've seen two remarks elsewhere on the web from owners of both a 193 and another owner of a late model 202 (both with oil bath motors) that the later models did not come with the ivorine disk and serial numbers.

The images I saw of both machines, besides having the #52 motor, also had dual lid supports which seem absent from earlier models. Has anyone found documentation on the total production numbers for the 193/194 and 202/203?

If anyone is interested, perhaps we could pin down when these transitions occurred, buy known serial number (or other markings.) I would be happy to compile the data and share a table of the results (with contributor's names omitted, of course):

Model / serial number (or other markings) / motor type / lid support / reproducer 5A or 5B / MFG country

We'll back-engineer their production data!

Best,
Robert

Model / serial number (or other markings) / motor type / lid support / reproducer 5A or 5B / MFG country
194 / 2 / 34 / single / 5A / Spain

Thanks for our first contribution! I will start building my table of data and post a report monthly!... (and will add my own data once I get into the instrument!)

R.

Mine:

193 / 193A (metal tag on motor board under platter)/ #52 / dual / UK

Mine amended: 193 / "For Spares quote 193A" (metal tag on top of motor board, under platter) / #52 / dual / 5A / UK