The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I recently won this at auction. It appears to be a military phonograph carrying case and the instructions refer to playing V Disc records. What kind of phonograph was originally in this box? Any pictures available?

Thanks! Cliff

Not a phonograph carrying case, but the shell of an actual portable phonograph. The green exterior has been stripped.

If you can find a Boetsch Brothers portable you can begin to build the insides for it again, and I think "Birch 500" is the same as Boetsch.

You can see the escutcheon through the side of the body. I may actually have some spare parts such as a crank for it. Your motor is likely going to be a Garford and the tonearm an E. Toman, and the reproducer one of those generic 1940s things.

Good luck. Personally I wouldn't have bought it but then again, it is more valuable as WWII history than a working phonograph! Hope you can rebuild it, as it is the WWII equivalent of the Edison Army-Navy.

Photos of one can be seen here: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/ ... -509011594

Brief discussion of one, possibly with photos (they don't show up for me) here: https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/otvmmb/ ... -t796.html

I hope these links will get you a good starting point. Good luck with an interesting project!