The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Bought this today but will be a few weeks before I can pick it up. John is this model in your booklet of Magnola Phonographs? It might be a later one than yours. It does have the record holders.

Larry

Pretty! Is that walnut? Magnolas are heavy suckers, too! Mine is in a fancier cabinet with tall columns on the front corners. I can't post photos to the board with my iPhone, but I will from my laptop when I get back to the hotel tonight. Congratulations! The Magnola brochure is at my house and I won't be back there until August, but I'll check then. The record storage canvas goes left-to-right on mine, not front-to-back.

Beautiful machine. This machine has the same tonearm assembly as an oddball upright I have. The only name on my machine is a small brass plate on the rear panel inside the lid; "Bel Canto" and I was once told that it was a Starr-Meteor machine, but I've only seen mine and maybe one or two others in the last 25+ years. Anyone know more about this machine and it's manufacturer? Rarity?

Just plain old Oak.

Larry

I'm not aware of any connection between the Meteor Car Company of Piqua, Ohio and the Starr Piano Company of Richmond, Indiana. All these brands -- including your Bel Canto -- were part of the explosion of manufacturers and brands that came on the scene after Victor's fundamental patents expired between 1916-1917.

Many of these brands use motors and acoustical hardware produced by a small handful of generic parts suppliers. Many are 'rare' in the sense that they had limited distribution, but because they are so generic, there is little to make them valuable.

Talkophone wrote:Just plain old Oak.

Larry

I can't see detail as well on my iPhone as I can on my laptop -- thanks!

John this link is kind of interesting and shows a sketch of your Magnola.

http://books.google.com/books?id=Km4oAA ... ph&f=false

Larry

Talkophone wrote:Just plain old Oak.

Larry

Larry do you know if that is Flemish Oak or just dark stained? It looks real
nice in any case. Great find!

My Cardinal has the same reproducer/tonearm also.

I'm sure it is just stained dark. I bought this from a friend who has 2 of them. The one I bought says Bruce & Co. but is an exact match to the other he has and it says Magnola. Maybe Bruce & Co. was a dealer who could just put his name on it instead of Magnola. Yes a very generic phonograph made in Chicago. Chicago seems to have been a city who attracted phonograph Co. Or who made many parts for phonograph company's.

Larry