The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Another Intermediate Monarch have come to my attention. It is up for sale
and current bid is 420 euro. I should not even look at it, thinking of my budget for the upcoming months,
but I would still like some opinions and also just show the photos of a machine many of us cherish.
The thing is that I both need the wind up key for my Intemediate Monarch purchased last summer, that both miss the winding key and the correct soundbox, and this machine has both the winding key and correct soundbox, of course, to tease me further,,,;) I had hoped to get the winding key from the last owner of my Intermediate Monarch, but he can't find it, and I feel the chance is less than minor to find a new one easily.
This Monarch has its obvious flaws but to me it also look very genuine, even if I in particular don't like the rust and also the fact that I can't see any photos of the motor. Also the horn has its flaws, as one can see clearly.
I have been checking Ebay during the last few months, and as Soudgen also stated in another thread here...HMV/The Gramophone Company Exhibition soundboxes have not exactly been flooding the market lately.
I also can't see any gilt transfer (but maybe the gilt transfer even never was added to this exact year model from what I know)), and the color of the gramophone..is it dirty oak, or mahogany? I have not yet seen a mahogany Monarch, and tend to say this is dirty oak...but will be happy to be corrected.
Any input would as always be very much appreciated.

Not sure about the European market, but here in the US an original wood horn would cost more than the current asking price. Of course, the horn will require some repair and the finish of the machine itself is not great, but at the current price it would be a great deal over here. The turntable felt looks a bit plush though In any case, this machine looks way too complete and nice to be a donor for parts.

Andreas

Difficult to tell under the layer of grime, but I think the machine is mahogany. The circular gilt transfer only lasted from 1910 to 1913/14, so may not be present.
It is a pity that we cannot see the motor. Most were single spring, but some produced during the 1914-18 War were double spring.

Although in need of much work, this is potentially a fine machine well worth the effort of restoration, and not expensive unless the bidding rises. The turntable covering could be pressed into service as a polishing mat .

That turntable looks like it's been covered with an off cut of some shag pile carpet from the 70's!

phonosandradios wrote:That turntable looks like it's been covered with an off cut of some shag pile carpet from the 70's!

or one of those dreadful toilet lid covers from 50 years ago.

It's cheap but it hasn't got the double spring motor.

I have an Intermediate Monarch with mahogany horn but it has the 2 spring motor; the winding hole is closer to the rear of the cabinet and the winding handle is a different style.

Do we agree about that this is Model 2 " from page 60/61 in the "His Master's Gramophone" Book? Model 20 is mentioned on page 61 in the same book, but since no photo is given in the book of this model, I don't know if it had the same appearance as Model 2?
I did not know that some Intermediate Monarchs had different winding keys than the one pictured on the gramophone listed in this thread though.
I had to laugh about all the comments about the platter cover, I don't hope it is a used toilet lid cover from half a decade back for sure:;)

I once had an identical machine, date-stamped underneath 16 December 1913. The horn was better, the nickel-plating a good deal worse; most of this had entirely disappeared. I sold it, very reluctantly, in 2011; a buyer in Taiwan paid about GBP1300.00 for it.

Oliver Mundy.

Thank you Oliver, for detailing your past Monarch, also with selling price. This gramophone was sold two days ago for 440 Euro. I decided it was not within my budget limits right now, since transport costs also would have been added to the purchase price. It was still interesting to know and read about the gramophone, and your inputs, hopefully the gramophone is now in the hands of someone who will give it a good/better life.