The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I lately have corresponded a bit with a young woman about a gramophone, whose father died a few months back. From him she has inherited this gramophone, and along with it was a paper note reading: "Columbia 101". She says she is not able to find any logos or names on the gramophone itself. I attach the photos she has sent me, so maybe someone can identify it, or at least tell that this is not a Columbia portable. Myself I can't understand how this can be a Columbia, but who am I to know, really..

What in the world?

So the reproducer is sitting in the tonearm hole, right? Or is that the tonearm hole on the left? OR is that a horn hole on the left? And what's that HMV box doing there?

I keep looking at this (bored at work). Ok, so I now see that hinge there on the front, so I guess that solves the problem of "wait, how the heck does the sound get out."

All the components of the gramophone was disassembled. At first she had not discovered the tonearm, and the first photo she sent me was without the tonearm. When I told her the tonearm was missing, she was looking more closely, and found it. The tonearm hole must be to the left on the back, while the reproducer was put on the right side for taking the photo, while again the tonearm was simply put in front before taking the photos.
One photo is confusing, it was taken befor the tonearm was found:;)
There is also no existing name or decal/logo behind the records in the record storage, she has removed the records and checked when I asked her to do so.

The soundbox definitely looks like a Columbia, but all the other components look more like some generic portable form the 1930s. Is it possible that this was sold in some country under the Columbia brand? After the whole EMI consolidation / Columbia breakup I think it is possible. Maybe Columbia in one country was no longer able to purchase machines from EMI to reasonable prices and went to some other manufacturer instead? I don't think wind-up portables were such a big money maker anymore in the 1930s. Or a local dealer assembled their own machines from parts? I guess we may never know.

Andreas

It may be hard for someone who does not about phonographs but there could be some more identifying marks under the platter. It looks like it lifts off. That will show the set up under it. The other thing would be the motor under it. Tom

Maybe a picture of the lid with out the records attached would help too. Tom

I will ask her to remove the platter, silly I did not think about it earlier. And yes, the motorboard is harder to remoove for her. I will see if I can get some more photos...I will also ask her to remove the records and take a photo of the inner lid.

I do not recognise one single Columbia component, pre or post EMI, UK or overseas, on this machine.

This seems similar to a Decca portable. I am trying to get into some pictures. Tom