The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

After-market horn. The case appears that it has probably been stripped and refinished. Would need to see in person to confirm.

That looks like a modern reproduction Columbia horn, I also think the case looks stripped and redone.

The cabinet may be a fake. The corner posts don't appear to be original. The horn is Columbia (or rather H & S) but the tone arm is Victor, and the data plate appears to be from a Victrola.

Uncle Vanya wrote:The cabinet may be a fake. The corner posts don't appear to be original. The horn is Columbia (or rather H & S) but the tone arm is Victor, and the data plate appears to be from a Victrola.

Speaking of Frankenphones....

That horn was available with a Victor end. If that's true with this horn, in my opinion, it's a very desirable horn and makes a quite common Vic III a much more interesting machine.

The case does not look correct in the photos. The late Vic III had more massive corner columns but these look huge and I'm not sure it's a late machine. The late III's had concave base molding.

Jerry B.

After a second look at the machine, it appears to me that the cabinet is from an early Columbia No. 25 or other similar such internal horn machine.

Years ago, the old-time phonograph butchers would take one of these machines, remove the horn and horn louvers and install a piece of ¼" oak plywood. (see the grain on the front of the cabinet, rotary-cut oak, rather than quartered oak, this strongly suggests a panel of common plywood) in the louvers' and install a cast-aluminum rear-mount fitted with a tone-arm salvaged from a Victrola. Note the size of the motorboard and the height of the cabinet in proportion to the turntable. Note, too the needle cups inset into the motor board, in the Columbia fashion.

Jerry B. wrote:That horn was available with a Victor end. If that's true with this horn, in my opinion, it's a very desirable horn and makes a quite common Vic III a much more interesting machine.

The case does not look correct in the photos. The late Vic III had more massive corner columns but these look huge and I'm not sure it's a late machine. The late III's had concave base molding.

Jerry B.

This is why I qualified my posting with the "H & S" designation.

If original it would indeed be a good horn, but not a $1200.00 horn, I don't think.

Wow! You people really know your stuff! Especially given the fact that CL photos (and these in particular) are soooo poor quality... either that, or you all have incredible vision!

Well, if you'd take off those sunglasses.