The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

In between working on the Columbia lists, and at a time where I absolotely NOT had planned more gramophone purchases for a while, I yesterday ( of course) saw an ad that caught my attention. I have really promised myself to buy only HMV and Columbia portables, but when this Pathé portable was for sale, sold together with a good looking Columbia 109A ( that I still don't own)...and 50-60 records along with it, for an all good price (100 euro), I could not resist it. If necessary, I will better skip some dinners.
I was able to find an old thread on the forum about a different Pathé Olotonal, and I believe possibly Barry know a bit more about this:) I have however not found this particular model on the forum, so I thought you would like to have a look. The records also look interesting, even if I really don't know much about recordings (yet).

And...the carrying handle on this portable is REALLY solid, contrary to another well known brand's carrying handles we know far too well..

Update:
And, (a second time), something tells me that the record I put on the portable just for the photo, is possibly not the average 78 rpm record found on a flea market? I pulled it out of the collection following the Pathé portable, and felt it suited the photo, but after checking a bit online yesterday evening, I understand it possibly is collectible, also because it is an early recording of Tito Schipa. I also had to check what "needle cut" means, since I know VERY little about recordings and recording techniques at the time of writing this. Tito Schipa was a new name for me, but after googling and "youtubing" more, I understand he was a very popular ( and high level) tenor. I look forward to dive more into the record collection today...

"Olotonal" was Pathé's equivalent to Columbia's "Viva-Tonal" and Victor's "Orthophonic", techno-babble to advertise their new ranges of machines to play the new electrical recordings.

The Pathé Actuelle was their first laterally cut record, introduced in about 1920 alongside the vertical cut discs which continued in production until about 1928.

Tito Schipa (1889-1965) made many records for Pathé and later for HMV. Among my favourites are his recordings of Neapolitan songs, which suit his light tenor voice particularly well, and his operatic duets with the celebrated soprano Amelita Galli-Curci (1882-1963). Their voices are particularly well matched.

I like your new machine... It seems to be in very good condition and the outside covering is unusual and quite striking...