The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Somebody (not me) is offering a Columbia Regent desk type phonograph for $75 near Salem OR on Craigslist. The cabinet needs refinished but appears to be all there. Ad says it works. If only I was a little closer and had more room!

https://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/atq ... 42729.html

If this was not 2,600 miles away from me I would go get it today oh well


I think I have a thing for those columbia banner decals

Really cool. Unfortunately missing one paw foot. Heck of a deal, though

These are interesting machines, but they take up a lot of space. Someone tried to sell me one 10 or 15 years ago. It really isn't practical as a desk.

That is pretty neat. But, too far for me. I am beginning to notice some of these unique phonographs are similar to some of the collector car listings I seem to find. All the way across the country from where I live.... Anybody else?

AZ* wrote:These are interesting machines, but they take up a lot of space. Someone tried to sell me one 10 or 15 years ago. It really isn't practical as a desk.

As a matter of fact, Columbia never marketed the Regent as resembling a desk, but as a "library table." A century later, it looks more like a desk to our eyes.

George P.

Here are some photos showing the Regent in its native
environment. Several photographs of America Woman’s
League club rooms from 1910-1912:

Nice pictures! Did the regent not have a lid support and that is how the lid was supposed to open?

It would be really awesome if the one in the picture is the one for sale

Thanks, Uncle Vanya for those superb period interior photos! Wonderful pictures of the past! I have two Columbia Regents, one is the library table, and the other is the Baby Regent meant to resemble an end table. The Regent pictured in the ad is a very early one from 1909. Mine is also an early one without the later Columbia horn opening louvers. What makes this one different is the flap lid on top of the table. On mine, the turntable pulls out on a drawer mechanism. The oak versions are one of the very few phonographs of the period in the Arts and Crafts style. It's true these were never marketed to be desks. So I always wondered what is the definition of "library table" anyway? Maybe it just means a table not meant for eating on? Or maybe it means a table for putting a lamp and some books for your library? Because of their size, these can be very difficult to sell. But I saw an oak one, sell at the APS show a couple years ago for about $350. These are actually great pieces of furniture for your phonograph room, or man cave, as you can display lots of things on that huge expanse of table, especially if you have one like mine with the drawer instead of the flap lid.

That was my though.

Put mostly because I am using a circular table now and it takes a surprising amount of space
Not that this one would take up leas, but it’d be a lot more useful