The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I don't own one of these (I got the pictures off the web), but I've always been curious about them. Were they made in America for an American market, or imported? Do they have a model name? And most important, do they play lateral records, or just vertical?

The Actuelle will play either vertical (Pathé or Edison) or lateral, by choosing the correct setting on the tone arm/cone assembly and installing the appropriate needle. There were several cabinet styles, and wood types available. Cheers, Russie.

The Actuelle has been frequently discussed on the board. Search the board and you will find much more.

The one pictured is a Model H. The Model H had at least 2 different door designs and a few other changes over the production period. There is not information that I can find. I have started collecting some information on this model with a questionaire for those that own one. It can be found here viewtopic.php?f=2&t=42400&hilit=Pathé+Actuelle Hopefully more information will come to light.

I've never taken a close look at one, but now that I peruse the photos I'm thinking it does not have enough clearance between the platter and cabinet to play 14" records. Considering that Pathé issued a fair number of such discs, that shortcoming seems odd. Or is it just a trick of photo perspective?

drh wrote:I've never taken a close look at one, but now that I peruse the photos I'm thinking it does not have enough clearance between the platter and cabinet to play 14" records. Considering that Pathé issued a fair number of such discs, that shortcoming seems odd. Or is it just a trick of photo perspective?

This is a US machine and I don't recall seeing any 14" discs made by Pathé for the US market. I have seen a handful of larger discs with white labels, but they were not sold to the public.

If you have American Pathé 14 inch disks, please post info, preferably with photos.

52089 wrote:

drh wrote:I've never taken a close look at one, but now that I peruse the photos I'm thinking it does not have enough clearance between the platter and cabinet to play 14" records. Considering that Pathé issued a fair number of such discs, that shortcoming seems odd. Or is it just a trick of photo perspective?

This is a US machine and I don't recall seeing any 14" discs made by Pathé for the US market. I have seen a handful of larger discs with white labels, but they were not sold to the public.

If you have American Pathé 14 inch disks, please post info, preferably with photos.

The largest American Pathé records I have come across are the 11 ¼". I do have some 14" French Pathé records and they will not fit on this machine. Mine has a tonearm rest that would not allow a 14" record to be placed on the spindle. Some of these model H machines have a hinged door on the left side where the cone speaker is located, Mine does not I have heard from one member that he is able to play 14" records on his. I know there were several changes made to this model so that may have been one of them. I have not found another exactly like mine. It is the only one I have found in Walnut and the only one with 5 oval cutouts (the others have 6). I have only been able to add a small number of machines to the database so far though.

I once owned an oak Model H with an electric motor that had a very neat — and I can only assume factory-done — slot milled into the right hand panel next to the turntable that was wide enough to accept the thickness of a record. Although I never owned any 14” Pathé discs, I can only assume that is what the slot was for.

My research indicates that many, if not all, cabinets for Pathé Actuelles were produced by the Atherton Company in my former hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. The Athertons were once a prominent family in Louisville and there is a high school there named after one of them.

The paper cone assembly was called a ‘diffusor’ by Pathé.

The Actuelle model H will play the 14 inch records, just barely. I have several that I play on mine. The on/off lever is under the edge of the record so one must reach back a bit to turn it on. The lid cannot be closed while playing a 14 inch record, the lid prop will not clear the edge of the record as it stows.

Ron

pianolist wrote:The Actuelle model H will play the 14 inch records, just barely. I have several that I play on mine. The on/off lever is under the edge of the record so one must reach back a bit to turn it on. The lid cannot be closed while playing a 14 inch record, the lid prop will not clear the edge of the record as it stows.

Ron

This is why a 14” record will not fit on mine. It also has different style lid support.