The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I know that a lot of great machines have been brought back from the dead and just wondered if some of the most difficult and rewarding restorations might be documented...
Here's mine, a basket case Fairy Phonograph Lamp that actually caused a lot of stress trying to think of how to put it back together, since parts were missing and some looked damaged beyond hope...

This c1925 Fullotone Chinoiserie machine came to me from the home of a titled lady, where it had spent decades in a smoky atmosphere. The interior was still pristine and shiny.
Having no idea what the original finish consisted of, I cleaned it very cautiously with baby wipes until no more dirt was being removed.

The lid bore a white ring mark where a plant pot had stood, and this had also worn away some of the hand painted detail. Antique black oak wood stain covered the ring mark, and I then hand painted the missing face of the figure from a reversed drawing which I had made of a similar face on the door. Various other small areas were touched in, and the new work was blended in with a suitable shade of varnish stain.

The cabinet although now clean was dull and streaky. Complete revarnishing was the closest option to replicate the original gloss finish. The motor board, lid and doors were removed, and the case was laid flat to avoid the risk of runs. Three coats of varnish were required to achieve a deep even colour and the end result was, for an amateur who had never touched a Chinoiserie finish before, quite pleasing. Photographing the machine was also challenging and has produced some unwanted reflections.

Beautiful result Roger. Congratulations and well done. A most attractive and appealing gramophone.

WOW!!! A great restoration and story... thanks for posting.

All of them if you are a bad "fixer upper" like me

travisgreyfox wrote:All of them if you are a bad "fixer upper" like me

You're not alone.... I think I have decided I enjoy the "history" behind the piece more than restoring it. I have done a few, it's very rewarding but there are not enough hours in the day. Maybe when I am retired....

My Triumph was the first machine where I had to resort to a blowtorch to get things free...

-Bill

Personally, I think I enjoy bringing things back from the dead more than getting complete machines in the first place... it's the challenge.

Some of you may have seen my other difficult restoration of a Pathé Rooster from 2017, see this link for the "before" images:
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=32254&hilit=+Pathé+rooster
I bought it on eBay and when it arrived, I was actually scared that I took on more than I could handle... it was a broken piece of junk that I paid too much for.
But, in the end, it turned out well...

Here is my 1922 Madame Hendren Dolly Rekord doll in its restoration phases! Getting the paint the proper tone was a nightmare! But very happy with the end results! The cylinder motor runs extremely smooth!!