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http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/atq/1961445840.html
In principle, it reminds me of the Decca portables with the tone chamber/horn in the lid, but I'm also wondering about the large area to the left of the turntable. Record storage? Socks and nighties?

Ortho_Fan wrote:http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/atq/1961445840.html

Large Portable.JPG

Socks and nighties?

If it was a black case covered with vintage Barbie dolls, I would vote for socks and nighties...

It must be for batteries, a power cord or both? I cant see a crank so it must have an electric motor.
It'd be interesting to see the horn design, to see whether it spirals around in the lid or just throws the sound into a vast space.

gramophoneshane wrote:It must be for batteries, a power cord or both? I cant see a crank so it must have an electric motor.

I think I see the hole for the crank on the right side of the cabinet, toward the back. Also, the motor type seems to be a relatively standard type--based on the turntable & speed adjustment lever--used on a number of off-brand portables produced during the late 1930s/early 1940s. Most of the ones I've seen from this era, in the US market, that had electric motors, did not have speed adjustment levers. I'd guess the crank fits into the storage compartment on the left.

I too wonder about the horn. If well designed, it must sound pretty good, but I don't like the one-piece design of the tonearm.

I've never seen anything like this one, with the "double-wide" case. I almost wondered if it was a homemade model, but it looks too "finished."

You could be right about the crank hole, although I came to the conclussion it may just be wear to the covering as along the front of the machine. I would have expected the crank to be in position, or shown in the photo if that was the case.
As always, it's very difficult to tell from the poor quality photos of craigslist

It's interesting that your electric motors of this era had no speed control. I dont think I've seen or got any that dont.
The most "normal" looking example I have is my Paillard pictured below, although my Garrard & Collaros look just like their spring driven counterparts too. With the turntable in position on this Paillard, you'd never know it was electric.

Hi Shane:

I remember your Paillard portable. (I think you posted a video of it on youtube?) Fascinating mechanism.

Most of the later acoustic phonographs with electric motors I've seen are similar to this Silvertone from about the late 1940s, pictured on this page:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4 ... 1847455544

I tried emailing the craigslist seller by clicking on the link in the ad, to ask him/her about it, and find out if I could see some more detailed photos, but for whatever reason, it came back as "undeliverable." (Possibly it's blocking email messages from my ISP?) Maybe someone else will have better luck.

What a shame. It'd be nice to know what type of motor is employed, just what the compartment is for, and what size the turntable is. It might be an 8", but if it's 10", it sure is a wide portable.
I do have a couple videos of the Paillard playing on youtube. there's also quite a few pictures on the UK board, in the "others" section. I think there's a before & after video of it playing on youtube, before and after I did the soundbox. It's really a nice little machine, although I must admit I worry about electocution with all that metal to metal contact on the brake & no earth. I guess if it kills me, at least I'll die doing what I love best

That Silvertone is quite nice & simple. I guess the button at the front left is the on/off switch for the motor?
I wonder if that's the same model as was shown in Sears advertising that Larry posted some time ago.