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Early Columbia ‘Hornless’ Table Top Phonograph?
Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2020 7:25 pm
by VictorVV-X
I’ve seen this Gramophone on EBay. The seller says that it is a rare early Columbia internal horn phonograph, but I have found out nothing about it on the internet.
- DFC0958E-1643-42CF-85A3-D5147A9EA7CB.jpeg (77.7 KiB) Viewed 2334 times
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Columb ... 4076772632
Has anyone ever seen one like it? Is this some kind of custom cabinet or prototype?
Re: Early Columbia ‘Hornless’ Table Top Phonograph?
Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2020 8:06 pm
by Phonolair
According to Robert Baumbach's Columbia Book, this is the round corner Elite. Introduced in 1909 and Columbia's first concealed horn Grafonola. I've seen them before but not often.
Larry Crandell
Re: Early Columbia ‘Hornless’ Table Top Phonograph?
Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2020 8:53 pm
by Roaring20s
More information from a past post ...
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=40468
James.
Re: Early Columbia ‘Hornless’ Table Top Phonograph?
Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2020 9:19 pm
by Jerry B.
I've always thought the early Elite as Columbia's answer to the Victrola XII. I've seen more VV-XIIs than the early Elite. It's an interesting machine for a collection.
Jerry B.
Re: Early Columbia ‘Hornless’ Table Top Phonograph?
Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2020 10:36 pm
by VictorVV-X
Thank you all very much! It’s an interesting piece for sure. What do you all think of value?
Re: Early Columbia ‘Hornless’ Table Top Phonograph?
Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2020 6:32 am
by FellowCollector
That is a
very scarce Columbia model for sure. I have one in my collection purchased more than 25 years ago and have not seen one in person anywhere since.
Here are a couple of links to posts on the Columbia Elite model from other members:
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=30658
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=16700
I should think if one of these is in overall nice, completely original, working condition it would be valued at least at 300-500 even in the rather soft market of today. But that's only a guess on my part.
These were equipped with a heavy duty 4-spring motor and are pretty hefty for table model machines.
Doug
Re: Early Columbia ‘Hornless’ Table Top Phonograph?
Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2020 10:56 am
by Jerry B.
It's value is not an easy question. Like an early Victrola XII it shares parts with very valuable horn models. I was offered $300 for a big Columbia dust ring that was in my parts bin a few years ago and I sold it. I also have the early Elite in my collection. In my recent inventory I valued it between $650 and $750. I also recently purchased a project Elite. I plan to restore the machine and will not part it out. It is a historic machine and deserves a good restoration. I would sell it "as is" to someone that enjoys a project but I'd ask for their intentions first.
Jerry Blais