The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I don't know yet whether I have a shot at this machine, but it looks great in pictures.
I've seen a discussion here that the presence of a radio might diminish the value of an acoustic machine, but this one looks so damn good. I don't know if the radio works. It used batteries and ones that are inside are probably a century old. The Victrola part works well according to the owner.
What this machine might worth?

I do not know if the radio makes it less valuable but it makes it more interesting-- Peter F. knows a lot about 1920s battery radios & may be able to help you learn how to get it working too. Radio-phonograph combination machines from the 1920s are beautifully complex--the Johnson Victrola Museum is preserving a few examples I don't remember the name of.

Seeing yours with that nice Orthophonic machine on one side, and then a battery radio on the other, is amazing--you have the best of non-mains entertainment tech for the era.

If I had this I'd be looking to run some low-power transmitter or hook up input to listen to Radio Dismuke or other streaming stations through it--you can use this Victrola to entertain guests with vintage music without having to get up & change needles and records.

Can't speak for the value of it; I'm a lousy appraiser. Is it near you, or far away? Transport will be a concern.

It is not close to me, but what concerns me more is where I'm gonna put it
The seller wants $300 for it, which I think is reasonable given the condition.

$300 is a very good price, I'd say, for a machine that will give a very good entertainment value.

You can make batteries for the radio by using plans available on the Internet & wiring alkaline batteries in series.

Blowing up the photo, this seems to be fitted with the early brass Orthophonic sound box which had the attached needle bar bearing cover and the split. I'd say $300 is a bargain price if this is the case.

OrthoFan

it's very nice... go for it! especially if it is near you so you can inspect it.. but it's a steal!

ymg200 wrote: Wed Feb 10, 2021 12:48 pm It is not close to me, but what concerns me more is where I'm gonna put it
The seller wants $300 for it, which I think is reasonable given the condition.

Oh HELLS yes! One in, one out. That's how I have to play the game unless I want to feel the frying pan against my noggin.

That looks to be in beautiful condition.

Jump on it, even if the radio isn’t immediately functional. Great price for a nifty unit that will sound great.

If the reproducer has problems, don’t worry, that’s easy to remedy.

You want to check the operation of the air valve (lever to the lower right of the platter). Don’t force it, but gently check whether it’s swollen and thus frozen. Also fixable. But you might use a frozen one as pricing leverage.

You won’t have a way to test the radio, so don’t try. I’m in the hot tub in the back yard just now so unable to check whether the 7-30 had a battery eliminator or not.

But it is definitely worth getting at $300 in any case. You’ll find the room.

Wow that is quite the phonograph, I would certainly jump on it for $300. Is it just me or does the tonearm bracket look broken?

David

7-30 has a Radiola 20, battery operated. Modern battery eliminators are readily available, and preferable in most cases.

I was interested to learn that only a very small number of them came with the electric motor (170), with most being spring-wound (3881).

Relatively rare machine. Go git it.