The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hi everyone,

It just occured to me that I was going to ask you about this one, but I keep forgetting to getting round and doing it.

I've had this rack for quite a while now. It's rather a sturdy contraption, and the previous owner has cared for it by putting some squishy stuff on the base of it so it doesn't rub other furniture. It was made in the UK.

I was just wondering if these things are commonplace really. I'm also puzzled with the function of the slip out tray underneath the storage slots. I can't actually deduce a purpose for such an item

Nice piece! And very practical. As for the tray, it's probably designed to be a safe, convenient place to lay your records when you're removing and filing them.

Or possibly a place to lay the disc for cleaning with a record duster before and after each play. I'd imagine once full of discs, the shelf would be stable enough.
Perhaps there was once a label or card on it, which you would pull out and read to locate a disc.

gramophoneshane wrote: Perhaps there was once a label or card on it, which you would pull out and read to locate a disc.

That's a most plausible theory. There would be no other way, without committing them all to memory, to remember where was what.

The shelf isn't big enough to fit a 10" record on it, although looking at the marks on the wood I'd say it is a fair bet that there were labels originally glued to it. Thanks!

Honestly, folks, I don't see this as a record rack, unless there is a label that I cannot see. I don't think the slots are deep enough for a record to safely reside. It looks to me to be a rack designed for something shorter in height and longer in length than a 10" or 12" round record. Whatever it held could be laid down on the shelf so I think the shelf is actually closer to the length and width of whatever was held in the slots. It also does not look deep enough for sheet music. I cannot hazard a guess as to what it held. Just an observation.

There's no need to speculate or to guess as to what this piece might be, it has a patent plate right there in plain sight (except it's too fuzzy to read in the picture). Look up the patent number online.

It sure looks like a record rack to me, but as stated, the British patent number should confirm its original purpose..

The number on the top is 38575/32, however this isn't appearing in any search I'm doing

It's not so easy to find British patents, unless you want to pay 15 pound for a search to be done.
It took me about an hour on the computer the other day, to track down the registered design number of a Stuart crystal fruit bowl I bought for $5, before I finally found it was registered in 1921.