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I saw this video and understand that most early horns were made of tin not brass.

An interesting fact indeed.

Would this also be true of early European coin op horns I wonder ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eo8-aM0A9og

Early European coin ops had horns of either brass, steel or zinc alloy. The Berliner coin op is usually seen with a brass horn. Zonophone coin ops are normally nickel-plated brass or zinc alloy like their other machines.

The video link you show with the ‘Gramophone Guru’ is not particularly accurate. When the Gramophone Company acquired the ‘His Master’s Voice’ painting and copyright they were not the Gramophone & Typewriter Company Ltd. I am also confused to his repeated reference of the Trademark model as a ‘No. 2’. Gramophone company machines had brass horns later than 1902.

Still as least he is trying to show the public how to identify a crapophone.

jamiegramo wrote: Tue Mar 16, 2021 2:34 pm Early European coin ops had horns of either brass, steel or zinc alloy. The Berliner coin op is usually seen with a brass horn. Zonophone coin ops are normally nickel-plated brass or zinc alloy like their other machines.

The video link you show with the ‘Gramophone Guru’ is not particularly accurate. When the Gramophone Company acquired the ‘His Master’s Voice’ painting and copyright they were not the Gramophone & Typewriter Company Ltd. I am also confused to his repeated reference of the Trademark model as a ‘No. 2’.

Still as least he is trying to show the public how to identify a crapophone.

Thank you jamiegramo.

Were they ever zinc alloy but made to look as if they were brass with some kind of thin coating I wonder ?

poodling around wrote: Tue Mar 16, 2021 2:43 pm

jamiegramo wrote: Tue Mar 16, 2021 2:34 pm Early European coin ops had horns of either brass, steel or zinc alloy. The Berliner coin op is usually seen with a brass horn. Zonophone coin ops are normally nickel-plated brass or zinc alloy like their other machines.

The video link you show with the ‘Gramophone Guru’ is not particularly accurate. When the Gramophone Company acquired the ‘His Master’s Voice’ painting and copyright they were not the Gramophone & Typewriter Company Ltd. I am also confused to his repeated reference of the Trademark model as a ‘No. 2’.

Still as least he is trying to show the public how to identify a crapophone.

Thank you


Were they ever zinc alloy but made to look as if they were brass with some kind of thin coating I wonder ?

No they were normally nickel-plated. Some horns have a zinc body with a brass bell. Nickel-plated when new they looked uniform but now after so many years the nickel deteriorates and discolours on the zinc but remains in much better condition on the brass bell making the horn look a bit like a recent mismatch.

jamiegramo wrote: Tue Mar 16, 2021 2:53 pm

poodling around wrote: Tue Mar 16, 2021 2:43 pm

jamiegramo wrote: Tue Mar 16, 2021 2:34 pm Early European coin ops had horns of either brass, steel or zinc alloy. The Berliner coin op is usually seen with a brass horn. Zonophone coin ops are normally nickel-plated brass or zinc alloy like their other machines.

The video link you show with the ‘Gramophone Guru’ is not particularly accurate. When the Gramophone Company acquired the ‘His Master’s Voice’ painting and copyright they were not the Gramophone & Typewriter Company Ltd. I am also confused to his repeated reference of the Trademark model as a ‘No. 2’.

Still as least he is trying to show the public how to identify a crapophone.

Thank you


Were they ever zinc alloy but made to look as if they were brass with some kind of thin coating I wonder ?

No they were normally nickel-plated. Some horns have a zinc body with a brass bell. Nickel-plated when new they looked uniform but now after so many years the nickel deteriorates and discolours on the zinc but remains in much better condition on the brass bell making the horn look a bit like a recent mismatch.

Oh, I was hoping some were made to look like brass with a thin coating of something.

Thanks very much again Jamiegramo.

Anything’s possible! In some old catalogues horns could be ordered in a variety of materials and finishes, nickel-plate, silver-plate, copper and I think there’s a Berliner trademark with gold-plated fittings and horn?... not sure where I saw it, probably the Paul/Fabrizio books.

A nickel-plated horn with honey coloured lacquer applied might also create a gold effect.

jamiegramo wrote: Tue Mar 16, 2021 3:24 pm Anything’s possible! In some old catalogues horns could be ordered in a variety of materials and finishes, nickel-plate, silver-plate, copper and I think there’s a Berliner trademark with gold-plated fittings and horn?... not sure where I saw it, probably the Paul/Fabrizio books.

A nickel-plated horn with honey coloured lacquer applied might also create a gold effect.

A nickel-plated horn with honey coloured lacquer - that sounds very interesting.

Very helpful indeed.

Thank you !

The self styled "Gramophone Guru" in action :

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=39911&p=242377&hili ... ra#p242377

poodling around wrote: Tue Mar 16, 2021 7:48 pm
A nickel-plated horn with honey coloured lacquer - that sounds very interesting.

Very helpful indeed.

Thank you !

Orange shellac gives nickel a brassy look, and the more coats you apply the golder it gets, although too many coats gives you an orange-red finish.
2-3 coats of fairly diluted shellac is usually enough, or just one coat of thicker shellac can work well on flat objects.
The biggest problem is applying it evenly without causing an uneven blotchy colour, but dipping objects can work well provided you blot up any excess that accumulates at the bottom of objects due to gravity.

poodling around wrote: Tue Mar 16, 2021 1:47 pm I saw this video and understand that most early horns were made of tin not brass.

An interesting fact indeed.

Would this also be true of early European coin op horns I wonder ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eo8-aM0A9og

So much so wrong !

https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/nationgra ... 21899.html

Guru NOT Guru (/ˈɡuːruː/, UK also /ˈɡʊruː, ˈɡʊər-/; Sanskrit: गुरु, IAST: guru) is a Sanskrit term for a "teacher, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher. In Sanskrit, guru means literally dispeller of darkness.