The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

This link
https://www.ebay.it/itm/HMV-Gramophone- ... f506b6c369
leads to the sale of an hmv130 tabletop machine, a bit tatty, but brings fitted a Wild Meltrope soundbox.
Photo for posterity (the auction ends in 3 days)

Wow! Well spotted - I'd noticed the Meltrope but not that is was a Wild! It's very near Mr Kirtley - I'm hoping he gets it.

The auction is currently on £115 with a little over two days to run. The dying minutes should be interesting.

The HMV130 itself looks like an easy restoration, especially for anyone with a spare 5A soundbox and autobrake.

It just went for £191. Glad I managed to get my Wild Meltrope II for fairly less than that!

What makes this very standard Meltrope soundbox "Wild"?

Steve wrote: Wed Mar 24, 2021 4:02 am What makes this very standard Meltrope soundbox "Wild"?

Here's a quick overview of their history http://www.gramophonemuseum.com/wild.html

Steve wrote: Wed Mar 24, 2021 4:02 am What makes this very standard Meltrope soundbox "Wild"?

The inscription on the mask, and the possible presence of some long-since degraded tuning materials!

The clue was the cushion material at the legs of the cover (circles in red in the photo) and possibly in the needle chuck.
Later, the Wild hand engraved signature can also be seen (in blue)

Orchorsol wrote: Wed Mar 24, 2021 6:41 am

Steve wrote: Wed Mar 24, 2021 4:02 am What makes this very standard Meltrope soundbox "Wild"?

The inscription on the mask, and the possible presence of some long-since degraded tuning materials!

Very interesting point. I suppose wild did actually touch each one though - unless he contracted the job out

Could it be that the Wild Connoisseur came first, and EMG adopted it, maybe through an agreement with Wild himself? EMG adopted some other contraptions made by others, as the Wilson horn, the Seymour tonearm, etc.
Maybe someone with access to the Gramophone archives could check which one was advertised first.