The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

For the longest time, detailed information on Canadian Berliner Gramophones was scarce. This information vacuum was finally filled in 2005, with “The Berliner Gramophone, an Illustrated History” by Mark Caruana-Dingli based on Domenic DiBernardo’s collection.

Since then, a number of gramophone variations have surfaced. What to make of these? Is a machine a Berliner factory product? Does it have minor modifications, likely made over the decades by antiquers or collectors, or is it a Gemisch? Members of the Canadian Antique Phonograph Society (CAPS) are gathering information to answer these questions.

For Canadian Berliner B’s, four case types have shown up. Most Berliner B’s have double spring motors, but machines with metal tops have a single spring motor. The variations are:
1. Metal top, Single spring motor, Serial numbers: B459, B635, (First figure – courtesy of Miller & Miller Auctions, New Hamburg ON),
2. Metal circle beneath turntable, Serial number 794 (Caruana-Dingli, p. 54),
3. Plain wood case, Serial numbers: B982, B1091, B1159, B1380, B1603, B1663, B1673, (Second figure – Miller & Miller),
4. Ornate wood case, Serial numbers: B2544, B2587, B2702, (Third figure).

The data so far suggests that the Serial Numbers correlate with progressive improvements. Can you help? If you have a Canadian Berliner B, please report on your machine according to the following:

BERLINER B:
a) SERIAL #
b) CASE: Plain/Ornate
c) TOP: Metal/Metal below turntable only/All wood
d) MOTOR: Single spring/Double spring
e) REPRODUCER: Type? Serial #?
f) HORN: Style - Brass/ Black/ Black horn with Brass bell
g) DECAL: Victor/Berliner/none
h) ELBOW: Leather/Brass
i) Other comments:

This is a Canadian Berliner Model B, serial number B1091 that went through the Canadian Antique Phonograph Society club auction. Hope this adds to your project. I think it has a Victor Concert reproducer instead of the Berliner reproducer. Maybe it was a machine intended for the American market.
Regards,
Blain