The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello-

Just picked up this phonograph cabinet to save it from being scrapped. Can anybody provide any info on it? Is it worth holding onto hoping to find the "guts", since it is lacking the turntable?
Thanks

Many "off brand" manufacturers used generic mechanisms. If that is true for yours, you might post the make of your motor so someone could match it to a turntable.

Jerry B.

There is no motor in it. I'm wondering what will fit in it?

J R Wakeman write a book listing 263 US manufacturers of gramophones during the boom era (1916 to 1924 roughly) where you can find many names and some advertising. This book is online in the form of an article in Tim Gracyk's web (Tim is a member of this forum, let's hope he jumps in and give us some light).
See https://www.gracyk.com/makers.shtml
Other sites if you Google this.
This is also good https://www.antiquephono.org/brand-talk ... j-wakeman/
It's the same author and theme, but it could have different adverts...
Hope you can study this information and it may shed some light on the manufacturer, at least.
You may also look into the forum for "off-brand" and you'll find lots of posts about unknown make machines.
Good look in the investigation!

You call it "the Pooley Phonograph".
It that the name on a decal inside the lid or what?
Does it have a motor board of any type still under the lid?
Perhaps a couple photos of the interior will offer some clues about what was once used in this gramophone?

Pooley made cabinets. They may have made this particular one. Their bread and butter was storage units that one could place a tabletop Victrola onto, making the complete setup look like a floor standing Victrola. They also made cabinets for radio manufacturers like Atwater Kent. Their forte was cabinets, not machines.

I agree with a previous post on this thread.... some additional photos of the Motorboard assembly area (and the nameplate/decal) would be beneficial. From a historical perspective, any off brand motor from the 1916 to 1923ish time period would be appropriate as long as the mounting screws and crank hole would line up without damaging the integrity of the cabinet. Google "Talking Machine World" to get an idea of who some of the "big name" parts suppliers were of the time era by looking at the ads. It can be fun!

Good luck!

smitharthur wrote: Mon Jun 14, 2021 8:21 am Pooley made cabinets. They may have made this particular one.

Obviously Pooley made cabinets.
My Amberola 1a was made by Pooley, but I was wondering why the OP called it a Pooley Phonograph.
Is it just an assumption because it has carved uprights that look similar to those used on an 1a/b, or is there some sort of indication, such as a decal or cabinet makers label that state is was made by Pooley?
We have Pooley style cabinets here in Australia too, that definitely weren't made by Pooley even though they look as though they could have been, except they are made of an Australia timber (Queensland maple) stained to look exactly like mahogany.

gramophoneshane wrote: Mon Jun 14, 2021 10:12 am

smitharthur wrote: Mon Jun 14, 2021 8:21 am Pooley made cabinets. They may have made this particular one.

Obviously Pooley made cabinets.
My Amberola 1a was made by Pooley, but I was wondering why the OP called it a Pooley Phonograph.
Is it just an assumption because it has carved uprights that look similar to those used on an 1a/b, or is there some sort of indication, such as a decal or cabinet makers label that state is was made by Pooley?
We have Pooley style cabinets here in Australia too, that definitely weren't made by Pooley even though they look as though they could have been, except they are made of an Australia timber (Queensland maple) stained to look exactly like mahogany.

During the late teens and through the mid-1920s, when Americans were up to their necks in Victrola-clones, Pooley joined the ranks with their own branded models -- There's some more information about Pooley Phonographs in this thread -- viewtopic.php?p=89747
HTH,
OrthoFan

What is assumed as "obvious" to one person, is not to another. Not everyone has been in the hobby forever.