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Just found this Amphion soundbox, another Anglo-French Exhibition clone. Side-by-side to an Exhibition both are identical, including the triangular needle hole. It seems that copying Exhibitions was a popular sport in Europe in the 1910s.

Amphion wasn't also the name of one of the first enclosed horn console machines by Gramophone in the early years of Gramophone Grand era? Or was it Amplion? I think I've seen it in early Spanish Gramófono catalogues... Kind of similar to the uk gramophone Sheraton model...

Inigo wrote: Sat Jul 31, 2021 6:29 am Amphion wasn't also the name of one of the first enclosed horn console machines by Gramophone in the early years of Gramophone Grand era? Or was it Amplion? I think I've seen it in early Spanish Gramófono catalogues... Kind of similar to the uk gramophone Sheraton model...

You're right. It's not a clone. Amphion is the French version of the Gramophone Grand and the name stuck for a while. It might have been used on other later models with the soundbox Carlos has found.

In other words I believe this soundbox is from the continental division of Victor / HMV and completely genuine.

I just love that after 42 yrs of collecting, I still get to see things I never knew existed and learn something new.
Bravo!

Not to be confused with the Canadian Amphion :

Yes, yes.. And also in Spain, where our hmv branch was indeed a sub-branch from French gramophone until 1915. Although it seems that Frenchies allowed us since a given moment, to have our own different gramophone models. The Barcelona branch may have been assembling machines for the Spanish market earlier than 1915. Maybe we also had a pressing plant here, I've read somewhere that Barcelona had a factory since 1908. All these data from secondary sources, not confirmed.

Steve wrote: Sat Jul 31, 2021 6:34 am

Inigo wrote: Sat Jul 31, 2021 6:29 am Amphion wasn't also the name of one of the first enclosed horn console machines by Gramophone in the early years of Gramophone Grand era? Or was it Amplion? I think I've seen it in early Spanish Gramófono catalogues... Kind of similar to the uk gramophone Sheraton model...

You're right. It's not a clone. Amphion is the French version of the Gramophone Grand and the name stuck for a while. It might have been used on other later models with the soundbox Carlos has found.

In other words I believe this soundbox is from the continental division of Victor / HMV and completely genuine.

Good to learn about it, Steve and Iñigo! No wonder that it looks identical to the Exhibition. I have some other imitations like a German Saturn that are almost identical, but have some differences, which is not the case with the Amphion. I have never seen an Amphion machine, though. Was it the label that the Gramophone Co used to commercialize machines in France before La Voix de Son Maître?

The French gramophone branch was managed by a personality, Alfred Clark, and that branch always had its own idiosyncrasies, and certain independence from uk mother house.