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When a Grey version completed my collection of the catalogued HMV102 colours I did not expect to find any more different 102's, but recently this French 102A came my way courtesy of eBay. The 102A retained the recessed metal motor board and No.16 soundbox, but the troublesome "Universal Autobrake" was replaced by the more reliable design with "On-Off" control and additional manual brake.

As well as the lid transfer, the lubrication chart glued to the bottom of the case is also in French, but too oil stained to photograph. The metal ID plate is of a design not normally found on UK machines. My Tropical Teak 102 has a similar plate.

The eBay pictures showed that at some time in it's life the machine had been dropped. One corner of the case had sprung apart and the motor board was bent by the impact. Dismantling the machine revealed further damage. All three wooden blocks which support the motor board had broken off. Re-fixing the corner and the supports was straightforward, straightening the bent metal motor board less so. The ill fitting unbranded soundbox which came with the machine was replaced with a spare No.16. Quite a lot of work, but the machine was cheap. I had change out of £90 including postage.

What 102's might I find next? An Italian "La Voce del Padrone"? A Spanish "La Voz de Su Amo"? One never knows.

Congratulations with a great find, Roger. Is this machine exactly similar to the UK 102, apart from the logo transfers? If so, it could be possible to switch the motor board with a motor board found on a blue UK HMV 102? And, where was this machine manufactured?

nostalgia wrote: Wed Dec 22, 2021 4:04 am Congratulations with a great find, Roger. Is this machine exactly similar to the UK 102, apart from the logo transfers? If so, it could be possible to switch the motor board with a motor board found on a blue UK HMV 102? And, where was this machine manufactured?

Apart from the lid transfer and the lubrication chart the machine is identical to a UK 102, but as it did not come to me with it's original soundbox I cannot say whether the backplate would have been inscribed in English or French. Has anyone ever seen a French HMV soundbox?

The motor board is now firmly in place, so I do not need to consider a switch. I do have a blue UK 102, but it is a later version with a wooden motor board which may or may not be interchangeable with a metal one.

There is nothing on the machine to indicate where it was manufactured. With the Hayes factory already tooled up to produce the 102, I doubt whether it would have been cost effective for the French factory to manufacture it as well, when Hayes could easily have applied the French lid transfers and lubrication charts.

The metal plate with the model number (and usually with no serial number) was used on home market machines in 1929 - it is common on the 101, and on early 104s and 130s. I have seen it on later models from India (including 102), so it is interesting to find it on a French market machine as well. I agree that this was probably made at Hayes -- the 102 was the first production line HMV model. The suffix 'A' on the model number indicates the revised (No 6) auto brake, so this machine always had the No 6. Some early 102s had the No 6 brake fitted as an after-market conversion.

AFAIK, there was never a backplate inscribed in any language apart from English. I've seen French, Spanish and Dutch machines with 5A / 5Bs etc and they are always the standard UK type.

Out of interest I have an Electrola 101, identical to a Hayes built HMV 101. The no4 soundbox is clearly marked ‘Electrola Berlin’. In all other respects it’s identical to any other no4 soundbox. Not sure if the 101 was Hayes built or assembled from parts sent to Berlin.

I had an Electrola 106 which was in effect a 101 in a 102 case. No such hybrid model was catalogued in the UK.
It may have been a way of using up surplus 101 "works" after the supply of cases had run out.
The soundbox was stamped "Electrola No.4A" but was in all other respects an HMV No.4.
A similar machine is pictured below, as mine was sold several years ago :

By coincidence I have just noticed this Electrola for sale :

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/294718500300 ... %7Ciid%3A1

epigramophone wrote: Thu Jan 27, 2022 5:23 am By coincidence I have just noticed this Electrola for sale :

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/294718500300 ... %7Ciid%3A1

I've been trying to buy this for almost 2 weeks but although the shop selling it states they will provide some packing around it and confirm box size etc ready for a courier to collect it (arranged by the buyer), they've not come back to me after 3 requests. My guess is that they're only going to accept buyer collection as it is.

Unfortunately it's way too far away for me and not worth the cost in fuel to pick it up (not to mention a 6 hour round trip).

Anyone near Canterbury?

PS - although this looks identical to a Hayes made 101 inside a 102 cabinet with 102 record carrier, the whole manufacture was carried out in Germany. The springs in the motor are notoriously weaker than the Hayes counterparts but a close inspection alongside the UK machine(s) should reveal other very subtle and fine differences.

The 106 was made between 1933 and 1939 but ironically they seem to appear in the States more than anywhere else. Maybe returning US soldiers took them home after "liberating" them from their natural home?