Did Sonora make a reflector?

[phonophan79]

Did Sonora make a reflector?

The motorboard may be a Sonora but the reproducer says Caswell and the finish of the motorboard doesn't seem to quite match? A frankenphone perhaps?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0348131324

[gramophoneshane]

As far as I know, Sonora's always used Paillard parts, but this machine uses Thorens.
The patents notice is interesting.My Decca's have UK registration & patent numbers there. The tonearm itself is a little different too, but the swivel mechanism & "elbow" are the same as Decca.
I wonder if the Decca patents ran out, and Thorens sold Sonora the machines to market as their own?
Decca machines have a needle cup with a cover that's embossed "Decca", as did the reflectors, which are features the Sonora machine doesn't have obviously. The needle cup was where the brake is on the Sonora, and the brake was at the back right side.
Apart from the things already mentioned, the machine is exactly the same as the large Decca trench model.

[Neophone]

Folks,

Just intuition here, but it looks like the motorboard and works of a Sonora mated with a Decca maybe? (Did English Decca sell those reflector portable State-side?) I can't figure out where that tag actually is on the machine. The crank also seems too long for the case-note the end of it seems polished, although it may be partially un-screwed.

Regards,
John

[gramophoneshane]

The tag is at the back right, where the Decca brake would have been.

[estott]

Frankenphone. Sonora made a reflector portable but the reflector was square and made from four pieces of varnished wood.

[phonogfp]

From a Sonora catalog of 1920:

George P.

[MordEth]

George,

Thanks for posting the catalogue pages—I really like the artwork that they used for those.

It’s definitely an interesting machine, although the case of the one listed as eBay Item #110348131324 has definitely seen better days.

Was this a fairly rare portable?

— MordEth

[hr][/hr]
eBay Item #110348131324 for posterity:

Antique Sonora Hand Crank Portable Phonograph c. 1915

This listing is for an antique Sonora Clear as a Bell portable phonograph in PERFECT working order. The case is deteriorating pretty extensively as you can see from the photos, but the turntable itself works great.

The label tag is partially covered by the turntable, but it is marked with a serial number that I can't see. The needle is marked Caswell Milwaukee.

We believe this is circa 1915, but can't find the exact model online. Any clarification is much appreciated.

Total item measures approx. 11" on each side.

[estott]

Thank you! I stand corrected- it appears that Sonora made at least two styles of reflector portable and this one is practically identical to the Decca- and since both makes used swiss materials they are probably the same except for details of the tone arm- the Sonora isn't tapered and I wonder if it originally had an attachment for playing vertical cit discs.

Sonora portables in general seem to be a bit scarce. I've seen a number of examples and all of them had leather covering in poor shape.

[Amberola 1-A]

Except for the soundbox, the Sonora ad that George supplied looks like the machine depicted in the eBay link, albeit a bit better condition!

[Amberola 1-A]

I notice in George's ad it says calfskin covered. Probably the reason the outside of the cases didn't fare well over the years. Nice when new, and soft, but thin and dries out over the years unless treated.