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I have an early Zonophone Home front mount machine. Under the cabinet, there was a paper label with the date of 1903. It looks like the large version of a Zonophone "C". The little corner with the month and day is gone. The serial number is 47xxx. Did the Zonophone just use paper labels on the bottom,or were the engraved on a plate or stamped in one of the castings? I checked my Zonophone Home and saw nothing except the paper label. Any information about these Zonophones will be appreciated.
Harvey Kravitz

Sorry. No answer here to the prior post. Just another question.

I have what I'm pretty sure is an early Model C Zonophone (no sound box or horn ). However, it has no tags, stickers, decals, logos, markings, etc. It has no writing at all, except for the serial number on the “hump” of the motorboard, that serial number being 23228. Based on this number, can anyone tell me what year (and maybe even approximately what month) that this Zonophone was made? Many thanks!

I cant help you either, but if you dont get an answer here, it might be worth contacting the guys at the link below.
Even if you do get the answers here, perhaps you guys would be interesting in registering the machines you have.

http://www.zonophone.netfirms.com/

Wow, that is a great site, listing all known Zonophone models. Does anyone know of a similar site for Pathé or even Columbia machines? Wouldn't it be great to have such a reference resource for all major phonograph brands?
Andreas

I thought it's an interesting web site but it showed only one rear mount model.

Where's Chuck Mandrake when you need him? Does anyone remember him?

I remember him! I still have issues of his Zonophone newsletter from the 70s. I don't think he ever compiled dates for serial numbers - - this would be impossible without original company documentation.

As for Dennis's Model C - check for four tiny holes in the cabinet where a celluloid tag would have been. If you find them, your C was probably a National Gramophone Corp. model, and would date from late 1900- Sept. 1901. I've seen one or two celluloid tags on post-Sept '01 models, but they're uncommon. If your machine was indeed a C, and if it has the four tiny holes for a celluloid tag, I think you can safely date it to 1901.

George P.

Thank you to everyone for your input. Regarding George's comment, nope - no little holes for a missing tag are to be found. Mine looks just like the lower half of this:

http://mrgramophone.com/display_item.cgi?item=262

but it has absolutely no trace of any identification on it, other than the serial number.

Dennis,

A photo of your mechanism would be helpful, but lacking that, does your motor plate have a design cast into it or is it smooth?

George P.

Hi

I have one of these, the serial number is 31116 really nice little machine.

Regards Marcel