The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Two days ago, my boy went to the park with friends, and when he was lying down his pullover on the grass to sit down, of all things, he found the tonearm crook of an hmv101 with the soundbox still attached! The needlebar was torn out from the diaphragm and this was broken. Easily repairable. He took it and put it into his bag for me. Not more gramophone parts there around.
How did that ended there? Who knows!
God bless him, My Boy

Far short of digging your garden and unearthing a complete HMV 202, I'm not sure anyone could enjoy better luck than that!

Now, where's your boy right this minute?!!!

Early Sunday morning, he's in bed... But next time I'll go there with him and his friends!
Rare luck indeed. I've been collecting since 1978. In my walks in the country, I've been always looking at the ground hoping to find something. In my walks in the city, always looking into thrash containers (those that are placed in the street where a house is being overhauled) in the hope to find anything gramophone related (you always see old things in these thrash bins). Nothing.
Only once, some five years ago, wife and I saw a lot of lps left on a street bench near a trash bin. I immediately spotted some black shellac among the lps. Went there and found half a dozen 78s, among them a very nice 1909 HMV of beautiful band music (old Spanish Gramófono record of Banda de Alabarderos, a very good band) in perfect shape, and some other records, some of them broken. That's the only time I've found 78s in the street... in 44 years!

Perhaps you should buy your son a metal detector for his next birthday .

That's the point!

I wanna see a photo of this thing now.

Will post a photo tonight, I'm now sailing for work!

Looking forward to see your treasure, Inigo !
Nothing is better than finding good old treasures !

Bueno... It's a treasure because it's gramophonic, and by the serendipity... But it's this: The needlebar crook is bent out of shape, and must be carefully bent back into shape... I don't know if getting it hot will help, so I don't break it!
The soundbox is pot metal, and the neck is missing some pieces, but I've successfully repaired this in the past.
It still has the diaphragm screw and paper washer attached!

It's still a remarkable find!

Yes I also suggest heating the needlebar while trying to reshape it.