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A collector friend sent me these images of a catalogue which must date from 1927 or 1928, because it depicts the short lived and now rare 113 portable which was soon replaced by the 113a. I am fortunate enough to own both.
Other machines of particular interest include the 28a Jacobean Oak model, an example of which is preserved in Dunster Castle, and the 50a Black & Gold Lacquer model which I have never seen outside of a catalogue.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunste ... -watermill

Thanks a lot for sharing this catalogue, Roger. This was the missing link for me in the marvellous UK Columbia gramophone production.
I have never seen this catalogue before.

Wouldn’t this be earlier than 27/28? When did the viva-tonals hit the UK market?

PeterF wrote: Tue Jul 19, 2022 10:18 am Wouldn’t this be earlier than 27/28? When did the viva-tonals hit the UK market?

The presence of the portable Model 113 confirms that this catalogue must date no earlier than 1927 and no later than 1928.

When did the viva-tonals hit the UK market?

Thanks for posting the catalogue, Roger. Now I can identify the horn Columbia I bought some years ago, it is the 1 or 2 shown in the first page - certainly a relic by 1927! Now I need to figure the difference between the 1 and the 2.

PeterF wrote: Tue Jul 19, 2022 8:44 pm When did the viva-tonals hit the UK market?

The earliest UK Columbia machine catalogue to use the Viva-Tonal name is for 1926. The 1925 catalogue only uses "Grafonola".

CarlosV wrote: Wed Jul 20, 2022 5:27 am Thanks for posting the catalogue, Roger. Now I can identify the horn Columbia I bought some years ago, it is the 1 or 2 shown in the first page - certainly a relic by 1927! Now I need to figure the difference between the 1 and the 2.

Here are the catalogue images for the 1a (1925) and the 2 (1926).
The main difference is the soundboxes, No.7 on the 1a and No.8 on the 2.
I used to own a 2a of 1929, the last open horn Columbia ever made. I regret selling it.

Are there pages elsewhere in the catalog you’ve posted, but not shown here, showing viva-tonal models? It’s quite curious that this catalog would show only obsolete models if it is indeed from the stated year.

I have a small UK v-t machine (in storage now so I can’t cite the model number), which is why I’m interested.

epigramophone wrote: Wed Jul 20, 2022 6:47 am

Here are the catalogue images for the 1a (1925) and the 2 (1926).
The main difference is the soundboxes, No.7 on the 1a and No.8 on the 2.
I used to own a 2a of 1929, the last open horn Columbia ever made. I regret selling it.

Great, thanks! Mine must be a nr 2 judging from the soundbox nr 8, but it does not seem identical to the one in the catalogue: its speed control is the rotary, same as those used in the portable, not the linear arrow that seems to be in the catalogue (and on yours). Probably some variation scraped from their inventory, as these machines were well past their commercial lives.