The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

This has got to be a joke:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Rare-and-Splendid-H ... 45f7a87998

The seller claims this is the real deal but plainly states that it is from China. It has what looks like a Columbia portable tonearm and it has a serial number plate on the front that says Victrola on it. It's a Crap-O-Phone and a Frankenphone!(What would be the word for that?) And, he is asking $1,500 for it!!! Note the giant scratch on the record and the position of the tonearm.

Energ15 wrote:It's a Crap-O-Phone and a Frankenphone!(What would be the word for that?)

It's a frankencrap

looks to me like a 10yo copy. definitely has some age(some) but also looks certainly like a copy. the timberwork looks machined.

cheers
Jason

OMG! With that curly worly top it looks hideous. Yes its a copy but what where they on when they cut that top out LOL!

S-B-H

definitely a contender for the Ugliest Crap-o-phone award of 2010!

The motorboard is making me seasick.

It looks like they're trying to emulate the HMV Model 32, which appears in this post string:

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... 5&start=10

or possibly the HMV 31-b which was fitted with an Ortho-style tonearm and #5b sound box.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jKg0uGQxrM


Hideous mismatching motor-board aside--IF the motor isn't a piece of crap, and the sound box isn't shot, it might sound quite good, providing a properly tapered conduit can be installed between the base of the tonearm and the horn.

Of course the seller's price is as idiotic as the fake Victor data plate, but maybe for twenty bucks, I'd consider it.....

....providing it were available in my neighborhood, and the seller would hand carry it up the three flights of stairs to my apartment

The laughably poor grammar used in the description means the seller must be located in China, or at the very least doesn't speak english.

before the listing disappears, I wanted to copy the description here as I love it:

"A splendid Phonograph which collected from China. It is a very fashion machine for recreation previous Shanghai early 20th century. The large loudhailer as a flower standing on the wooden case and connected with a copper pipe, a round tray on the case used to be put on the record. This machine still works when you sway the black curve-handle. The tardiness sound takes you back a special memory.

A record is included."

I am now going to 'sway' a few handles on some of my machines now!

"The tardiness sound takes you back a special memory. "

Couldn't have said it better myself...