The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello friends.

I've been reading this forum for some time already and I am learning from all of you everyday something new about phonographs and gramophones. It's my first post on this forum so let me express my gratitude to the fellow members of this great community.

I am trying to identify this machine. Can't find out on my own what model this might be. I suspect its a Pathé, as states on the reproducer, as well the speed control is in French. I never saw a machine similar to this one among Pathé phonographs.

Doesn anyone has a clue on what is that machine?

Let me know please. It's quite far from a place where I live at the moment, but I am considering a trip.

Thank you.

It is indeed a French Pathé. It has however been altered from its original configuration, that has a cone diaphragm together with the regular arm, and not the two arms shown in yours. The cone diaphragm (called Diffusor) produces the sound directly upwards, without passing through the horn, and it has its volume control louvers at the top of the machine. The arm is routed to the horn as a regular gramophone. The cone was intended to play vertical discs, while the arm was for lateral cuts - even though the cone could play lateral cuts as well with a steel needle, and Pathé had soundboxes for both types of cut for their arms. On your machine, the Pathé arm is the fatter one on the top, while the other arm probably comes from a portable.

I would just add to Carlos' very informative message, that it appears obvious to me that the "thinner" tonearm was added at a later time only in order to carry the electric pickup (visible in photo, although detached from the arm) and connect it to the phono stage of a tube radio. I suppose it is not connected at all to the horn below, and that just a small hole to pass the cable through was drilled in the motorboard.

Not the same machine, but a diffusor cone can be seen in the photo of my "avatar" machine.

Yours is interesting--I've never seen a floor model diffusor type before.

By the way, Titta Ruffo (your user namesake) did make vertical cut records for Pathé.

You have probably been asking yourself why does the lid have a shutter system that can be regulated - its a volume control - Columbia had the same ideas with shutters in front of the horn.

Somewhere I have a catalog with the model number, I'll try locate it.

And of course it has an internal horn when one uses the tone arm. As pointed out it has an upgrade to use an electric reproducer. Are the electric pieces fixed to the cabinet or are they just extraneous items laying in the cabinet?

Thank you for all replies.

This Pathé machine isn't mine.

It's listed for 250 Euro on ebay in Germany where I live at the moment. It's located very far away from me, so I am not sure if I'll take the trip to pick it up. Now that I know that the machine was altered I will ask a seller about the electric guts. Maybe he'll give me some history on the upgrade ect.

Yes, I know that Titta Ruffo recorded for Pathé. I have two vertical cut record discs of his.

And this is me singing: https://youtu.be/vKhLsjh8cLM
not Titta Ruffo yet, but i am working on it.

I also have a similar model cabinet diffuser with tonearm and internal horn but it also has the Jour Et Nuit arrangement for an external horn as well! I'd love to know the model number of mine. It has a similar mahogany cabinet but the arm conduit is in the far right hand corner.

Titta Ruffo wrote: Tue Jan 17, 2023 6:16 pm
And this is me singing: https://youtu.be/vKhLsjh8cLM
not Titta Ruffo yet, but i am working on it.

Very nice interpretation! Rossini's masterpiece!

Very nice and solid rendition... Certainly you're Titta redivived!!!!

Thank you both for your kind words!

I was stuck for years in a lower repertoire by faulty schooling and just recently started doing baritone.
In the near future I'll try to record a new wax. I am still gathering things needed for this project. I will certainly post the results here on the forum.