The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auct ... 4151c946a2

The auctioneer's description reads :
"WW2 German Gramophone in Africa Corps Colour for use in the desert".

The machine appears to be British, not German, and from the late 1920's. The speed control is in English.
There is a 45rpm 7 inch record inside the lid, but a German 78 on the turntable.
The case exterior has been overpainted in a sand colour.
The Afrika Korps emblem is of the correct pattern.

The case has the worst woodworm infestation that I have ever seen in a portable.

There is some damage in the area of the emblems, so it may be old. It could be an English machine that found itself in enemy hands.

I wouldn’t own anything that had a swastika on it, but my father used to shovel the snow in a Wool Tank Commander’s hat that he took off of a dead tank commander after escaping from the Germans. The hat had an eagle clutching a swastika. I suppose that the hat was a form of trophy to him.

Whatever it was or is, its not remotely interesting enough for me. If i was given it I'd most probably burn it as it is too far gone to restore anyway and that wood worm is worrying.

What amused me was the auctioneer's assumption that a machine bearing a Swastika must be of German manufacture.
The only worm eaten portables allowed in my workshop are broken up for their metal components and then scrapped.

I can deal with some worm infestation (when owning continental machines it becomes a necessity) but not that level in a cheap horrid portable. It's an English machine with Collaro motor. It isn't German. Any numbskull could have painted a swastika on it. Besides, doesn't anyone stop to consider that "decoration" would have been concealed under the black rexine which has so obviously been removed from the outside of the case?

I can deal with some worm infestation (when owning continental machines it becomes a necessity) but not that level in a cheap horrid portable. It could have been made in England or anywhere really. It probably isn't even German. Any numbskull could have painted a swastika on it. Besides, doesn't anyone stop to consider that "decoration" would have been concealed under the black rexine which has so obviously been removed from the outside of the case?

I can deal with some worm infestation (when owning continental machines it becomes a necessity) but not that level in a cheap horrid portable. It could have been made in England or anywhere really. It probably isn't even German. Any numbskull could have painted a swastika on it. Besides, doesn't anyone stop to consider that "decoration" would have been concealed under the black rexine which has so obviously been removed from the outside of the case?

Yes, you're right Steve: the rexine was removed and I do think that the symbol was painted after war on it as with a story/history it sells easilier...
Besides: the DAK symbol isn't the right one and why in white...?