HMV No. 18 sound-boxes

[Steve]

So what were they designed for? There are just two surviving specimens known to exist so far. My good friend poodling around with a little encouragement from yours truly, somehow managed to wrestle these two beauties back to Ol' Blighty after a brief sojourn in Japan!

We're both glad they're back home where they have spent at least 90 years. I am now in possession of the one pictured below and the other.....well, you'll see shortly.

They appear to be prototypes in development as both are uniquely different.

My No. 18 has a slightly thicker body and is magnetic but weighs half an ounce lighter than the other! Both appear to have a plastic-like diaphragm. I'm reluctant to pull it down to inspect further but a quick tap on the stylus bar doesn't set my pulse racing.

They are both in astonishingly good condition as no doubt they have never been used.

At this point, their true intended purpose must be the subject of idle speculation.

In any event I am truly grateful to poodling around for giving me the opportunity to acquire this incredibly rare and interesting sound-box. Over to you.......

[Steve]

Another picture giving indication of size

[nostalgia]

Vow, so there it is, in the hands of a serious collector, and even on British soil. Congratulations, and thanks for sharing the photos. Very interesting of course, and another newly discovered part of the HVM history rescued, and saved for the future.

[Inigo]

Amazing, thanks for sharing this interesting matter... Have you tried it playing a record?

[Steve]

Vow, so there it is, in the hands of a serious collector, and even on British soil. Congratulations, and thanks for sharing the photos. Very interesting of course, and another newly discovered part of the HVM history rescued, and saved for the future.

Thank you for your kind words. I'd really like to learn about the intention behind these apparently "one-off" designs. As both specimens are clearly different - the other one might be a very slightly later, more developed prototype being pot metal and with the "His Master's Voice, The Gramophone Company, Hayes Middlesex No. 18" cast into the back-plate - it seems these never went into production. If these were in development for a portable, which one was it for? I can't see this ever being put on a 102 with its chrome plated finish. As I said earlier, I doubt we'll ever know.

[Steve]

Amazing, thanks for sharing this interesting matter... Have you tried it playing a record?

I haven't yet but I doubt it'll sound very good judging from the sound I've got by tapping the stylus bar with my finger.

[poodling around]

I think my elequent friend Steve has summarised our little 'sound-box' adventure very well.

During our initial discussions it soon became apparent that we both had a 'yen' for them and without his on-going advice (and great humour) it is quite possible that they would not have returned at all.

There is a phrase, 'every dog has it's day' and in the context of my passion for 'the world of gramophones' I certainly feel that this was the day. All it took was a little bit of poodling around.

The 'journey' certainly had it's 'ups and downs'. Sometimes conjuring up feelings reminiscent of 'The Charge of the Light Brigade' and sometimes the feeling you have indeed found the 'Maltese Falcon'. Someone said "it was a miracle" - which may reflect the whole process quite accurately to me.


I agree with Steve that the silver / black sound-box is not magnetic and maybe made from pot-metal.

I do wonder why the two HMV logo designs are different ? Perhaps simply because the gold one is earlier ?

The weight difference is indeed puzzling as for example the silver / black one has only two thirds of the thickness of the gold one. The silver / black one weighs exactly six ounces and the gold one (I believe) weighs exactly five and a half ounces.

... and of course, the two identical diaphragms are very unusual.


Sincere thanks again to Steve. The memory of how these sound-boxes were acquired is one which will stay with me for-ever - truly amazing !

Happy days !

[poodling around]

Oh, I note that the silver / black one has the number 20 etched on it which may mean that a batch of at least 20 were made. So there could be in a crate full of them somewhere waiting to be found ! Maybe dumped and buried around the old HMV factory.

So .......... lets get digging !

[CarlosV]

That's quite interesting! it looks like an effort to modernize the looks of the soundbox in an art deco style. The mechanical design seems simplified with respect to the predecessor models, with simpler hinges, and possibly with a less elaborate diaphragm. Does it have a spider? Please tell us about its sound when you test it.

[poodling around]

That's quite interesting! it looks like an effort to modernize the looks of the soundbox in an art deco style. The mechanical design seems simplified with respect to the predecessor models, with simpler hinges, and possibly with a less elaborate diaphragm. Does it have a spider? Please tell us about its sound when you test it.

I have just done a quick video and created a youtube channel to put it on. I used the India Teak HMV 102 because that it about the only one I can access in the gramophone room at the moment. Contrary to appearances I am not using it as an ash-tray.

To my cloth ears it sounds very good with a medium steel needle.

It would be great to hear your opinion about the sound - your personal collection of 'reference' sound-boxes may be in much better condition than mine of course !

here is the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bMxCBEngTA