The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Here is an HMV 203 Gramophone on Yahoo Auction Japan. It is a French version.

Is that really going for $17,000 US dollars??

Skihawx wrote: Sat Apr 29, 2023 1:59 pm Is that really going for $17,000 US dollars??

Yes, it is actually cheaper than it used to be.

I have one in my garage that has received some coating over the finish and a poor replacement grill cloth.
Haven't figures out where to have it refinished.

Skihawx wrote: Sun Apr 30, 2023 7:13 am I have one in my garage that has received some coating over the finish and a poor replacement grill cloth.
Haven't figures out where to have it refinished.

I would not under any circumstances get it refinished. These were nitro cellulose spray lacquered with a pigmented solution. I haven't seen anyone successfully replicate the finish although many have been badly refinished in the process.

Buyers who will pay top money for a 203 will not accept this. If the poor overcoated finish can be successfully dissolved in methylated spirit it should not harm the cellulose underneath as meths doesn't touch it. Often these "touch ups" were done late in the life of the machine by owners who weren't heavily invested in the item but just thought they would make it "look better" one day when they happen to have some Colron stain varnish on a paintbrush and went about covering up the faded colour!

The lacquer should be preserved at every cost. The grille cloth you can't really do much about. The original has gone with the wind but there is a little hope at least that the original finish can be preserved. It's in your hands but please do the right thing and do not get it French polished!

The finish is pretty thick. I will investigate trying to remove the overcoating. I don't think denatured alcohol will dissolve this finish. It is not shellac but looks more like a polyurethane finish. I always prefer an original finish. But right now this one looks bad. It must have come over in a container back in the 1980's or 90's. The finish may have been put on while it was here. There was a broken spring so it sat it the back of an antique shop barn for 30 or 40 years. I was told the antique shop closed 20 years ago. But it was only $150 so I grabbed it right away. There is also veneer loose on the doors. One of those projects when I retire.

Skihawx wrote: Sun Apr 30, 2023 5:55 pm The finish is pretty thick. I will investigate trying to remove the overcoating. I don't think denatured alcohol will dissolve this finish. It is not shellac but looks more like a polyurethane finish. I always prefer an original finish. But right now this one looks bad. It must have come over in a container back in the 1980's or 90's. The finish may have been put on while it was here. There was a broken spring so it sat it the back of an antique shop barn for 30 or 40 years. I was told the antique shop closed 20 years ago. But it was only $150 so I grabbed it right away. There is also veneer loose on the doors. One of those projects when I retire.

I wonder if a guitar shop could help with finishing it? The finishes for a custom electric guitar are often the same nitrocellulose stuff as was used on furniture. Stripping it down & doing it over again might actually be a big improvement instead of the crime against gramophones that it seems.

And whatever's done to it is still an improvement on $150, flaking veneer, and sitting somewhere without music.

Skihawx wrote: Sun Apr 30, 2023 7:13 am I have one in my garage that has received some coating over the finish and a poor replacement grill cloth.
Haven't figures out where to have it refinished.

You are very lucky to have one even with that condition.

No bids. The last HMV 202/203 to sell was for about 4000 GBP last fall, and it was in *really* nice shape.

Garret

Garret wrote: Mon May 01, 2023 12:28 pm No bids. The last HMV 202/203 to sell was for about 4000 GBP last fall, and it was in *really* nice shape.

Garret

That's £4000 plus at least 30% commission and even then, that's very cheap. There have only been about 3 200 series machines sold in the past decade that I've seen and they have sold on average around £6000.