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Hello,
Can anyone tell if if the body of a # 5 Orthophonic reproducer is pot metal or brass?

To my eye, the small "goosebumps" on the reproducer back side tell me that it's potmetal.

The soundbox pictured is of course an HMV No.5B, not an Orthophonic Victrola.
HMV changed (regressed?) from brass to pot metal during the production of the No.4 soundbox, which ran from 1925 to 1931.
The later No's 5, 5A and 5B are pot metal. The uncommon No.5 is particularly prone to metal fatigue, but the majority of the 5A and 5B soundboxes that I have seen have survived in good order.

Pete Stratford wrote: Fri Jul 07, 2023 12:30 am Hello,
Can anyone tell if if the body of a # 5 Orthophonic reproducer is pot metal or brass?

It is a pot-metal one. I have a gold-plated all brass HMV #5 soundbox, which does not have A or B mark on it.