The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I bought this reproducer recently. It is a Gilbert Reflector Tone model with a cutout mother of pearl diaphragm cover. It is from Sheffield England. I've never seen one like this before. Not sure if the patent number reference is the same as the US numbers.

It looks cool. I have a Gilbert record duster...

Gilbert gramophones survive in respectable numbers, especially in their native Yorkshire.
This now moribund website still contains some useful information about them.

http://www.gilbert-gramophones.co.uk/

I think the most interesting thing about Gilbert gramophones is the bugle-shaped tonearm. I have a Gilbert portable I bought a number of years ago. It plays respectably, but not quite as well as say, an HMV 102. Enjoy the pictures before they go poof!

Thanks for posting your Gilbert phonograph. I have to agree that the tone arm is quite interesting.

Interesting and sometimes unusual designs, but Gilbert gramophones seem to promise more than they deliver - you'd think that long tapered tonearm would improve sound quality, but they've always sounded ordinary to me. The ones I've heard, anyway!

Orchorsol wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 2:39 am Interesting and sometimes unusual designs, but Gilbert gramophones seem to promise more than they deliver - you'd think that long tapered tonearm would improve sound quality, but they've always sounded ordinary to me. The ones I've heard, anyway!

I tend to agree with you, I have a cabinet with several bells and whistles like the long arm, pearly soundbox, a patented horn, and including a battery-powered lamp to illuminate the turntable, but its main differentiating aspect soundwise is that it is very loud.