The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Tastes vary and change. My favorite machine from my collection is my Victor D with Speartip horn, but it’s not my most desired machine.

A “wanted” post mentioned searching for “the Holy Grail”, which naturally caused the thread to stray off topic, (sorry about that).

I don’t want to hijack the thread any further, but I think that it is an interesting topic. For me, it would be a first style, Oak, Columbia DeLuxe Reginaphone, (Lions Head).

That said, I would almost rather be seeking it than owning one.

So what machine would be your “Holy Grail”?

An oak Victor Schoolhouse.

At 56, I found my holy grail machine, and it’s on an even rarer Rookwood cabinet.

Yes, tastes change time to time. Here is a machine I acquired in the last year. I never thought I would own one. Original finish. Circassian Victrola 18

D.Edwards

A Floor model Amberola 1-A would be nice. I’ll take a 1-B too.

Maybe a larger external horn Victor or one of those fabulous Art case Sonoras with the wooden Tonearm. Art case Grafonolas especially that Gothic case one hooooboy!

More machines from the 1890s would be great too. I finally got my first 1890s machine this year and I’m hopefully getting a Edison from the 1890s next summer.

If I had the room maybe an early tube amplified machine too. Or maybe one of those Brunswicks with the radio next to the turntable.

I always admired the Sonora Supreme, but with my fondness for Edison diamond disk records I dream of owning an Edison 400. It's just a beautiful machine and I want one.

My "Holy Grail" machine would be either a Double Bell Wonder, or a Mahogany Zonophone Type A.

Cheers, Bob S.

phonospud wrote: Sun Sep 03, 2023 4:38 pm At 56, I found my holy grail machine, and it’s on an even rarer Rookwood cabinet.

Very Nice Phonospud, I am curious on your mahogany painted horn what does the decal say? I have the same setup and the decal says No 11 cygnet, I was curious if any of them actually were marked Ideal or Idealia Thanks Larry

Thats a tough question, many of our keeper machines we kind of stumbled into finding, but we had been actively looking for the later style Queen Ann Auxetophone for decades and thought we would never end up owning one. Well, we finally found one and of course it wasn't cheap, but 5 years later still no buyer's remorse.

My olive green Monarch de Luxe No. 15b on its pedestal is and remains my "holy grail". It is a feast for the eyes and the only known example of the No. 15b whose case was not blackened to make it appear as a "Melba".