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Need help identifying this Columbia Grafonola model
Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2024 10:54 pm
by Purplepacman
I just purchased this Columbia Grafonola model. Any information would be appreciated.
Re: Need help identifying this Columbia Grafonola model
Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2024 7:54 am
by Liamhamb30
That's a New Columbia model 140. Roughly 1924.
Re: Need help identifying this Columbia Grafonola model
Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2024 9:09 am
by edisonplayer
I remember that my late friend Arthur Pare telling me about a Columbia portable he used to have.Perhaps it was like this.He told me that it had a complicated automatic shut off.edisonplayer.
Re: Need help identifying this Columbia Grafonola model
Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2024 10:54 am
by Purplepacman
Liamhamb30 wrote: Mon Feb 05, 2024 7:54 am
That's a New Columbia model 140. Roughly 1924.
Thank you Liamhamb30. I googled this model and the pictures I found do look very similar. However, all that I found showed the black fabric-like covering on the interior too, versus the polished mahogany interior in the one I have. The pictures online also feature a different tag affixed to the built-in speaker in the lid. My tag is gold whereas the other tag has what looks like a red, white and blue banner that runs through it. Would they have made different variations of the 140?
Very much appreciate all of the help here.
Re: Need help identifying this Columbia Grafonola model
Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2024 11:09 am
by Liamhamb30
Purplepacman wrote: Mon Feb 05, 2024 10:54 am
Liamhamb30 wrote: Mon Feb 05, 2024 7:54 am
That's a New Columbia model 140. Roughly 1924.
Thank you Liamhamb30. I googled this model and the pictures I found do look very similar. However, all that I found showed the black fabric-like covering on the interior too, versus the polished mahogany interior in the one I have. The pictures online also feature a different tag affixed to the built-in speaker in the lid. My tag is gold whereas the other tag has what looks like a red, white and blue banner that runs through it. Would they have made different variations of the 140?
Very much appreciate all of the help here.
Same model, yours just lacks the fabric interior. I got one from a friend in florida and his also has the mahogany interior like yours, but originally had black fabric exterior. Someone ripped off the exterior fabric as well. Some models were produced with that interior fabric, some not. Same hardware regardless. These machines tend to sound pretty good and are scarce due to their introduction right before electrical recording and the Viva Tonal line.
Re: Need help identifying this Columbia Grafonola model
Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2024 12:18 pm
by Inigo
In fact it seems an ancestor of the viva tonal line 160-161-163 marvellous heavy portables.
By the way... do yourself a first favor and replace those horrible modern Philips head screws that someone has installed in the speed plate instead of the good old Roundhead woodscrews like the others you can see everywhere in your machine. Those are completely anachronism...
IMG_20240205_181940.jpg
Re: Need help identifying this Columbia Grafonola model
Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2024 4:50 pm
by alang
Actually, this is the New Portable Columbia Grafonola, introduced 1922, before the Columbia went bankrupt and re-emerged as the New Columbia with the new logo (see attachments). The outside was covered in black fabric while the inside was finished in highly polished Red Mahogany. Congratulations, that machine was not made for very long and is not seen too often today. I agree with replacing the Philipps screws, but otherwise it looks great.
Andreas