"Interesting" to whom ?
I would suggest lots of reading, both in books and on-line research, to learn about the various makers & machines, and get a feel for what interests you... then go from there...
Are you into the machines themselves? The records ? Both ?
Are you interested in static display pieces, or useable machinery ?
Cylinders or Discs (or both), and if discs, which format: Lateral cut or Vertical ?
The first wind-up phono I was introduced to was a circa-1914 Victrola IX that my parents brought home from an estate-sale when I was about four years old... so, that era Victrola has kind of been the "defining" talking machine for me...
Forty years later, I have four Victrolas: 1909 XVI "L-Door", in very good original condition, a 1919 XI in Oak, my great-grandmother's 1927 Orthophonic VE 8-12, and a 1927 VV 7-11 Radiola combo... G-Grandma's Orthophonic arrived when I was 19, the others have been acquired within that last ten years (after marriage and permanent house.)
I still feel that it's "hard to go wrong" with a Victor machine; they're all well-made, quality stuff. Some are rarer / more valuable than others, but that's another story.
Along the way, while in college, I ran across an Edison S-19 "Sheraton" Diamond-Disc player at an antiques fair ... the cabinet was so-so, but the machine worked, so I bought it... now my collecting had expanded to include things Edisonian.
As I began to read more about the history of the talking machine, I began to get interested in cylinder machines and recordings, and a few years ago, I acquired a nice original Edison "Home" B, with 2&4 minute gears, and reproducers for both 2 & 4 minute cylinders, and I started collecting that stuff as I ran across it. Now I have three "Homes" and a fairly nice Tea-Tray Company 30 inch painted horn.
As I get older, and I realize that my life ( and marriage )has some limitations in terms of space, money, time, spousal hobby tolerance
, etc. I find myself less inclined to pick-up a machine "just because its' there", or "it needs a good home", or "this price is too good to pass-up", etc.
I am gravitating towards odd or unusual machines / cabinets, or perhaps more common machines in excellent original condition...
I would love to add rarities such as a Class M Edison or external horn Victor, but these are VERY pricey machines, and really would be more museum-pieces than user talking machines... then there are things like the Vitaphone, Pathé "Actuelle", and early electrics like the Brunswick "Panatrope"...
I have a decent, solid Brunswick upright model 117 with the Ultona reproducer head out in my garage... I would love to bring it in the house, but we just don't have a place to put it... and I really don't want to sacrifice another machine to make room for the Brunswick...
My wife's big "condition" is that anything coming into to the house must "look nice" - it can't look like I dragged it home from the dump...
Unless you have unlimited space and money, and are a confirmed loner or have a very understanding other-half, be selective about which machines you buy, and how much you pay for them.
Be cautious about buying / accepting machines that are missing parts or have suffered cabinet damage... unless you are handy, and have shop facilities & space, you may not be able to repair / afford to have it repaired (especially if it is a common machine that might not be worth all that much in perfect condition ).
Also be careful about using talking machines as an investment strategy... collectibles as a commodity can be very fickle.
Read, look at various phono sites like Tim Gracyck's, Phonofan, Victor-Victrola, etc.
Read books like Eric Reiss's "The Compleat Phonograph", or any of Fabrizio & Paul's excellent books; Frow's Edison machine books; Baumbach's "Look for the Dog" (Victor); and so-on...
No sense in spending hard-earned money on a machine that you don't like the looks of, or "looks great but doesn't play worth a hoot", just because it's rare or "collectible", in my estimation... there has to be something about it that means something to you...
Once you've got some ideas about which machines are interesting to you, then you can zero-in on them in terms of research for value, usability, parts, etc.
When you go shopping, carry a flashlight, cell-phone camera, and cash. If you can make friends with a "guru" that you can call in a pinch, that can help you grab a good deal, or perhaps avoid buying a real albatross...
Some random thought based on my 30+ years as a semi-active collector...
