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It has a metal plate which states 'Parlophone No 741'. I wonder if this is the model number or if it was the 741st 'off the production line' ?

I note that it states that it is made in Germany. So assume it was made to be imported to the UK ?

It does have a 'Parlophon' sound-box (no letter 'e') though.

One other thing I am curious about are the two 'transfers' on the front speaker doors. (Last photograph 'below'). I have fairly frequently seen such things on other European / non-UK early gramophones so believe they are original. They don't seem to mean anything to me though. So I wonder, why were they used ? Simply a fashion for decoration with no meaning ?

Thank you for any information you can provide.

Are the numerals "741" raised, just like the letters in "Parlophone", or are they stamped into the plate? I'd say stamped numerals would indicate serial numbers, while raised, or photo engraved numerals would indicate a model number. The thought being, that one would be better suited to sequential numbering on a production basis.

The transfers are there for decoration. They are nice and are imitating the look of parquetry, very much in the German Secessionist style of the early 20th Century.

JerryVan wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2024 11:05 am Are the numerals "741" raised, just like the letters in "Parlophone", or are they stamped into the plate? I'd say stamped numerals would indicate serial numbers, while raised, or photo engraved numerals would indicate a model number. The thought being, that one would be better suited to sequential numbering on a production basis.

Very interesting JerryVan.

I think from an enlargement photograph (below) that the numbers are raised - therefore it is a model number !

Thank you very much !

jamiegramo wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2024 1:13 pm The transfers are there for decoration. They are nice and are imitating the look of parquetry, very much in the German Secessionist style of the early 20th Century.

Thank you very much jamiegramo for the information.

I had to google what you said and I am now very glad that the gramophone has them !

poodling around wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2024 4:24 pm

jamiegramo wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2024 1:13 pm The transfers are there for decoration. They are nice and are imitating the look of parquetry, very much in the German Secessionist style of the early 20th Century.

Thank you very much jamiegramo for the information.

I had to google what you said and I am now very glad that the gramophone has them !

Sorry about that I should have just said Arts and Crafts.

I'd say 'secessionist' is more accurate in this case -- 'Arts & Crafts' covers a multitude of unrelated styles!

This circa 1928 German advertisement shows a similar but not identical machine. In the immediate aftermath of WW1, anti German feeling made it difficult to sell German goods in the UK. Perhaps by the late 1920's such feelings had eased, making it worth marketing the Parlophone 741 pictured above and bearing the words "Warranted best German manufacture".