More uncommon Decca portables

[Steve]

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auct ... bc0395a497

This "10" pre-dates the D-ended case type and presumably dates from 1937-ish, making it a contemporary of the ultra rare "5" currently on Ebay?

I've also spotted a "120" online with varnished WOODEN motorboard, not the usual rexine covered version but it's ID tag states that it is an "SD/3" (see below). Has anyone else spotted any strange anomalies?

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With so many ranges and different models, I'm beginning to think Decca was the equivalent to a British version of Pathé!

[Steve]

Also, a common "Crescendo" or "Junior" identified as a Dulceola as opposed to a Decca "Salon"!

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auct ... 15a1f65aeb

[Steve]

And also this:

A late "130" with conventional Garrard motor-board / plate. I have this version in a D-ended case but the one shown below doesn't appear to have a rounded case (to my eyes anyway!)

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[epigramophone]

Slightly off topic, but this is certainly uncommon :

[Steve]

Slightly off topic, but this is certainly uncommon :

Not in my house, it isn't!
I bought mine online from a dealer in Singapore about 20 years ago who shipped it to the UK for £35, which I thought was very reasonable.

[Phono48]

I've also spotted a "120" online with varnished WOODEN motorboard, not the usual rexine covered version but it's ID tag states that it is an "SD/3" (see below). Has anyone else spotted any strange anomalies?

I could be very wrong here, but that turntable looks like it's an HMV? I've never seen a Decca portable with that "flat edge" style turntable before, except of course on the much earlier so-called "Trench" models.
Barry

[Steve]

It does have a flat edge, you're right. I'd like to know what the SD/3 is. Do we think it could be an export model?

[Steve]

Slightly off topic but the enamel sign shown above is double-sided and was made by Franco Signs of London - yes, the same high quality sign-maker who produced the famous HMV oval double-sided signs shown in the red Nipper memorabilia book by Ruth Edge.

[Phono48]

It does have a flat edge, you're right. I'd like to know what the SD/3 is. Do we think it could be an export model?

I'd like to see the speed control and winding escutcheon, as have a suspicion that this is indeed an HMV turntable, and possibly an HMV motor as well, mounted on a cut-down HMV polished motorboard. Or am I being over pessimistic?

Barry

[Orthophonix]

Hello, I'm new here and created an account because I'm interested in that theme about the Decca SD models.

I had found one here in Switzerland in not too good condition, not knowing in advance what I will get. It was an SD/3 Model, which looks mostly like an 120, but it has a polished wooden motorboard and if you look closely it is dark blue and not black. And it has a turntable with brown velvet and the flat rim mentioned above. As I didn't know about these models and did not find anything usable in the internet or Proudfoot's booklet, I was curious and opened it, and to my surprise it still has a (big, one-spring) Swiss Paillard motor, like all Deccas had from the beginning until the 100 to 130 series. According to the little booklet on Decca Portables by Christopher Proudfoot from the CLPGS this was ended with that series, and from then on all Deccas had Garrad motors.
So I think, it could have been some kind of pre- or first series, as these models do not appear very often. But that is only my conclusion, it may be wrong and I am happy, if anybody knows more about that.
I also have a Decca Salon Junior which I had bought long before via ebay UK. It is also dark blue with a polished wooden board and the brown velvet turntable, that's why I bought it then. It fits perfectly into this "SD" series.
And not long ago I found a SD/1 which had been sold in Malta by P.Carabott, who was one of the first to care about recording Maltese folk and popular music. I found that an interesting story, so I bought it despite its bad condition. It also has a polished wood motorbord, is dark blue and has the brown velvet flat rim turntable.

So the turntables on these SD/1-4 models are not HMV, as Phono48 assumed, but Paillard, as they have Paillard motors. So it could be a first edition of these gramophones but I don't really know. If anybody could bring more light into this I would be happy.
And could they be export models as Steve asked? As two of three of mine were bought outside the UK, this could be the case, but why should they have produced them parallel with different motors? But yes, it would also be possible.

A request for my collection: If anybody should have an album for the lid of these machines and would like to sell it, I would be happy, as mine in the SD/3 is missing. It could also be a black one from the 120/130 models, but a dark blue one would of course be great!

Alex