The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

There is a “new kid on the block”; but this is certainly no kid.

The book “His Master’s Gramophone” by Brian Oakley and Christopher Proudfoot has extensive details and digital quality colour photos of EVERY HMV Gramophone Model known to have been sold here in the UK.

Until now there has never ever been so much detailed accurate information about HMV Gramophone Models in one place.

If you own or have any interest in UK manufactured HMV Gramophones please see details on my UK Website http://www.gramophones.info

That looks like a good reference book to own. Speaking about Christopher Proudfoot, I came across this rant the other day when researching the CLPGS. It mentioned this very board and some of its members, and not in a good light, I might add. Apparently, this author has some sort of axe to grind............

Bill

http://corruptclpgs.blogspot.com/

Amberola 1-A wrote:That looks like a good reference book to own. Speaking about Christopher Proudfoot, I came across this rant the other day when researching the CLPGS. It mentioned this very board and some of its members, and not in a good light, I might add. Apparently, this author has some sort of axe to grind............

Bill

http://corruptclpgs.blogspot.com/

I too think it would be a good reference book and will give it a try.

I note the reference in your link to

Auxetophile, Sidewinder,Valecnik and Gramophone 78 on the TMF are those very Puppets and any "Contributions" they make are to be taken "Cum Grano Salis"

Your right. The author has an axe to grind. His feuding with CLPGS, Mr. Proudfoot and others got the British Gramophone board closed down once or twice and now and I guess wants to pull some of the TMF "Puppets" into it. Best to ignore him.

I can't help but wonder if the authors have sadly left it a bit late to provide such a seriously comprehensive work to a plainly diminished market. Only time will tell but how many serious HMV collectors are there in the world? Bear in mind that it has to be UK based machines and the UK market that they are most focused on. That omits the vast European market sold machines (which are the most attractive in the main) and probably quite a lot of the so-called colonial models too?

Brian Oakley is probably THE most dedicated collector of HMV in the UK anyway? Apart from the ubiquitous 102, what other machines justify the 1960 cut-off point? Should be interesting to revisit.

it's a brilliant book - I think I have the first copy in Australia...

Are any of the following models shown in it?

29,31,33,112,113,114,118, 450?

Or indeed an Electric 203 ? i believe only 6 were made

My copy should be here in a couple weeks, but I'm willing to bet there is no mention of the Australasian line of models that came out of Middlesex either??

Is this "THE" book on HMV that we have been waiting since the dawn of time for? I remember an HMV book being discussed on the previous TMF and also on earlier versions of the UK forum - is this IT?

Is it just acoustic models it covers or does it venture into electric ones as well? Does anyone who has a copy know if it is mostly pictures or is there a reasonable written content too? If I was going to buy it and get it shipped out to NZ I'd like to know more about whats in it first.

S-B-H

I have the book - acoustic models only (they never claimed to discuss electric models in this book).

29, 31, 33, 112, 450 are listed. The others questioned aren't in the index. I haven't read the whole book yet as I've only just received it.

Regarding the motor in the 203, the book quotes, "The electric motor seems to have sold much better than in the 202, with 26 sales recorded up to February 1931, and only one of these returned to the factory."

I'm including a scan of one page - I'm sure that won't contravene copyright...

why do I suddenly feel like I'm the one selling this book? I just bought a copy because it covers all the HMVs I have. Surely we should support this type of endeavour - how much of a market is there for this stuff these days?