The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I haven't seen anything quite like this before.

More doors to open and close and half close than you could wish for and some kind of special horn ?


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It's equivalent to a U.S., Victor "L-Door" XVI, but with a special wood. Some species of walnut, but I believe not Circassian.

It's a Style No. 14 from memory. I've seen a few in my time. The mahogany version was a No. 13 but otherwise identical. I have the No. 12, also in Circassian walnut but it is the first machine to have a cast iron internal horn behind a louvred grille. The 'L' door models were simply a continuation of the Gramophone Grand / Junior Grand style / range from the previous 4 years.

The horn is very much the same as those early models.

They do turn up infrequently but then frequently make no money! A bargain at £100 either way.

Very interesting indeed.

Thank you very much Jerry and Steve.

I do particularly like walnut floor standers I must admit.

Oh well, one door closes and three or four others open apparently.

Oh, if anyone is actually still looking at this thread, is this piece of wood original I wonder ?

It just looks kind of added at a later date maybe ?

I wonder, if it is added later ........... why would that be ?

Added at a later date - 4 X 12" record boxes or albums slide into that space. 6 X 10" go in the outdoor slots. The walnut finish makes this one more desirable than Mahogany or oak version.

Michael

It doesn’t appear to be attached, rather just sitting there. I would be more concerned about the possible damage that may have been done due to the horn opening doors being pushed beyond their stops.

Steve

ChesterCheetah18 wrote: Thu Sep 25, 2025 12:39 pm It doesn’t appear to be attached, rather just sitting there. I would be more concerned about the possible damage that may have been done due to the horn opening doors being pushed beyond their stops.

Steve

Agreed regarding the stray spare piece of timber. I doubt it has anything to do with it.

The doors do not appear to be damaged by the clumsy handling though.

poodling around wrote: Thu Sep 25, 2025 11:32 am Very interesting indeed.

Thank you very much Jerry and Steve.

I do particularly like walnut floor standers I must admit.

Oh well, one door closes and three or four others open apparently.

You really should buy this! It's £100 and unlikely to attract a single bid otherwise.

I already have a Sheraton Gramophone Grand, Junior Grand and Style 12 from this period of HMV, I can't house any more!

If you don't know already, the 12 was the most expensive of the British market Library Bijou Grands, sporting the new horn design. The 13 / 14 models were a more contemporary "gramophone design" fitted with the older style wooden horn (albeit with cast throat) and rear door access. They are bigger models and have the generous record storage facility however, hence why these two were more expensive with the 14 being the most expensive machine in the 1911 catalogue.

So are you interested?

What was the 1911 new horn design..? Was it the all cast iron with a wooden louvers flare?