The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello All!
Well, this all begun when I was sitting at my computer looking through local Classifieds. I saw a ad titled "Give Away". I clicked and the ad stated they were giving away an Aeolion Vocalion Gramophone Cabinet--missing some parts.It had no picture. I jumped and ran to the phone. Well, I was able to pick it up the next day. When I arrived, the man opened his garage door, and excitedly, I waited. I saw this rather ugly wood box siting upon the floor. I thought that this could have never been a gramophone. To my surprise it actually was, and a very strange one indeed. I took it home and had a good look. At first I thought it was a makeshift cabinet, but it was in fact made by Aeolion. The motor looks to be off another unit, but hey! You can't go wrong for free.

So, my main question is , what is this model. Is it special order, is it chopped, is it one of a kind? I do know it its a British machine. It is my second Aeolion Vocalion. Please let me know if you have any parts, also. I appreciate any help!

Thanks

Kind Regards
Brad

It appears to be a British Aeolian in the Jacobean revival style. It probably had barley twist legs which have either been cut off, or were on a matching table/stand.
Is the motor electric or spring wound?
I'm guessing it's a Garrard, but Collaro also used the same bed plate, so that's a possibility too.
Be nice if it's a Garrard Super motor.

I also think it's a Garrard or Collaro motor, meaning it will be 1930s. This must have been a rather expernsive machine in it day.

A real shame, though what's left still has possibilities. If you can get a workable tone arm this would sit nicely on an oak stand.

Hello
I unscrewed the motor, and it is a Garrard # 30. I don't know much about the super motor, or what to look for. It is spring wound, double spring. It winds, and is in excellent shape. Is the motor original to the machine?

Thanks

phononut wrote:Is the motor original to the machine?

Thanks

Well, I've never seen an Aeolian with a Garrard motor, but anythings possible I guess.
Every Aeolian I've seen has a Thorens motor, most of which were branded "Aeolian- Swiss made".
Probably the best indication would be to look at the motor board to see if the hole for the Garrard motor was machine cut or done by hand.

It was a rather wonderful upright, I wonder what prompted them to butcher the cabinet?

Larry

larryh wrote:It was a rather wonderful upright, I wonder what prompted them to butcher the cabinet?

Larry

It was probably on tall spindly legs, maybe even spiral turnings. They might have taken the legs to use on another piece of furniture or very probably they broke. I have a dining chair with oak Barley Twist legs and both back legs snapped in half many years ago and were repaired by nailing wood slats to them.

Im almost positive it would have had barley twist legs originally, similar to the machines below.
The opening below the horn opening suggests to me that it was probably the only record storage, so more than likely it just had stretchers between the legs, as in the first picture These wouldn't have provided much strength for thin legs to support the heavy cabinet & motor, so they probably got broken?
A record shelf as in the second picture, certainly adds a bit of strength to these Jacobean style machines.

syncopeter wrote:I also think it's a Garrard or Collaro motor, meaning it will be 1930s. This must have been a rather expernsive machine in it day.

Actually, Garrard started using that same style bed plate in 1920 when they introduced the super motor.
They also supplied them (& one or two variations) to Columbia in the UK, for some of their better table & cabinet models in the mid 20s, and Garrard used it into the late 30s on various electric turntables. I'm not sure why Collaro started using the identical shaped bed plate, but from what I've seen they were definately in use from 1931/32 until at least 1938.