The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I just got a real neat project today. The price was right, too. Check out ebay number 220877339680. It is listed under Antique hand crank Phonograph -Gramophone. I'm almost certain that it is a Pathé or clone. Yes it a project, but I think it's really cool. Can anyone identify this? Also, if some kind soul can download the pictures that will be great for the forum. The really neat part is the ratchet on the motor. Does anyone know the purpose of this?
Harvey Kravitz

is it really that hard to upload a photo or two?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/220877339680?ru ... 3D1&_rdc=1

it's definitely a Pathé, I forget which model number, and it's mostly correct but for the turntable, reproducer (which could be a thorens, and possibly the same used on those excelda cameraphones) and brake - which someone appears to have mounted to the top for no reason... the small lever protruding from the front of the machine is a common feature among various Pathé tabletop machines, it both starts and stops the motor.

Phonofreak wrote:The really neat part is the ratchet on the motor. Does anyone know the purpose of this?

That ratchet is the starting/stopping lever. I have discovered that you can spin up the turntable pretty fast with those things. The only problem I have noticed with mine is a tendency for the screw that it pivots on to loosen up. The locking nut underneath has to be kept tight.

Thanks guys for the info. Did this machine have a decal on the horn? I remember another thread that showed a Pathé with a decal on the horn. Sorry Brianu, But I am not good with computers like you are. What is easy for some are hard for others.if there is anymore info, please let me know.
Harvey Kravitz

Provided as a public service to the board

Congratulations Harvey. I had looked at this listing several times and was really tempted, but I just completed another tabletop Pathé and found it very hard to find parts or even info about it. The reproducer shouldn't be too hard to find, they regularly show up on eBay. I assume a turntable should be available from the usual sources as well. I too wondered about the missing decal on/in the horn, as well as the fact that there is no model number tag on that case. Maybe this was one of the machines that Pathé made for a french department store or mail order business, much like Columbia did for Sears?
In any case, it's a nice little machine.
Andreas

Hi Andreas,
Thank you for the kind words. I did find a Pathé reproducer in my parts. I bought it several years ago. I checked the turntable and it is correct for this machine. It is 10" in diameter. I see no evidence of a tag and decal. You are probably right that it was a client machine for a French department store. This machine is not little. It is 18" square and is very heavy. I had to use a dolly to get it out of the Post office. I'll be gluing the loose trim on the case and clean up those horrible solder joints on the 78 RPM adapter. I'll get my buddy to get pictures once it is restored.
Harvey Kravitz