The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I've been enjoying the topic about the most expensive machines. It included examples that were made but possibly didn't survive. What is the most unusual talking machine that you have had the pleasure to actually see? Thanks, Jerry Blais

I have long been intrigued by the Bush and Lane phonographs that had two reproducers mounted to a common tone arm. One reproducer played 78's and the other played Edisons. I have seen only B&L up close, but never had the chance to hear it.

JERRY, I CANNOT FROM MY LIMITED EXPERIENCE SAY I HAVE SEEN AN UNUSUAL TALKING MACHINE, BUT WHEN I ENCOUNTER A COLUMBIA CYLINDER PHONOGRAPH WITHOUT POT METAL ISSUES, I WILL POST IT HERE!! THAT TO ME WILL BE UNUSUAL. I WILL SEND YOU AN EMAIL IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS TO SEE IF YOU CAN HELP ME OUT WITH A PART I NEED. MICHAEL

I've always been a sucker for a really great upright. I was really impressed to see a nearly perfect original Vernus Martin Victrola XVII. An unusual side feature was the Victrola decal on the inside of the lid. It was upside down! The owner speculates that the error was discovered on a final inspection. He further speculates that the machine probably sat unsold for quite a long time until it was sold as an obsolete machine. That was too cool. Jerry Blais

Please allow me to submit my Cholla cactus-cased Victrola allegedly custom-made for Tom Mix and sold out of his cabin in Sierra Madre, California when his estate was liquidated in the early 1940's.

Now I haven't too many phonos IRL in my day, but there was this one I saw not but a few months ago. An antique shop near me deals in European and American antiques, particularly German antiques. When in there, I saw a phonograph, very similar to a simple table-top made by Victor or HMV. Indeed, it was a German HMV, likely a clone of a VV-IX, albeit different. The tonearm was mounted in the right corner on top, the crank was towards the back, and the speed control was on the side. It was working, and sounded great, but was too steep for me at $200. Next time I went in, it was gone. I've got pictures of it on my phone, but unfortunately, my phone's lost the USB cable .

Maybe some German members of this forum could enlighten me on what it was?

Jerry B. wrote:I've been enjoying the topic about the most expensive machines. It included examples that were made but possibly didn't survive. What is the most unusual talking machine that you have had the pleasure to actually see? Thanks, Jerry Blais

For me it would be a tie between the utterly, utterly stunning Moorish Marquetry machine that I was privileged to examine some years ago (let me assure you that these are far more impressive in person than they appear in a photograph!), the Large French Gothic Art Case C-1 at Yale, and an immense Panatrope in a custom Vernais-Martin cabinet fully the size of a large Chiffonrobe.

Compared to these large pieces of furniture the rare stuff from the 'ninties looks like disused lab equipment I fear.

JohnM wrote:Please allow me to submit my Cholla cactus-cased Victrola allegedly custom-made for Tom Mix and sold out of his cabin in Sierra Madre, California when his estate was liquidated in the early 1940's.

Goodness!

Didn't Mr. Mix also posses a automatic combination of some sort, a 10-70, 9-54 or some other behemoth?

Not sure about Mix owning any of the models you mention, but there is a 9-54 owned by William S. Hart at the Hart Ranch near Newhall, California. There's also a 10-50 in Mr. Cord's office at the old Auburn/Cord factory -- now the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Museum in Auburn, Indiana.

The most unusual and historically interesting talking machines I had the privilege to rediscover and work with are the Class M presented by Edison to the famous German physicist and physiologist Hermann von Helmholtz in the summer of 1890, and the prototype of the Kämmer, Reinhardt & Co. gramophone doll.

Both devices are safely locked in German museums, but in 2005 I managed to include them in an exhibition at the Humboldt University, Berlin's oldest university. The exhibition with the title "Speaking without lips, thinking without brain ..." was organised in memory of Wolfgang von Kempelen, inventor and constructor of the first talking machine (or better human speech simulating machine) and the famous chess automaton.