The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I have a machine, I believe its an Aeolian, its stored away in a spare bedroom full of machines, cuckoo clocks, fretwork clocks, a VV-X shipping crate, etc, and I cannot really get to it to verify the maker. Anyway, it has a metal extension cable with a knob on the end. Its sort of like the old choke cable on the 30-40's cars. The knob on the end of the metal flexible cable appears to be bakalite (sp?), its approx 4-5 feet long, has a clip on the side of the cabinet to clip the cable in when not in use. The cable controls the internal felt covered sliding block of wood which reduces the volume between the end of the horn and tone arm. So I guess when you were tucked away in your lounge chair you could adjust the volume on the machine. Dosen't seem very practical to me unless you could convince one of the kids or wife to keep changing records and winding the machine.
Anyone familiar with this arrangement?

That is the Graduola feature. Kind of like the first wired remote controls. Search the forum for the Graduola and there should be lots of info.

Thanks I'll check it out.

Well it sounds like a Graduola tone modifier, except for the felt covered block. The Graduola should have a half sphere which was mounted in the throat of the horn, just below the tonearm.

Humm guess I'll have to tunnel to the machine and check it out further. I seem to recall a felt covered arrangement but I could be wrong.

The felt covered block would be th "VOLUNOME" if memory serves me correctly.

Is there the decalcomania "Volunome-
Graduola".

On the lower left corner of the rear panel of the machine's lid?