The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I've been trying to find some info on my Pathé Actuelle Classique, but I'm not having any luck. I've never seen another one like it. I've seen the Gothic model in the Pathé catalogs, but never the Classique. I was able to find a photo and reference to it in the May 1, 1977 issue of "Billboard" but there are no other photos or references in any books I have or online.

Has anyone else ever seen this model or know anything about it? An ad? A catalog? Something?

I found this from Dec. 1919.

Silvertone wrote:I found this from Dec. 1919.

Awesome, thanks!

Now, I'm assuming it's the Tudor model, but mine isn't oak. I wonder if they were offered in different finishes as well?

a few of these have appeared on ebay and craigslist in recent years, not that that makes them very common - quite the contrary, I think. but there was some discussion on them once or twice before, so you might want to search through some earlier threads.

The machine in your photographs is indeed oak, in a very dark antique finish. The same finish as my example. These Art Model Actuelle machines are interesting, and scarce, but for some reason are not in much demand. I still have one of these Tudor models, and once owned a Sheraton (or "Adam") example. Both were purchased at Stanton's phonograph auctions. Both were in fine condition. Neither cost more than $225.00. Oddly enough, conventional, common Actuelle machines seem to be more desirable than these lovely Art Cases.

brianu wrote:but there was some discussion on them once or twice before, so you might want to search through some earlier threads.

I've searched through the old threads and the only discussion was when I bought it last April. Maybe on the old board?

I was just curious what year they were made (around 1919, apparently), production numbers, stuff like that.

Uncle Vanya wrote:The machine in your photographs is indeed oak, in a very dark antique finish.

I would have never guessed that. It's so dark!

An example of the Pathé Actuelle Sheraton/Adam style phonograph mentioned above. I bought this in 1983-4 from a phonograph collector outside of Ithaca NY. While this is badged on the serial number plate as "Art Model" I always thought that this was a very plain, somber looking machine. And maybe, in 1919-1920, that was the point----tastes were moving away from the ornamentation so prevalent in the pre-WW-I years. Despite the repairs to the cone diffuser (on there when I bought this) it is a nice sounding machine.

I must tell a story. In 1952 my parents bought a house in northern Michigan (Alpena) that had been built sometime in the 1920s. For as long as I could remember there was a "book cabinet" (a low-boy) that was painted white and had three doors. It did indeed store books and papers for the entire time it was at my folks' place. When I emptied the house a few years ago I did not want to throw out the cabinet but removed it to storage. Well, since 2004 I've been into antique phonographs and it finally dawned on me that this cabinet might have once housed a phonograph. I applied some paint stripper to the lid on the right side--and yes, I found a phono decal: Pathé. Further research brought me to this topic here: the cabinet once housed a Pathé Actuelle Sheraton/Adam as mine and the one shown directly above are identical.

I am now playing with the idea of having the cabinet restored. How easy (or not?) would be it be to find the phono works? I am guessing this might be a project "too far" as there are probably more Pathé cabinets lurking around than surviving works.

How rare was the Pathé Actuelle Sheraton/Adam?

BTW, I also own an Edison Triumph cylinder phonograph (model D); an Edison Sheraton (Sans Inlay) Diamond Disc player; and a Victor Granada (4-4). If I am crazy enough to restore the Pathé I'll be back up to four machines.

Ralph

Just for the sake of curiosity I would like to hear one of these compared to the internal horn models.. It would seem that Pathé thought it was an improvement of some type, or maybe just pandering to radio type speakers to draw the public? One reason I have not owned a Pathé in recent years is that generally the horns just don't look very well thought out in the cabinet designs, but maybe they sound a lot better than they appear.

Larry