The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Just finished working on this Columbia Buffet table machine. Had a broken spring and some missing knobs,etc. Interesting in that the back is identical to the front which would allow the machine to be moved around and cranked from either end.

That looks great. I bought one with with really bad veneer and had a fellow collector here locally help me get it all fixed up. It looks good but yours looks great.

Steve

A clever way to get dual use out of a phonograph.

Clay

Good job on the restoration! I like the flat top where you can put a table top phono
on if you wanted to. I know I would load it up myself.

Hey I never thought of putting machines on the top. Since I have about 50+ machines I bounced this idea off my wife - she mentioned something about having an intervention.........

I believe this to be a "Baby Regent" desk and not a buffet table. I have the larger Regent desk in oak and they are great for putting machines on. On the comment about having 50 machines, that's the amount I had when my Wife and I got married twelve years ago. Needless to say, she would be happy if I only had that amount now. She has been showing some negativity towards my collection in the last couple years. Mainly because we will be putting our house on the market soon and don't know where to put them all to do this!

Wes

You are probably correct with the identification. I too wonder what I will do with all these treasures when it comes to relocating. I'm in the office and for the life of me cannot rememeber what the Decal says on the bottom of the speaker grill(e). Anyway they are certainly different.

'Tis a pity more wives don't see the value of phonographs as we do.

My collection is pretty small now but I usually have at least one or two "flippers"
sitting around in limbo. Speaking of which, I just restored a VV XIV today. The grain
on the lid has a cool swirl effect.

squeeker7 wrote:Just finished working on this Columbia Buffet table machine. Had a broken spring and some missing knobs,etc. Interesting in that the back is identical to the front which would allow the machine to be moved around and cranked from either end.

So, I'm new here, and learning lots about these wonderful machines...I've never seen a phonograph in this sort of cabinet before. Does pulling out the drawer with the mech. change the geometry of the horn? Or is it optimized for that position, or not critical? I agree it could be useful to have a phonograph that you could put something on top of and not have to move things off to play it!

--Bob