Help identifying model!!!

jchistory · by **jchistory** » Fri Sep 09, 2016 6:04 pm

Hello,
I work for a historical society located in Iowa. We were just donated a plethora of phonographs and I am trying to identify each one. There is one that I am having a very difficult time identifying. It is a Columbia Grafonola -- it looks very similar to the Savoy. However, it only has two needle cups, not three. It looks EXACTLY like the image posted. I cannot find a model or serial number anywhere.

Can anyone help me? It would be greatly appreciated!!

: Columbia_grafonola.jpg (52.09 KiB) Viewed 132 times

by **Joe_DS** » Fri Sep 09, 2016 8:19 pm

To add to the confusion, it appears that the same cabinet was used for the Jewel, introduced in 1914, as well as the 35, introduced in 1915, and the C, introduced in 1918.

It's often very hard to determine the exact model, since production records no longer exist, and there were some variations in the models, themselves.

Joe

jchistory · by **jchistory** » Fri Sep 09, 2016 9:41 pm

Joe_DS wrote:To add to the confusion, it appears that the same cabinet was used for the Jewel, introduced in 1914, as well as the 35, introduced in 1915, and the C, introduced in 1918.

It's often very hard to determine the exact model, since production records no longer exist, and there were some variations in the models, themselves.

Joe

That information will make this object more interesting to our visitors hopefully! Thank you so much for your response, I was losing my mind trying to figure it out.

by **Joe_DS** » Fri Sep 09, 2016 11:31 pm

Of all the model's I've seen online, this one, identified as the Jewel, looks identical to the one in the above photograph -- http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/a ... -254152151

The Jewel was first produced in 1914, and sold for $35.

Here's the description in "The Columbia Phonograph Companion, Volume II" by Robert Baumbach:

The Columbia Jewel featured a blued motor plate, three sunken needle cups***, bayonet-joint tonearm and Columbia #6 reproducer. The cabinet was fashioned of golden quartered oak and housed a double spring motor. The trim was nickel plated. Case Height: 11 5/8 inches; Width: 16 3/4 inches; Depth: 16 3/4 inches.

*** I believe that the sound box rest near the front functioned as the third needle cup, used for depositing spent needles.

HTH,
Joe