Mystery Machine

I spotted this for sale on craigslist.org

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/clt/938572674.html
(Seller's Revised Listing; original one appeared on 11-22-08)

It caught my attention because I bought one just like it a few years ago. This is a circa-late 1930's portable phonograph, about as large and heavy as an Orthophonic 2-55, with a horn about the same design and length. As with the Orthophonic and HMV 102, the horn is metal and attached to the metal motor board. It is heavily chrome plated. The components are Swiss made, and the rather small two spring motor is stamped Paillard.

Though it does not have the presence of a good HMV or Victor portable, nonetheless, it has a very powerful sound quality, and slightly deeper bass output due to the length of the horn--over four feet, including the tone arm. There are two spring capped need tins--one for fresh and one for used. In addition, there is a volume control lever at the base of the tonearm.

There are also two record storage compartments--one on the outside portion of the lid for 12" records--note the hinge which appears on the top of the lid, and a conventional 10" record compartment inside the lid.

It seems that the same motor board & components were also fitted into different style, simpler cases--as indicated by this youtube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJi4rv9_A5A

I'm wondering if any of these ever turn up in Europe or the UK, etc., and if so, if they have a manufacturer's name. I've been told, but have yet to verify, that these were sold in the more upscale department stores in the US.

Since a steel needle must be changed after each side played, you have enough needles for a few sides.

Paillard is a Swedish company that made windup phonographs, electronic phonographs, and record changers.

Record-changer wrote:Since a steel needle must be changed after each side played, you have enough needles for a few sides..

I was a little confused by what you meant by that, but then I noticed that the seller states that a "few" needles are included with the machine. To clarify, I'm not the seller. I spotted the ad on my local craigslist and was tempted to snap it up, since $75 seems a bargain for something I've seen sell on eBay for about $350 a few years ago, but then I thought, why not give someone else a chance, especially since I already have one just like it.

The needle cups, themselves, are pretty deep. Each holds about 100 medium-tone needles, or about 75 loud tone needles--more than enough for the dozen or so records you can cram into the case when you take it on a picnic.

Paillard is a Swedish company that made windup phonographs, electronic phonographs, and record changers.

Actually, Palliard was/is a Swiss company. I'm familiar with Paillard, especially as a component supplier for off-brand machines sold throughout the world; and of course, I've seen photos of some of their more unique gramophones such as --- http://www.edisontinfoil.com/hotair.htm

I guess what I'm really wondering is, if this chrome plated phonograph was sold under any specific brand name--either in the US, or Europe; or by any specific seller--department store or music store chain, etc. I've come across a dozen or so of these chrome plated phonographs over the past few decades and none ever was marked with a manufacturer's or seller's logo.

Joe_DS,
WOW, That is a stunner! I'd grab it in a minute if I could. It looks like a very well design machine, it certainly isn't a no-name cheapie!

Regards,
J.

Hi John:

Yes, it is a very striking machine. I can't understand why it hasn't sold, especially for that price!

I bought mine about six years ago from an online company called "Record Players Plus," and paid $100 for it + $25 for shipping. It's in what I'd call "good/average" condition. The case has a few minor dings, the plating on the corners is slightly worn, and there are a few scratches in the chrome, etc. Over that time, I've seen a few examples, in far worse condition, sell for several hundred dollars more on eBay.

JDS

JDS,

There's no identification on the case of yours? Just the motor huh? One would think with a machine of obvious quality the seller would want his name on it.

Regards,
J.

Neophone wrote:JDS,

There's no identification on the case of yours? Just the motor huh? One would think with a machine of obvious quality the seller would want his name on it.

Regards,
J.

No, there was no mfg.'s logo. As noted above, the only marking on my machine is the word "Paillard" which is stamped on the bottom of the motor. In order to see this, you have to remove the turntable, and pull the motor.

There is a chrome plated "pocket" on the interior record storage compartment, which was obviously meant to hold a "log" or owner's manual. (Perhaps that was marked with the seller's name?) Whatever it held--manual, whatever--is always missing from the models I've seen come up for sale.

The seller, from whom I bought my machine, told me that the original owner, who sold it to him, told him that his father bought it in the 1930s from one of the department stores in downtown San Francisco. I've checked old newspaper ads from that period from Macy's, the Emporium, etc., but have never spotted anything.

JDS

Well it's been sold now so I guess we'll probably never know.

My word that looked very cheap for such a nice quality machine - I thought it was just British collectors who wouldn't know a deal if it fell on them from an aeroplane, but it seems I was wrong! I would have bought that in a second AND paid international shipping rates on top. A steal for a US collector, surely?

STEVE wrote:Well it's been sold now so I guess we'll probably never know.

My word that looked very cheap for such a nice quality machine.?

It's either been sold, or the seller decided to try his luck on eBay, etc. And, yes, that was a very cheap price.

From a quality standpoint, I'd rate it about an eight on a scale of one to ten. The only issue I've found with mine is that the Paillard motor, though two-spring, is very small and not very powerful compared to those used on HMV/Victor/Columbia phonographs. It takes about 60 turns of the crank to play one side of one 12" record.

BTW, there's another bargain on my local craigslist, a VV-2-55 Orthophonic portable which has been listed twice now, with no takers -- for $50!

That was the model, supposedly, that the "committee" from the Gramophone Co. looked at when they were in the process of designing their follow-on gramophone to the HMV 101. If it has a good diaphragm, the sound box, itself, is worth the asking price, since it is a late production version that does not have the pot-metal problems the earlier ones do.

Over the years, I've owned both a 2-55 and a 102, and in terms of sound quality--volume, bass output, etc.-- the VV-2-55 is every bit as good, if not better than the HMV 102, due to its slightly longer, more expansive tone chamber. Of course, in terms of overall design, weight, size, appearance, etc., it can't hold a candle to the 102. Still, I wouldn't mind having another one, but as with most people I know, I've been watching every penny.

Gents,

What's with the cheap portables on the West Coast? I need a West Coast affiliate!

Regards,
J.