Help ID this Grafonola Floor Model

Hello All,

Newbie here with a question.

I've been "restoring" a Columbia Grafonola floor model. It's my first acoustic and the Mrs and I are loving it - so much so I've already purchased another acoustic - a flea market find late 40's Birch portable. (An obsession is born!)

The Grafonola plays very well (though the auto stop works a little too well - stopping 3 times per disc) and the majority of the work is just cosmetic (cabinet refinishing, missing screws, etc.,).

Here it is the day it came home with us:



The one stumbling block I've run across is that I've no idea what model it is!

From my research it appears to be an early one. It looks exactly like the 75 (I won an original instruction sheet for the 75 off eBay, and have seen old YMCA related ads for the 75 on Google), but I'm not 100% sure, mostly due to not being able to compare the storage systems. The manual has no mention of any storage system and there are no illustrations other than the cover.




Apparently a very similar 85 looks the same (as told to me by Great Lakes Antique Phonograph), but has the auto eject system, while the 75 the manual vertical slot system. Our Grafonola is missing such a system entirely (ripped out) except for one remaining slat - that could have gone in either.

Grafonola experts: Is this a 75, 85, or something else entirely? I'm toying with the idea of rebuilding a manual storage system as I was lucky to have received exact measurements of one employed in another model Grafonola, but if that is wrong for this one, perhaps not.

Note: I understand the out of print Columbia Phonograph Companion Volume II might be of help in my research, but even after contacting the author, I don't appear to be in luck of getting hold of a copy anytime soon.

I've got a copy of the Columbia Phonograph Companion, Vol. II, but it's really of no help since the models illustrated look identical. Along with this, the dimensions for both the 75 and 85 are the same:

Height -- 41 7/8 inches
Width -- 19 inches
Depth -- 21 inches

As George at Great Lakes noted, and the book confirms, both models were identical, save for the record storage system.

The Model 75 -- Slats (running vertically, according to the illustration) were provided for storing 75 records. For an extra $10, the slats could be replaced by the "Individual Record Ejector System" which reduced the capacity to 45 records.

The Model 85 -- The Grafonola 85 was identical to the Grafonola 75 except that individual records racks for 45 records and individual record ejectors were provided. This system offered a button for each of the 45 records, which when pressed, moved the record forward from the pack.


The introduction date for both models under their numeral designations was 1915, according to the book, however, the 85 had been in production a year earlier, under the name name "Leader."

I'm afraid that isn't much to go on.

JDS

Thanks very much JDS! Any info, even a little, is helpful. You've at least confirmed the info I've gathered. The fog surrounding this unit is a little less thick.

Looking at the surviving slat, and the angle at which it is cut, I'm wondering if this is from an "Ejector" (sounds very 007!). From the few photos I have seen of the push button system, the slats were mounted at different angles than the manual.

As I examine the slat more, it does not appear to match what I know of the manual system, as the cuts indicate it would mount at a different (if not opposite) angle.

Also, when I inspect the inner cabinet, I see no signs of the manual's mounting - the system used a board mounted top and bottom each via screws to hold the slats.

This of course could be all wrong But that's my observation for now. I don't know if these systems were mounted directly to the cabinet, or were contained in modular box slide-in's.

JDS - do you think, based on info in the book and my photo, that I am at least in the ballpark (75/85)? Does the book have more pictures of the storage systems?

It's really a shame Columbia didn't do a better job labeling these early models. I am basing my ID on things as subtle as the shape of trim moulding a well as the motor and other larger components. But as always, an active business trying to succeed isn't always concerned about leaving records for posterity.

From what you've described, I'd say you're on the right track.

I'm not sure, either, whether they used a "modular" or component type mounting, with the storage system encased, since I have never owned a Columbia machine.

One reason that this might not have contained an ID plate was because the same, exact cabinet and components were used for both the model 75 (originally priced at $75.00) and model 85 (originally priced at $85.00), as noted.

Basically, this means that if you find a good condition ejector type storage unit that fits your model, then you will have an 85, and if you find one with vertical slats, you'll have a model 75--call it what you will. I haven't seen any advertising literature about this, but I'm sure Columbia used the same logic.

JDS

Thanks!

I now have another question, but will start a new thread