Rishell

Hi,

I just picked up today a Rishell Gramaphone. I am trying to find info especiall pictures of these machines so I can make sure mine is all original. Does anyone know where I might find that kind of info????

Thanks any help appreciated

Arcangel

This is all I could find:
"Rishell -- Rishell Phonograph Company, Williamsport, Pennsylvania. September 1916. (A related company with a slightly different spelling--Rishel--is still in business in Williamsport.)"

You probably have one of several hundred off-brand machines manufactured in the late teens and early twenties. If you could post some pictures of yours maybe someone here has seen a similar phonograph.

Regards,
J.

Thanks for the reply....I will definately upload some pics. I am really trying to find pics of machines like mine so I can restore mine correctly such as knobs etc. Does anyone know what the value would be???? I payed $75 with a bunch of records.

Thanks again

Arcangel,

It's really impossible to place a value on it without at least seeing it. I assume it's an upright? If it's got most of it's parts. A good motor and a decent tone-arm/reproducer made out of brass, or at least potmetal without swelling or cracks you mostly likely got your money's worth at least. Now if you got some nice twenties/thirties era records with it; even better.
If you can post a photo of the motor when you do post pictures.

Regards,
J.

Here are some pics....Thanks all for any info.

Arcangel,

I managed to find this, posted by a friend on-line:

RISHELL
(c. 1917 - 1918 / Vertical)

"Produced by several manufacturers for the Rishell Phonograph Company of Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Rishell Phonograph's parent company was the J. K. Rishel Furniture Company; at some point, a second "l" was added to the name of the phonograph operation.

"... Rishell's first phonographs were announced September 15, 1916 issue of the [i]Talking Machine World.[/b] The earliest known Rishell discs were produced by Pathe', which pressed a short-lived series of 10 3/4" Rishell discs from its sapphire-ball vertical cut masters. Several specimens bearing rare Sapphire lables on their reverse sides are known.
"Within a short time, production shifted to the Rex Talking Machine Corporation, which produced Rishell pressings using the same couplings and 5000-series catalog numbers as corresponding Rex releases. A 12" Rishell series may also be from Rex masters.
"Following Rex's disappearance in late 1917, Rishell switched production to the Otto Heineman Phonograph Supply Company , manufacturers of Okeh discs. Heineman's series, numbered in the 1000's, duplicated couplings and catalog numbers of early vertical-cut Okeh discs."

--- From: "American Record Lables and Companies, An Encyclopedia (1891 - 1943)" by Allan Sutton & Kurt Nauck

That is a very handsome phonograph. I do hope you are able to get a replacement grille. That one is very nice in it's simplicity. The motor appears to be a proprietary plate & pillar type. Is that the brake front left? Is that a type of automatic brake in the back by the tone-arm? Does the reproducer pivot to face front for vertical records? Looks like it can. I know I have seen that machine before and that reproducer. It looks to be original-I don't see any extra holes (!), except maybe the knobs on the record storage compartment doors. They look more like 1930's era cabinet pulls. I'll keep asking around.

Regards,
J.

Thanks J~

Neophone wrote:Arcangel,

I managed to find this, posted by a friend on-line:

RISHELL
(c. 1917 - 1918 / Vertical)

"Produced by several manufacturers for the Rishell Phonograph Company of Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Rishell Phonograph's parent company was the J. K. Rishel Furniture Company; at some point, a second "l" was added to the name of the phonograph operation.

"... Rishell's first phonographs were announced September 15, 1916 issue of the [i]Talking Machine World.[/b] The earliest known Rishell discs were produced by Pathe', which pressed a short-lived series of 10 3/4" Rishell discs from its sapphire-ball vertical cut masters. Several specimens bearing rare Sapphire lables on their reverse sides are known.
"Within a short time, production shifted to the Rex Talking Machine Corporation, which produced Rishell pressings using the same couplings and 5000-series catalog numbers as corresponding Rex releases. A 12" Rishell series may also be from Rex masters.
"Following Rex's disappearance in late 1917, Rishell switched production to the Otto Heineman Phonograph Supply Company , manufacturers of Okeh discs. Heineman's series, numbered in the 1000's, duplicated couplings and catalog numbers of early vertical-cut Okeh discs."

--- From: "American Record Lables and Companies, An Encyclopedia (1891 - 1943)" by Allan Sutton & Kurt Nauck

That is a very handsome phonograph. I do hope you are able to get a replacement grille. That one is very nice in it's simplicity. The motor appears to be a proprietary plate & pillar type. Is that the brake front left? Is that a type of automatic brake in the back by the tone-arm? Does the reproducer pivot to face front for vertical records? Looks like it can. I know I have seen that machine before and that reproducer. It looks to be original-I don't see any extra holes (!), except maybe the knobs on the record storage compartment doors. They look more like 1930's era cabinet pulls. I'll keep asking around.

Regards,
J.

I think I will make a new grille myself on my scroll saw, because I think the chances of getting another one might be very difficult. I was also thinking for now I would use some grill cloth so its not so damaged looking. Yes in the back there is a brake that holds the disc table and the tone arm. The reproducer does pivot. I suspected that the knbs where not original because the owner gave me 2 extra ones. They are very nice knobs (glass/brass) but I would like to find out what the original looked like so I can try to reproduce them. What do you know about the records? I have one that appears to be signed in the wax by Mary Garden, just curious....Thanks a bunch for your help. Oh by the way it plays great!

Arcangel,

I knew I had a photo of a similar phonograph in a folder someplace. I found it.



Obviously not the same but they share a few common elements, including the glass knob!

Also I knew I'd seen that reproducer before-It's here:
Mystery Reproducers scroll down to the bottom.

And I had this photo of a similar tone-arm sans auto-brake on a Modernola:



It may have the same reproducer as well. Both are from the same collection and unfortunately I can't remember who's. I had a note written out, but it's lost. If anybody recognizes the collection, I'd be most obliged if you'd send me a note with a link to the original site so I can make proper note-and give credit where credit is due.

Regards,
J.

Arc...,

I just heard from another collector. He says the reproducer made by a company called Acme and it's post 1916.

Regards,
J.

Neophone wrote:Arcangel,

I knew I had a photo of a similar phonograph in a folder someplace. I found it.



Obviously not the same but they share a few common elements, including the glass knob!

Also I knew I'd seen that reproducer before-It's here:
Mystery Reproducers scroll down to the bottom.

And I had this photo of a similar tone-arm sans auto-brake on a Modernola:



It may have the same reproducer as well. Both are from the same collection and unfortunately I can't remember who's. I had a note written out, but it's lost. If anybody recognizes the collection, I'd be most obliged if you'd send me a note with a link to the original site so I can make proper note-and give credit where credit is due.

Regards,
J.

So the glass knobs are original???? Thats funny I have 2 extra's. So somewhere there is a a cabinet missing knobs...Interesting. Seems to me the machine I have is kind of a mutt, a mix of a bunch of different parts. I just realized I am also missing the wheels, but I think I have some period wood wheels kickin around. Thanks so much for your help. Now I just need to find a nice inexpensive table top model

Arcangel,

I don't think we can say for sure the knobs are original, but I think it's a fair possibility. I wouldn't call your machine a mutt at all. I am of the opinion it's probably all original. Bear in mind it's what's know somewhat derisively by some these days, as an off-brand phonograph. That just means it's not one of the major brands. Most of these were phonographs assembled out of proprietary parts. Some large Music Stores, Department Stores and Furniture Manufacturers entered the phonograph market having machines built to spec or buying mechanisms from suppliers like Otto Heinman. Many of these weren't built in great numbers and there isn't much information out there today. Some of them were cheap plain cabinets with shoddy motors and flimsy potmetal parts, other were fine machines. Yours falls into the latter category. If yours was thrown together from parts sometime after it was first made you'd find extra holes and ill fitting joints. It has a very good finish that looks original-it doesn't appear to be alligatored at all. Maybe lacquer rather than shellac finish. The tone arm is a decent design and most importantly it's not potmetal. The biggest draw-back with a machine like yours is trying to find replacement parts, but it looks like the only thing you need is the grille.

Now what sort of records did you get? You had asked about those as well.

Regards,
J.

[quote="Neophone"]Arcangel,

I don't think we can say for sure the knobs are original, but I think it's a fair possibility. I wouldn't call your machine a mutt at all. I am of the opinion it's probably all original. Bear in mind it's what's know somewhat derisively by some these days, as an off-brand phonograph. That just means it's not one of the major brands. Most of these were phonographs assembled out of proprietary parts. Some large Music Stores, Department Stores and Furniture Manufacturers entered the phonograph market having machines built to spec or buying mechanisms from suppliers like Otto Heinman. Many of these weren't built in great numbers and there isn't much information out there today. Some of them were cheap plain cabinets with shoddy motors and flimsy potmetal parts, other were fine machines. Yours falls into the latter category. If yours was thrown together from parts sometime after it was first made you'd find extra holes and ill fitting joints. It has a very good finish that looks original-it doesn't appear to be alligatored at all. Maybe lacquer rather than shellac finish. The tone arm is a decent design and most importantly it's not potmetal. The biggest draw-back with a machine like yours is trying to find replacement parts, but it looks like the only thing you need is the grille.

Now what sort of records did you get? You had asked about those as well.

Look what I found Phili Craigslist:




I have requested Hi Res pics from the owner of this machine. Like the knobs,wheels and the reproducer, it appears to be different from mine. They are asking $400 As for the records most of what I got had hairline cracks but one in particular I was curious about. I have one signed in the wax by Mary Garden are these rare? Or is it something you find often? I just realized you live in Southie, I live in Everett right near you. Go Pats!!! or not? Ummmm ok Go Sox! So thanks again for your help!

I~

Arcangel,

Excellent find! You should be able to get at least some great photos for comparison. So you're just on the other side of the city-small world! Tell you what-you take care of the pats and I'll take care of the Sox & Bruins. Check your private messages.

Regards,
J.

Neophone wrote:Arcangel,

Excellent find! You should be able to get at least some great photos for comparison. So you're just on the other side of the city-small world! Tell you what-you take care of the pats and I'll take care of the Sox & Bruins. Check your private messages.

Regards,
J.

J~
just heard from the owner of the Rishell in Phili. She is going to send me a bunch of Hi-Res pics..So what do you think about the Mary Garden signed record??? Is it rare?

Arcangel,

Here's a the wikipedia page on Mary Garden. 'Sounds like quite a character! Is the signature signed with white ink or is it etched into the wax? The ones etched are somewhat common and I don't think they increase the value of the discs very much in most instances. I'll ask around see what I can find out. Oh BTW what label and song it the record?

Regards,
J.