Author Topic: This looks like some sort of old phonograph, can anyone give me information  (Read 2330 times)

catpaws321

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HI
Recently purchased this wood phonograph? not to sure if that is correct.  Has gears inside and what appears to be a turntable on the top
Can anyone tell me what this piece is
thanks
tom




And if anyone can tell me why my pictures sometimes flip when I upload, would be appreciated

mart

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First of all,, how does this thing operate ??  Electricity ?? Is there a slide locking mech. on top ?? My first thought was a potters wheel minus the top plate !! Is there anything that would transmit sound ?? Or an arm and needle to play anything ??

cogar

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"Yepper", as Mart often says, .... I think it very well could be a floor model, large horn phonograph ....... but missing several parts. See picture below as an example of what may have looked like.

You would need to locate an on-line forum that specializes in those "big horn" phonographs and ask their opinion.

Even the parts n' pieces for those "big horns" are highly sought after.

I once purchased a table model without the "horn" and searched far n' wide for like 2 years for the horn but without success. Then 1 day a young fellow that lived about 4 miles from me and which I often bought "junk" from came into my shop with another lad I didn't know.

Long story short, .... that new lad said "I know where there are 2 of those old horns in an old dilapaded building right next to where I like".

One was the "Morning Glory" type like the picture below and the other one was the long "trumpet" type like in the 2nd picture below.




« Last Edit: June 30, 2014, 06:07:11 am by cogar »

mart

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If it is there would be a hole on the side to wind it !! Have never seen one with a metal turntable like that !! Of course I have never tore one apart either !!

Rauville

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If that tape measure pictured is accurate at 12" tall, it could be a "child's wind-up phonograph". There were several models that played the "Little Wonder" 78 rpm records.


cogar

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 Mart, if you look at the 2nd picture in the 1st post ….. there is a “slider” rod sticking out on the left side with a knurled knob on the end of it.  Me thinks that is the “speed” adjustment control for the “turntable”.

Push it in and the record “rotates” slower (like <78 rpm), pull out on it and it rotates faster (like >78 rpm)  …. but there was no precise standard rpm in those days because the spring-tension drive motors varied in “rpm” so you adjusted your “unit” for the best quality of “sound” depending on the “record” you placed on it to “play”. All the different record types were not "cut" or "pressed" to play at EXACTLY 78 rpm because of the "tolerance" of the recording equipment. They were "close", but not exactly, all the time.

And just to the right of that “slider” hole there appears to be another “hole” in the cabinet, just below the “start/stop” lever/mechanism. That “hole”, me thinks, is for inserting the “crank” for winding up the drive motor spring.

mart

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Thanks,, I see the hole now !!  Missed it earlier !!

catpaws321

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thanks so much for the information
I have to apologize, I thought I would get an email telling me when there was a response to this thread, which  I did not
There are gears inside, here are some pictures




mart

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Sorry,, as far as I know there are no email notices for questions asked !! But usually we try to get something answered or acknowledged within a couple of hours and usually less than that !!  Just check back in an hour or so when you post something !!  Will go look at your new pics !!

catpaws321

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thanks so much
I will
Tom

cogar

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The round steel case with the gears on top and bottom contains the "spring" that is wound up and drives the turntable.

It will look like this if opened up.