8mm Forum: Antique Phonograph Show

This is topic Antique Phonograph Show in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on January 28, 2015, 06:55 PM:

The annual Florida Antique Phonograph Show was held for 2 days this past weekend. Dealers and collectors attended from across the US and Canada. For me this is interesting as yet another opportunity to get hands on with old technology. You realize right away that the people who attend this show are as passionate about Edison Phonographs, Berliner Gramaphones, RCA Victor, and HMV, as we all are about Pathe Baby's, Eumigs, Elmo's, and Beaulieu's. Nipper, the famous RCA Victor trademark dog, was the unnoficial mascot for the whole event, with Nipper dog memorabilia all over the place.
My grandson made a video of the event:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYKmk3IrRs4

Posted by Clay Smith (Member # 4122) on January 28, 2015, 08:20 PM:

This was very interesting to watch. Those metal disk players, Kalliope by Otto Pohland circa 1880-1890 incredible to listen to. The craftsmanship involved is amazing. I love these windows to the past. I have a 1914 Edison (unfortunately in storage) which I am going to have to get back out. Thanks for posting Paul, nice video by the grandson.

Posted by Joe Vannicola (Member # 4156) on January 28, 2015, 09:24 PM:

My Great Grandfather(he sold antiques) had a box of phonograph rolls in the barn where he kept his antiques. Too bad he didn't have the machines to play them on. Hell, too bad he didn't have boxes of old movies posters; mainly furniture which is pretty boring to a ten year old.

Posted by Trevor Adams (Member # 42) on January 29, 2015, 02:54 AM:

Love the wooden horns!

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on January 29, 2015, 04:51 AM:

Grew up constantly playing 78's in our house and still love them to this day.
My Mum and Dad had quite a collection from the 50's and this formed the basis for my lifelong obsession with popular music.

I can still see " Memories are made of this" and the flip side "Change of Heart" by a certain Dean Martin on a beautiful purple Capital record label whirring around at sensational speed now!

Ah happy days indeed!

These two still sound every bit as good today as they did back then as do many others I could mention. Class never dates. [Wink]

From these earliest antique machines right through to the Linn Sondek.... I just love em all!

Posted by Bill Shenette (Member # 4561) on January 29, 2015, 07:48 AM:

I collect and restore Those old phonographs and Tubed radio great to work and they sound awesome take a peek at my You Tube channel below.
I have been to Glen Mont and The edison Factor as well as The Wayne NJ Pgonograph Show. I went with friend Had an asweome tin Loved every munite of it.

[Smile]

Sincerely Bill Shenette

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvU5nbpiReG9ViDNcV93Vtw

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on January 29, 2015, 10:24 AM:

One of the things that amazed me at this show was how loud the phonographs were. With just acoustic amplification through the exponential horns, the music could be heard loud and clear throughout the hall! There is something truly amazing about hearing someones voice, recorded on a wax cylinder over 100 years ago, reproduced through one of these machines!

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on January 29, 2015, 10:32 AM:

The portable antique HMV gramophone I had when I was a youngster had no horn but just a hole in the rear of the cabinet after the platter. I used to deaden the sound by stuffing my pyjamas in there as it was so loud when left unobstructed!

The whole thing was constructed to an extremely high quality level and aged 10, I could barely pick it up it was so heavy as I recall.

I remember you had to change the needle around every 4 records! Lol

Posted by Bill Shenette (Member # 4561) on January 29, 2015, 12:17 PM:

Yes This is true on changeing the steel needles.
At times you shoud change the needle every second record .
Just so you will not ruin/destroy the record.
I Throughly Enjoy restoration of old phonographs.
I own a few machines a edison diamond disc a Victor Victrola
number 8 and Edison B standard &D standard .my favorite is My Edison Amberola 30.
I enjoy them all I currently worked on restoring My Victor Victrola 8 the outside finish was so bad needed to be re done and re schallacked.
Cheers
from Bill

Posted by Brian Fretwell (Member # 4302) on January 30, 2015, 06:16 AM:

I used to have some "quiet" needles which were not steel but a type of "thorn" IIRC these would not damage the record if they wore down.

I think I managed to play a smaller record with a real thorn off of a gooseberry bush.

Posted by Bill Shenette (Member # 4561) on January 30, 2015, 08:41 AM:

AH! Yes How soon I forget LOL,
I got got to mention that those are good types .
You can use Catcus needles as well as Bamboo but you have to have that special cutter.
I have that cutter but it is missing one important piece the V piece.

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on January 30, 2015, 12:05 PM:

What is amazing is that needles are still made today.

Posted by Bill Shenette (Member # 4561) on January 30, 2015, 09:35 PM:

Oh Yes I know that I am glad you know that too.
It is Awesome isn't:).

Cheers .
from Bill [Smile]

Posted by Ken Finch (Member # 2768) on February 01, 2015, 10:13 AM:

Hi, There is a shop in Sandwich, Kent where antique phongraphs and gramaphones are restored and can be purchased. They also sell the cylinders and 78s. I still have my collection of 78s which I started to purchase in 1946 at the age of 12. including a few very much earlier discs which used to belong to my parents. I was given and old wind up horn gramaphone to play with and a few very old records as a toddler but this was lost during the war. I can still play the 78s on a Garrard 8 disc autochanger, the model with the sloping spindle. Alternatively I have a Garrard SP3 deck which plays 78s,45s and L.Ps. Both have crystal pick ups and modern stylus. My early interest was probably influenced by my Dad who was an electrical and electronics engineer and built hes own radiogram and modified the one he later purchased.
I also had a friend who I did my National Service with who had quite a large collection of old cylinder players and horn gramaphones. and 2 huge cupboards full 78a and a number of cylinders. Unfortunately we lost touch with each other years ago. He also acquired a few aluminium disc recordings of BBC progammes, distributed to the Forces Broadcasting service while we were posted overseas!!!. With regard to needles, the thorn type caused least wear to the old acoustic machines, Copper ones for the earlier ealectrical pick ups. The worst were the hard "long lasting" steel ones particularly which the later 78s with there higher frequency range. Oh what nostalgia. Yo have really got me going now !!!! Ken Finch. [Razz]

Posted by Bill Shenette (Member # 4561) on February 04, 2015, 12:31 PM:

This is good Kent glad to hear it.
Sincerely Bill

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