Rectorphone

[Oceanlinerfanatic191]

What is the sound quality for a Rectorphone? Does anyone know when these were made? Any pictures of the reproducer and governor would also be appreciated. 

[Tinfoilphono]

Is this the machine you mean? These were patented in August 1905, and were most likely marketed sometime around then and perhaps into 1906. There are two different styles of mandrel known, but the reason for that is a mystery.

 

The sound quality is mediocre at best, but then again I have not bothered to try rebuilding the reproducer. This is definitely more of a shelf-queen than an everyday machine.

 

I'll be happy to take more detailed pictures for you if this is indeed what you're thinking of. 

[Oceanlinerfanatic191]

Yes! That is the machine I was talking about. I believe the mandrel was designed that way because of Editions patent. I do not know much about it so take what I say with a grain of salt.  The simplicity of the machine is very intriguing to me. May I see more pictures of the reproducer or perhaps even here it play? Thank you

[Tinfoilphono]

I have no doubt that you are right about an attempt to avoid Edison patents. I suspect they went out of business before Edison could even get around to litigating. I doubt Rector's ploy would have worked -- Amet's 'notched' mandrel on the Echophone certainly didn't.

 

Here are a few pictures of the reproducer and governor.

 

Do you have one you're looking to restore?

 

 

[Oceanlinerfanatic191]

Thank you for the pictures. Yes, my friend says his Grandpa has one and showed me pictures of it. He says that I can have it the next time he visits his Grandpas house. The reason why I asked for pictures was because the reproducer and governor are missing so I needed some pics for reference. 

[Dan]

9 hours ago, Oceanlinerfanatic191 said:

Thank you for the pictures. Yes, my friend says his Grandpa has one and showed me pictures of it. He says that I can have it the next time he visits his Grandpas house. The reason why I asked for pictures was because the reproducer and governor are missing so I needed some pics for reference. 

That’s an interesting machine Travis, good luck with the restore . Show some pictures when done. How’s that Q working out? 
Dan

[Oceanlinerfanatic191]

3 hours ago, Dan said:

That’s an interesting machine Travis, good luck with the restore . Show some pictures when done. How’s that Q working out? 
Dan

Hi Dan. Thanks for the kind words. The Q is working great. I have bought some 2 minute cylinders and I have both a reproducer and a recorder on the way. I took apart the Q and reassembled it quite a bit. When my parts come I will try to record on it and post it here. Again Dan, Thank you for this great machine.

Travis

[Jerry]

On 4/8/2024 at 10:41 PM, Oceanlinerfanatic191 said:

Thank you for the pictures. Yes, my friend says his Grandpa has one and showed me pictures of it. He says that I can have it the next time he visits his Grandpas house. The reason why I asked for pictures was because the reproducer and governor are missing so I needed some pics for reference. 

 

Is your friend's grandpa a phonograph collector? I only ask because a Rectorphone is a fairly unknown machine, even to a lot of seasoned collectors, and I've never seen one with a nameplate. For anyone to recognize it by name is a pretty neat thing. Hope you get it and show some pictures!

[Oceanlinerfanatic191]

1 hour ago, Jerry said:

 

Is your friend's grandpa a phonograph collector? I only ask because a Rectorphone is a fairly unknown machine, even to a lot of seasoned collectors, and I've never seen one with a nameplate. For anyone to recognize it by name is a pretty neat thing. Hope you get it and show some pictures!

From what I heard, He is not a collector. I believe he bought it at an antique store when he was young. 

[Jerry]

Here are some views of mine...

 

 

[Oceanlinerfanatic191]

4 hours ago, Jerry said:

Here are some views of mine...

 

 

Those pictures are great Jerry. Hopefully I get mine soon:)

[Tinfoilphono]

Thanks for those great pictures. I love the striping on the horn. Any chance that is original? These are obviously super-fragile. I'm also glad to see that it's the third to turn up with a cut-out mandrel rather than the version seen in original ads and a few surviving machines, with loops of metal forming a very strange mandrel.

 

It's also interesting that yours has a ridge on top of the reproducer tube, and the governor balls are totally flat rather than slightly curved as on mine. That's a lot of little variations in what must have been a tiny production run.

 

 

Edited April 14, 2024 by Tinfoilphono

[Lee]

Very interesting! Have never seen one.

[Jerry]

18 hours ago, Tinfoilphono said:

Thanks for those great pictures. I love the striping on the horn. Any chance that is original? These are obviously super-fragile. I'm also glad to see that it's the third to turn up with a cut-out mandrel rather than the version seen in original ads and a few surviving machines, with loops of metal forming a very strange mandrel.

 

It's also interesting that yours has a ridge on top of the reproducer tube, and the governor balls are totally flat rather than slightly curved as on mine. That's a lot of little variations in what must have been a tiny production run.

 

 

Thanks for the comment on the horn. It's not the original, unfortunately. 

 

The ridge on the reproducer tube is actually a crimped joint. The tube is made from two pieces, a right & a left half, joined togther with a crimped seam. 

[Tinfoilphono]

Aside from the very different construction of the reproducer tube, I just noticed that your governor springs are screwed to the governor. On mine they pass through a slot at each end and are riveted. Again, it's bizarre that there are so many variations in a machine this obscure.

 

Perhaps there really were a lot of them made and sold (or given away as premiums), but only a tiny percentage of them survive. Machines that represented a significant cost for the original owners were probably more likely to be kept even after they became obsolete. Cheap premiums weren't  preserved. Just a thought.

[Jerry]

18 hours ago, Tinfoilphono said:

Aside from the very different construction of the reproducer tube, I just noticed that your governor springs are screwed to the governor. On mine they pass through a slot at each end and are riveted. Again, it's bizarre that there are so many variations in a machine this obscure.

 

Perhaps there really were a lot of them made and sold (or given away as premiums), but only a tiny percentage of them survive. Machines that represented a significant cost for the original owners were probably more likely to be kept even after they became obsolete. Cheap premiums weren't  preserved. Just a thought.

It may be that Mr. Rector did not directly manufacture these machines, but instead contracted the work out to various parts suppliers, while all the time looking for cheaper bids for manufacturing the various different bits. For instance, if some vendor could supply a governor 5 cents cheaper, then that's what was used. Certainly, at $3.50 each, even in those days, you had to watch every penny that went into these.

 

I really hope that "Oceanlinerfanatic" can get the one offered to him. Anxious to see another example!

[phonogfp]

Well, the only Rectorphones shown so far in this thread are the more uncommon (in my experience) versions, with a more refined mandrel and substantial dark wooden base.  Here's the first (I believe) version with a flimsier light wood base (I've seen several of these noticeably warped) and the "eggbeater" mandrel...

 

George P.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For those who haven't seen the U.S. patent, it's interesting to see that Rector's original intent was to have his talking machine powered by an existing sewing machine treadle commonly found in homes of the time.  Evidently, common sense prevailed, and a simple mainspring and gear were added.

 

 

 

[Jerry]

The patent also shows a gear driven mandrel!

 

George,

 

I believe yours is the first I've seen with a patent date. To further muddy the waters, your example has some similarities to my machine and some similarities to Rene's, and of course some details all its own.. This has become a really fun thread! 

[Tinfoilphono]

This is indeed interesting. There's more to this story than I ever imagined. I only knew about the two different mandrel designs.

 

Here's another example, which appeared on eBay in 2018, selling for $530. It was incomplete, missing the reproducer support rod and the horn ferrule. Yet another with the (presumed) later mandrel style.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 16, 2024 by Tinfoilphono
Edit to tweak photos.

[Oceanlinerfanatic191]

Update. I asked my friend about the machine today and he told me some rather sad news. A pipe burst in his grandpas basement damaging most of his belongings. He threw it away along with the cylinders. I dont know if its just me but I am having some pretty bad luck these past few months with phonographs. 

[MisterJive47]

Well that's painful to hear.

[Dan]

Ughh sorry to hear that .

[BenL]

That is sad to hear... Time to make a trip to the dump!