"Phonospace" or "How Do You Display Your Collection?"

[Valecnik]

Well here are a few of my toys.  t

Edited April 10, 2021 by Valecnik

[melvind]

Bruce, wow! I've seen your US phonographs in person and it kind of blew me away. But seeing both the US and European phonographs is a real treat. Some mouth watering stuff my friend!

[Fran604g]

Very nice collection, Bruce. Amberola IV! We just don't see those very often. Thanks for sharing your photos with us.

 

Cheers,

Fran

[Bruce]

Wow, some very nice collections out there.  I am a little reluctant to share mine in comparison to these collections but here goes.

The single phonographs are the ones which my wife has allowed to share our living space with and the rest are in the basement, which is fine with me because that is where my workshop is and I spend a lot of my time.

 

Bruce

[Fran604g]

Very nice collection, Bruce!

 

Fran

[melvind]

Bruce, that is a really nice collection well shown. I love all the different ways people find to show their collections. Yours is outstanding.

[Martin_P]

Thought I would maybe reply to this thread after the fact and hopefully revive it a bit. Here is a peak at my collection 

[phonogfp]

Very nice!

 

Why not show some closeups?  I'd like to see that late Edison Standard.

 

George P.

[Martin_P]

On 5/6/2023 at 1:23 PM, phonogfp said:

Very nice!

 

Why not show some closeups?  I'd like to see that late Edison Standard.

 

George P.

Sure. Here are some solo shots of my favorites. I restored the standard E a few years ago 

[Lamaziere]

39 minutes ago, Martin_P said:

Sure. Here are some solo shots of my favorites. I restored the standard E a few years ago 

 

 

Very nice, early European machines, including a Lamaziere No. 2, a Bonne Presse "Box of Secrets" and Phenix No. 1.  The Sylvia is unreal.

[Lamaziere]

Just to clarify.  The Sylvia is a unique machine you don't see very often.  Appears complete and in wonderful condition.  Unreal is a compliment.

[Lee]

Unbelievable treasures! I enjoyed the photos greatly, very impressive. It is interesting to see how people display their collections. I have one medium sized room and it is packed already. I would love to have an entire upstairs area to thrash around in. Maybe an area for display and another as a workshop site. 😁

[Martin_P]

4 hours ago, Lamaziere said:

Just to clarify.  The Sylvia is a unique machine you don't see very often.  Appears complete and in wonderful condition.  Unreal is a compliment.

Thank you! There is actually even more to it 

[xian]

On 2/1/2021 at 6:39 PM, phonogfp said:

Eleven years ago today (Feb. 1, 2010), I posted something like this on another forum, inviting others to share pictures of their "phonospaces."  There was a lot of participation (as of today, that old thread is 33 pages long!) showing many ways of living with our hobby. 

 

Back in 2004/early 2005, we converted the attic of our 1893 Victorian into a 3rd floor where I could finally display my collection the way I'd always wanted.  Central air, extra duct work, lots of insulation, roof venting, and a 12,000 BTU window air conditioner keeps everything the right temperature and proper humidity.  But the fun part is all that space.  I realize I'm very fortunate, since I collected seriously for 38 years before I had this room - which I affectionately call the "belfry."  (Phonograph horns have bells - - get it?)

 

There are only 4 antique phonographs in our downstairs living space these days, so my wife Barbie is almost as happy with the belfry as I am.

 

Anyone familiar with the thread I posted 11 years ago may recognize a number of phonographs - and some are still sitting in exactly the same places!  However, I'm surprised with the many changes over the past 11 years; a time (retirement) when I expected my collecting to slow down.  Not yet, I guess...

 

I hope others will post photos of their phonospaces as well.  There's no such thing as "not good enough" or "not nice enough" or "not big enough."  None of us started out with large collections, and many of us will dispose of our collections as we enter into "Old Age" (whatever that may be).  Many of us will finish the way we started.  Our collections are merely reflections of our interests at the moment, and the current limitations imposed on us by ourselves or outside forces.  Collections are fluid, and represent only a snapshot of the present.  Please share pictures of your phonospace - no matter how unremarkable you think it may be.  I'll bet there's not another exactly like it anywhere else.

 

Here's a quick tour of the belfry and my collection...

 

George P.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you have a preference for brass horns? I noticed a lot of your horns are brass Lol. For me, the 24b is my favorite. 

[phonogfp]

I never really thought about having a preference for brass horns, but I certainly like them.  I'm also an admirer of nice morning glory horns.  (But there's a brass morning glory hanging from the ceiling, so you may be right...)

 

George P.

 

 

[xian]

31 minutes ago, phonogfp said:

I never really thought about having a preference for brass horns, but I certainly like them.  I'm also an admirer of nice morning glory horns.  (But there's a brass morning glory hanging from the ceiling, so you may be right...)

 

George P.

 

 

They are stunning! I wish they produced more of those painted morning glory horns for disc machines. 

[phonogfp]

Thank you - it's rare to find nice aftermarket flower horns for discs machines...but the Victor 24B is certainly a consolation!

 

George P.

[Tinfoilphono]

I got this Victor morning glory horn for Christmas in 1962. My father paid $1 for it at an antique shop near his work. Those were the days!

 

(Edit to clarify: the horn cost $1 separately. I already had the Victor III, for which I paid $8 several months earlier. That $9 total equals about $90 today, so still a bargain.)

 

 

Edited May 13, 2023 by Tinfoilphono

[xian]

4 hours ago, Tinfoilphono said:

I got this Victor morning glory horn for Christmas in 1962. My father paid $1 for it at an antique shop near his work. Those were the days!

 

(Edit to clarify: the horn cost $1 separately. I already had the Victor III, for which I paid $8 several months earlier. That $9 total equals about $90 today, so still a bargain.)

 

 

The picture of your phonograph was actually featured in a youtube video. It appeared at 7:25. I didn't expect to "meet" the owner here lol. I love how they painted your horn like the real morning glory flower. I only have one machine so far. It's a Victor V with an aftermarket nickel horn. But I will receive two more machines soon. 

 

[Tinfoilphono]

Isn't that interesting. She obviously took the picture from my website.

[Cranks-n-Horns417]

My modest budget defines my modest "collection". My one bedroom apartment can hold no more.

 

Edited May 17, 2023 by Cranks-n-Horns417

[phonogfp]

Bigger isn’t necessarily better, and rarity doesn’t always bring greater satisfaction.  I vividly remember the thrill of listening to Paul Whiteman records on a Victrola XI when I was 14.  I already had an Edison Standard Model B, but the music on those 2-minute cylinders didn’t get my toes tapping like those Whiteman records.  Back then (1968), the value of that VV-XI and records was about $15, but I had paid $75 for the Edison with 8 cylinders.  It was an early lesson for me that I was better served collecting what I liked - for whatever reason.

 

I seldom play old records these days, so the direction of my collecting has changed from when I was a teenager.  My main interest is in the history of the early sound recording industry, so I like machines that tell part of that history.  That story is unfortunately lost on those who aren’t interested or knowledgeable of the history, but it’s what I like.  Advanced collectors are, I think, sometimes curious as to why I no longer have a Victor VI, a Victrola XVIII, or an Edison Opera in my collection.  Most collectors consider these to be “must have” machines if one is a serious collector.  I like those machines, but there are others I like more - regardless of their market value or appeal to other collectors.  
 

You have a nice collection of machines that made a solid impact on the development of the sound recording industry - and even a late Columbia that isn’t often seen here in the States.  No need to apologize!  Collect for YOU and you’ll never be sorry.

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

George P.

[xian]

My two machines so far and I will need a larger apartment...

 

Edited May 18, 2023 by xian

[phonogfp]

Nice choice of horns on those Victors!

 

George P.

[xian]

I have a question about the brass that Victor used for their horns. Did they use lower quality brass compared to other manufacturers? I compared the two brass horns that I have, and the nickel plated brass horn is a lot more robust compared to the 24B.