Victor HMV 101 Portable Gramophone Victrola Runs Nice Condition Late 20s to 30s

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Victor HMV Portable Gramophone Runs Nice Condition Item Description I have not come across one of these portable gramophones by HMV Victor in quite a while and certainly not in as nice as condition as this one is. Recently acquired it at an auction. Wow, check out the inside of the unit in the pics when opened. What nice wood finished pieces were put into this unit to give it such an elegant look. This was certainly not an entry level model back in its' day. From an eBayer that is more informed about this piece than I (different font); "It was made in the Hayes factory for the French market, nothing to do with RCA Victor, they never produced this type of portable.Its not a Victor No4 Sound Head it is a Gramophone Co No4 sound box. All made in the late 20s." The unit was quite innovative. The player arm and head swivel away and fold into a cavity in the case without having to be remove. An arm on the wheel is slides along a steel pin on the player arm, so that the gramophone is turned on and off automatically. Wind arm comes with the piece and neatly tucks away into the lid of the unit. When turned on the fast/slow speed control works as does the sound resonating from the player when the needle is put down on the record. Sure is not high fidelity, but it does put out sound! Hope to add an audio clip in the next few days. The unit has a Victor No. 4 sound box on the player arm. The outside of the case shows some wear and tear, but still in very good condition for its' age. Lots of old needles in the greater corner fold out tray built into the case. Very nice RCA Victor label inside the unit with the "His Master's Voice" being in French. So, unit may have been made in France, you be the judge as not clear in looking at the piece. Assuming this unit was made in the United States, but not certain. The metal plate under the record wheel has the information in English, French and German. A serial number is in the wood as well. Appears to be "7539L" and then a "V" with an "O" set inside of the V off to the right of the serial number. See the pic. The model number appears to be the number on the bottom of the metal plate, so "C101L". There is some metal clip in the back right of the case when opened that must have held something, but nothing there now. Case latch to hold up lid still works well. There was no mold or mildew on this unit. It certainly has a little musty smell that I think will go away with a good airing. Appears to have been a leather strap on the handle, but only the metal inside is still there. Based upon what I see below, this gramophone was probably made in the late 1920s to early 1930s. Check out this internet site for some gramophone models from 1930 that are very similar to the one being offered here - /hmv_gramophones.ws Notice how the serial number on this one is impressed into the wood inside the unit instead of being recorded on the metal label. That leads me to believe that this gramophone was made prior to 190, but you be the judge prior to acquiring. Three old 78 records come with the piece that have plenty of scratches and warping going on. The gramophone case is 11.5" across, by 16.5" long, by 5-5/8" wide. This unit has not had the mechanical motor cleaned or serviced. Being sold as is. Let us know if you have any questions or need additional pictures. Please check out our other Timeless Tokens store listings as we are regularly adding new items. We specialize in vintage artwork, collectibles, musical instruments, clocks/watches, and decorative boxes. Thanks for your business. (A13029). Payment Policy PayPal is the only form of payment accepted. PayPal allows you to pay via an accepted credit card or a transfer from your bank account. Immediate payment is required for items where the full listing price is paid. When a best offer price is accepted, the sooner payment is made, the sooner your item will be shipped. Once full payment is received, your item will be shipped on the same or next business day (dependi... read more

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