Antique PATHE FRERES Model 15 PATHEPHONE REFLEX Disk Crank Phonograph Gramophone

Description

Original Pathé Frères
MODEL 15 PATHEPHONE REFLEX DISK
PHONOGRAPH GRAMOPHONE.
For sale is a wind up phonograph is signed "Pathe Freres" which was licensed
for production in the USA in about 1915
by the French company
famous as a maker of movies and of movie camera equipment.
It uses a simple but clever design, not typically used on many of the old wind up phonographs. The metal horn is internal to the cabinet and by way of its shape concentrates and efficiently projects the sound out into the room. The Pathephone design has a reproducer that can pivot 90° to enable it to play both vertical cut and lateral cut records. Standard lateral cut records need steel needles like this phonograph has. To play vertical cut Pathe records, it would require a sapphire stylus with a ball tip (not included as part of this auction).
The
cabinet is made of what I believe to be walnut and is in very nice and solid original shape. There is a crack on the top surface that appears to have been professionally repaired many years ago (see photos).
The turntable
mechanism is complete, and the motor winds and runs strong after releasing the brake.  The reproducer and tone arm are in excellent condition for their age but the sound quality is scratchy and the reproducer likely should be rebuilt at some point.
The fabric "screen" covering the end of the horn and the record turntable platter cloth both appear to be original and are in good condition consistent with their age.
A tag was attached to this phonograph which described it as having been made in 1915 (see photo).
An old 78 rpm record is included with this piece of fine antique furniture.
The wood cabinet measures
approximately 17.5" wide X 14.5" long at the base excluding the wind up crank handle.  With crank handle the length increases to 17.5".  The wood cabinet height measures approximately 8" high and with the tone arm and reproducer measures 14" high.