The OG portable deck?

LokoOne

Got sent this press release. Any Melbourne heads with some extra cash might want to bid on this....."???PICTURE PERFECT??? PORTABLE GRAMOPHONEBefore the Japanese revolution in electronics, it was the Swiss that dominated the market with their precision and attention to detail. They also had a sense of humour judging by the ???Excelda??? Soundbox gramophone, a portable device shaped like a popular Kodak camera. The public clearly got the joke as it was a best seller in the 1930s.It was referred to as the Cameraphone Gramophone, which would no doubt perplex the iPod generation. Its maker was Hermann Thorens whose musical movements and music boxes were renowned. The Excelda resembled a folding pocket-type camera and came in a choice of colours, all with metal crackle-finish.Because of its size, the operation needed a highly-engineered cylinder movement that only the Swiss had perfected. It had a very small 'turntable' that required the record to be screwed into place to prevent wobble. The instructions even suggested that a second record be placed under the first to help regulate the speed. A rare example in excellent condition (photograph attached).Lot 2253 will be offered for sale by Leski Auctions in Melbourne on Wednesday, June 3rd at 5.00pm. It has a presale estimate of $300 ??? $400.???The ???Excelda??? gramophone was a talking point in the 1930s and remains so nearly 80 years later,??? says Charles Leski. ???It was the early pioneers who combined technical proficiency with great artistry that provided the template for developments like the iPod and the digital camera. We may think of their work as quaint, but it was revolutionary in its day.??? By lokoone at 2009-05-25