Collaro Automatic Record Player 1934 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Ian B · 5th Jun 2009, 8:22 pm

I recently saved this nicely made (empty) cabinet from being broken up for the plywood! The logo on the back identifies it as having been made by the City Accumulator Company who supplied cabinets and parts kits for several Wireless World designs in the early 1930s, as well as making complete sets of their own design.

Apparently it had been fitted with a deck and amp of much later manufacture (which have been saved), the cabinet was not wanted (except by me!).

The slot aperture in the front rang a vague bell, and I soon found an advert in the back of Wireless World for January 12th 1934 for the Collaro Automatic Record Player. So CAC must have produced cabinets to take a Collaro mechanism, and perhaps a Wireless World design of amplifier ?

The obvious question is has anyone got a player, ever used one, got a picture of of one, or bits of one?
What's the door in the side for? does it hide controls, or is it to remove broken bits of record easily? The control knob on the side of mine is a rotary on-off switch by the way.

Ian Blackbourn

Nickthedentist · 5th Jun 2009, 8:37 pm

A very stylish cabinet indeed! Worth saving, even if you end up installing something completely unoriginal inside.

Well done.

Nick.

Ian B · 5th Jun 2009, 8:42 pm

Nick,
I confess I have toyed with the idea of a CD player positioned so that it could be loaded via the record slot in the front! But I don't think that would really do it justice. It would be nice to find an original Collaro deck, but I'm not holding my breath!

Ian

record-changer · 11th Jul 2009, 4:27 am

Here is a photo of a Collaro RC-1

Ian B · 16th Jul 2009, 8:23 pm

Well, thanks to the old pals network I now have the correct Collaro player!!
The pickup arm is missing, but I expect one will turn up.

When the record is pushed through the slot, the 2 small rollers (1 on each side) senses the size of the record so that the pickup will come down in the right place. The large arm on the left has a peg in the end which grabs the record by the centre hole, moves it over the turntable, and the peg then locates in the hollow centre spindle of the turntable.

When the recrd has finished (or if you press the white "reject" button) the peg or I should call it plunger, withdraws from the turntable spindle and moves the record off and through the "letterbox" slot.

The door on the side of the cabinet is to allow the needle to be changed. Since there was no need to have access to the top of the mechanism, the cabinet did not need to have a lid (although mine has, I have found details of some which did not).

The player I now have was very kindly donated by another collector who had owned it for about 20 years. It was housed in a cabinet (also made by CAC) which had record storage where mine has a speaker. Made to be plugged in to the gram sockets of a radio, which could be stood on top. This cabinet was scrapped as it was too far gone (just as well, what would I do with 2 of them?).

I have also obtained a suitable 1930s amplifier which will sit nicely in the bottom of the cabinet. Work will start when I have completed a couple of unfinished projects....... I hope!

Wish me luck,

Ian

5th Jun 2009, 8:22 pm	#1
Ian B Hexode Join Date: May 2006 Location: Arlesey, Bedfordshire, UK. Posts: 401	Collaro Automatic Record Player 1934 I recently saved this nicely made (empty) cabinet from being broken up for the plywood! The logo on the back identifies it as having been made by the City Accumulator Company who supplied cabinets and parts kits for several Wireless World designs in the early 1930s, as well as making complete sets of their own design. Apparently it had been fitted with a deck and amp of much later manufacture (which have been saved), the cabinet was not wanted (except by me!). The slot aperture in the front rang a vague bell, and I soon found an advert in the back of Wireless World for January 12th 1934 for the Collaro Automatic Record Player. So CAC must have produced cabinets to take a Collaro mechanism, and perhaps a Wireless World design of amplifier ? The obvious question is has anyone got a player, ever used one, got a picture of of one, or bits of one? What's the door in the side for? does it hide controls, or is it to remove broken bits of record easily? The control knob on the side of mine is a rotary on-off switch by the way. Ian Blackbourn Attached Thumbnails

5th Jun 2009, 8:37 pm	#2
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 17,866	Re: Collaro Automatic Record Player 1934 A very stylish cabinet indeed! Worth saving, even if you end up installing something completely unoriginal inside. Well done. Nick.

5th Jun 2009, 8:42 pm	#3
Ian B Hexode Join Date: May 2006 Location: Arlesey, Bedfordshire, UK. Posts: 401	Re: Collaro Automatic Record Player 1934 Nick, I confess I have toyed with the idea of a CD player positioned so that it could be loaded via the record slot in the front! But I don't think that would really do it justice. It would be nice to find an original Collaro deck, but I'm not holding my breath! Ian

11th Jul 2009, 4:27 am	#4
record-changer Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Bloomington, Indiana, USA. Posts: 5	Re: Collaro Automatic Record Player 1934 Here is a photo of a Collaro RC-1 Attached Thumbnails

16th Jul 2009, 8:23 pm	#5
Ian B Hexode Join Date: May 2006 Location: Arlesey, Bedfordshire, UK. Posts: 401	Re: Collaro Automatic Record Player 1934 Well, thanks to the old pals network I now have the correct Collaro player!! The pickup arm is missing, but I expect one will turn up. When the record is pushed through the slot, the 2 small rollers (1 on each side) senses the size of the record so that the pickup will come down in the right place. The large arm on the left has a peg in the end which grabs the record by the centre hole, moves it over the turntable, and the peg then locates in the hollow centre spindle of the turntable. When the recrd has finished (or if you press the white "reject" button) the peg or I should call it plunger, withdraws from the turntable spindle and moves the record off and through the "letterbox" slot. The door on the side of the cabinet is to allow the needle to be changed. Since there was no need to have access to the top of the mechanism, the cabinet did not need to have a lid (although mine has, I have found details of some which did not). The player I now have was very kindly donated by another collector who had owned it for about 20 years. It was housed in a cabinet (also made by CAC) which had record storage where mine has a speaker. Made to be plugged in to the gram sockets of a radio, which could be stood on top. This cabinet was scrapped as it was too far gone (just as well, what would I do with 2 of them?). I have also obtained a suitable 1930s amplifier which will sit nicely in the bottom of the cabinet. Work will start when I have completed a couple of unfinished projects....... I hope! Wish me luck, Ian Attached Thumbnails