Cassette recorder from Grandad's shed!

[milkyc2020]

Hi all, sorry for my lack of knowledge of if this is posted in the incorrect forum.

But can anyone shed some light on the attached and if it has any value.

I have not tested it yet.

Thanks

Dave

Elizabethan Cassette Recorder LZ216

[Edward Huggins]

This is probably of Far East manufacture with the Elizabethan badge on it. They were better known for their record players and reel-to-reel tape recorder products. This looks to be from the mid-1970s. I regret it will have little value, even if it does work.

[cmjones01]

I had one exactly the same which an uncle had thrown away. It was badged 'Philco Ford' rather than 'Elizabethan' and didn't work very well. The little red light would come on during recording if you shouted into the microphone, which was entertaining at the time.

It's probably worth a few pounds to an avid collector, if you can find one, but no more than that.

Chris

[bluepilot]

I used to have one of those. I agree, mid-1970s. I can't remember who used the Elizabethan trade mark. It might have been Woolworths. Mine regularly mangled tapes. Not likely to be worth much, sorry.

[llama]

Might work best as a data machine for e.g. Sinclair Spectrum users rather than a music recorder.
Graham

[Grubhead]

Yes they were made by Woolworth's. People used them for recording bird song or for talking into them. They would also playback an audio cassette in mono of course. The case was so you could carry it around and record outdoors using the batteries. These days people use the very small digital recorders you can get.

[jay_oldstuff]

Not worth much but as somone has allready said it would make a period correct ish tape player for use with somthing like a ZX spectrum. infact back in the 80's my mate had a very simaler player connected up to his 48k spectrum.

[dazzlevision]

By the time this recorder was made (1970s), the Elizabethan brand was owned/used by John E Dallas Ltd (radio, TV and audio wholesalers), Dallas Building, Clifton Street, London, EC2.

They imported Hitachi products, badged “Elizabethan” for sale in the UK. Your unit is probably made by Hitachi.

I haven't seen any Elizabethan products made in more recent times, but others may know better.

F W Woolworth (in the UK) used Winfield and (possibly) Vesta as their brand names, but again, they may have used others.

[usradcoll1]

Originally Posted by milkyc2020

But can anyone shed some light on the attached and if it has any value.

The number moulded in the case near the dataplate is 703?
Pretty sure, that number refers to Sanyo. I've seen that number on US RCA and Magnavox import products.
The Woolworth brand name for small electronics in the US was "Audition".
Is Woolworths still in existance in Britain? It's been gone here for ages.

[dazzlevision]

Originally Posted by usradcoll1

Is Woolworths still in existance in Britain? It's been gone here for ages.

I'm afraid not, the UK business of Woolworths was sold by the US parent company in the 1980s. The UK company that bought Woolworths UK was Paternoster Stores Ltd, the forerunner of Kingfisher plc. In 2001, Woolworths Group plc was formed by the demerger of the Woolworths stores business, but not the buildings, from Kingfisher plc. It ceased trading in 2008.

[jay_oldstuff]

Is Woolworths still in existance in Britain? It's been gone here for ages.

No it went under about 10 years ago now.

[paulsherwin]

The UK Woolworths operation went bust in 2009. It left a lot of holes in British high streets, especially in small and medium sized towns. A retailer of the same name continues in Australia.

I don't think Elizabethan was ever a Woolworths house brand, but they may have sold Elizabethan products at one stage. I'd be surprised if that cassette player was Hitachi or Sanyo - it looks too downmarket for that, and I'd assume it was a Hong Kong job judging from its appearance. The Japanese big boys did produce a lot of contract OEM cassette players in the 70s though, so I could well be wrong.

[bluepilot]

Elizabethan sold the cassettes as well. Manufactured by 3M

[camtechman]

milkyc2020

There are a few Elizabethan 'nuts' out there and I include myself in that prestigious fraternity and if left untouched and advertised honestly on Ebay as "for parts/spares" you may attract the avid Elizabethan collectors to bid for it.

If you're very lucky you may get about £10 for the cassette recorder but, on top of that
the P&P to send it, say by RM medium parcel service is going to cost an additional £5.

[camtechman]

Grub Head

Yes they were made by Woolworth's.

Sorry to correct you but Woolworth's never "made" anything, Other companies made goods for them.

[stevehertz]

I was given a similar, virtually unused cassette player by my parents a few years ago. When I looked at the auction site to see what it was worth (i didn't want it myself), it wasn't even worth trying to sell it frankly, there were so many unsold ones there. A fiver at the most in my opinion, and then you'd have to find that person who wanted to give you a fiver for it, and send it to them. Sadly, that's the score, it's one of those mass produced items that is neither sought after (as in collectable) nor particularly useful or good in any way (= very limited market).