Gecophone horn speaker info. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Ken · 24th Oct 2005, 9:02 am

Hi All

My son-in law has a friend who has a Gecophone horn speaker which belonged to his Grandfather. I have only seen a photograph. It is housed in a polished wooden box which does not have a back. The "horn" looks to be made of a pressed card or paper. The only number he can find on it is BC1640. He would like to find out as much as he can about it including a value. I know nothing about such things and indeed have never seen one in the flesh. So its over to you gentlemen. Any information you can provide would be much appreciated.

Regards,

Ken.

Ken · 31st Oct 2005, 11:35 pm

Hi All

As I got no results from my first post based on a description of the Gecophone horn speaker I thought a few photos might help. As you might have seen from another post this is also a little test for me as the first time I tried this it did not work.

Regards,

Ken.

jay_oldstuff · 1st Nov 2005, 12:32 am

Hi there Ken

i've done a little digging round and all that i can find thats even simaler is the Gecophone BC 1642 modle B in (radio radio) the case looks identical anyway it was released in 1926 and cost £4.4s.0d. hope this helps

Jay

Ken · 1st Nov 2005, 10:41 am

Hi Jay

I'm glad there is some information about these things out there. I am guessing that the BC1640 might have come before the BC1642. It must have been an expensive item in the mid 20's at £4/4s. Don't suppose yuo know what its worth today?

Regards,

Ken.

jay_oldstuff · 1st Nov 2005, 3:46 pm

I have a coupple of speakers from around this time but nothing like this, i think value is realy what someone would be prepeard to pay for it or how much they wanted it, do you know weather it works? if i had to put a value on it and asuming it worked (please note this is only my opinion) i would guess around the £50 mark thats about what i payed for my 1925 brown horn loudspeaker
hope that helps

Jay

Ken · 1st Nov 2005, 4:59 pm

Hi Jay

I'am afraid I don't know if it works and I don't think the chap that owns it knows. Thanks for you estimate value. I would think £4/4s in the mid 20's was equivalent to a lot more than £50 today. Do you have a radio with which to use your horn speaker?

Thanks again,

Ken.

jay_oldstuff · 1st Nov 2005, 8:56 pm

Hi ken £50 was just what i (and it's only my opinion) thaught you may get for the speaker if you where to put it in auction, i agree £4.4s was a hell of alot of money in the mid 1920's. just as a comparison my grate grandad in 1925 baught a row of six terace houses 20 acres of grazing land and 2 acers of woodland for 200 quid (whish we still had it in the family now

) in reply to my speaker yes it is indeed used with my 1928 cossor mellody maker aparantely the first radio you could by as a compleate kit reddy to assamble. The speaker is a high impedance type driven directely off the output valve, no output TX in this one so its lovely uninsulated brass screw terminals are at HT potention lovely

Jay

Nickthedentist · 1st Nov 2005, 9:11 pm

Ken,

Search for "Gecophone" on eBay and then save it as a favourite search, asking the system to e-mail you when one's listed for sale. That way, you'll get a realistic picture of what people are willing to pay for one.

Vintage radio gear's current value rarely depends on the original purchase price. You can get a beautiful, upmarket 1950s radiogram that would have cost a small fortune for literally pence on eBay, yet some cheap and cheerful Bakelite radios go for hundreds.

Nick.

Ken · 3rd Nov 2005, 4:59 pm

Hi Jay

Based on your example of what could be bought in the mid 20s for £200 I am even more impressed with the origional cost of this speaker. Your mellody maker sounds nice. I sometimes wonder how common it was for people to get shocks from such set ups. I'll pass on your "Radio Radio" reference etc to my son-in-law.

Hi Nick

The ebay idea sounds a good one and I'll pass it on. I am affraid I am a bit warry of ebay and only really look at items via the forum. Do items like this turn up often?

Regards,

Ken.

Nickthedentist · 3rd Nov 2005, 11:26 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken

I am affraid I am a bit wary of ebay and only really look at items via the forum. Do items like this turn up often?

Don't be frightened of eBay, but do keep your wits about you. I've bought about 200 things from eBay over the last few years, and I've been more than satisfied with about 195 of these

.

And yes, all kinds of unusual vintage radio things turn up on it, the diversity and quantity never ceasing to amaze me.

Nick.

24th Oct 2005, 9:02 am	#1
Ken Hexode Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Near Glasgow, UK. Posts: 309	Gecophone horn speaker info. Hi All My son-in law has a friend who has a Gecophone horn speaker which belonged to his Grandfather. I have only seen a photograph. It is housed in a polished wooden box which does not have a back. The "horn" looks to be made of a pressed card or paper. The only number he can find on it is BC1640. He would like to find out as much as he can about it including a value. I know nothing about such things and indeed have never seen one in the flesh. So its over to you gentlemen. Any information you can provide would be much appreciated. Regards, Ken.

31st Oct 2005, 11:35 pm	#2
Ken Hexode Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Near Glasgow, UK. Posts: 309	Re: Gecophone horn speaker Hi All As I got no results from my first post based on a description of the Gecophone horn speaker I thought a few photos might help. As you might have seen from another post this is also a little test for me as the first time I tried this it did not work. Regards, Ken. Attached Thumbnails

1st Nov 2005, 12:32 am	#3
jay_oldstuff Octode Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Hyde, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 1,074	Re: Gecophone horn speaker Hi there Ken i've done a little digging round and all that i can find thats even simaler is the Gecophone BC 1642 modle B in (radio radio) the case looks identical anyway it was released in 1926 and cost £4.4s.0d. hope this helps Jay

1st Nov 2005, 10:41 am	#4
Ken Hexode Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Near Glasgow, UK. Posts: 309	Re: Gecophone horn speaker Hi Jay I'm glad there is some information about these things out there. I am guessing that the BC1640 might have come before the BC1642. It must have been an expensive item in the mid 20's at £4/4s. Don't suppose yuo know what its worth today? Regards, Ken.

1st Nov 2005, 3:46 pm	#5
jay_oldstuff Octode Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Hyde, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 1,074	Re: Gecophone horn speaker I have a coupple of speakers from around this time but nothing like this, i think value is realy what someone would be prepeard to pay for it or how much they wanted it, do you know weather it works? if i had to put a value on it and asuming it worked (please note this is only my opinion) i would guess around the £50 mark thats about what i payed for my 1925 brown horn loudspeaker hope that helps Jay

1st Nov 2005, 4:59 pm	#6
Ken Hexode Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Near Glasgow, UK. Posts: 309	Re: Gecophone horn speaker Hi Jay I'am afraid I don't know if it works and I don't think the chap that owns it knows. Thanks for you estimate value. I would think £4/4s in the mid 20's was equivalent to a lot more than £50 today. Do you have a radio with which to use your horn speaker? Thanks again, Ken.

1st Nov 2005, 8:56 pm	#7
jay_oldstuff Octode Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Hyde, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 1,074	Re: Gecophone horn speaker Hi ken £50 was just what i (and it's only my opinion) thaught you may get for the speaker if you where to put it in auction, i agree £4.4s was a hell of alot of money in the mid 1920's. just as a comparison my grate grandad in 1925 baught a row of six terace houses 20 acres of grazing land and 2 acers of woodland for 200 quid (whish we still had it in the family now) in reply to my speaker yes it is indeed used with my 1928 cossor mellody maker aparantely the first radio you could by as a compleate kit reddy to assamble. The speaker is a high impedance type driven directely off the output valve, no output TX in this one so its lovely uninsulated brass screw terminals are at HT potention lovely Jay

1st Nov 2005, 9:11 pm	#8
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 17,863	Re: Gecophone horn speaker Ken, Search for "Gecophone" on eBay and then save it as a favourite search, asking the system to e-mail you when one's listed for sale. That way, you'll get a realistic picture of what people are willing to pay for one. Vintage radio gear's current value rarely depends on the original purchase price. You can get a beautiful, upmarket 1950s radiogram that would have cost a small fortune for literally pence on eBay, yet some cheap and cheerful Bakelite radios go for hundreds. Nick.

3rd Nov 2005, 4:59 pm	#9
Ken Hexode Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Near Glasgow, UK. Posts: 309	Re: Gecophone horn speaker Hi Jay Based on your example of what could be bought in the mid 20s for £200 I am even more impressed with the origional cost of this speaker. Your mellody maker sounds nice. I sometimes wonder how common it was for people to get shocks from such set ups. I'll pass on your "Radio Radio" reference etc to my son-in-law. Hi Nick The ebay idea sounds a good one and I'll pass it on. I am affraid I am a bit warry of ebay and only really look at items via the forum. Do items like this turn up often? Regards, Ken.