His Master's Voice "La voz de su Amo" Spanish MONARCH n°9 - 1911 Gramophone

I discovered this gorgeous gramophone in year 2000 during a short trip in Madrid, it was in one of the "Rastro" shops partially hidden and full of dust in a dark corner, and I paid it after the usual endless negotiation, with missing horn, something less as 20.000 Pesetas, that is around 120 Euros.

Of course I had to partially restore it, but excepted for the horn it was complete and original in all the details. I had to put it in my personal baggage as I was in Madrid by fly. Probably the bag was not handled gently, because when I arrived home and I opened my bag I found it completely disassembled!

I found later in England an original contemporary HMV horn. This is the standard normal black HMV horn usually found on Gramophone & Co. contemporary machines, so it is basically correct even if probably the original horn was a special spanish version, usually red painted and with different petals.

As can be seen in an original Spanish Catalogue of 1911, it is a Monarch N.9, with 10" turnplate and double spring spiral double cut motor. This is the spanish version with different case of the well known Monarch "Clockshell".

The spanish HMV branch, "Compania Francesa del Gramophone", later called "La Voz de su Amo" (His Master's Voice), is well known for having issued special cases, differents from all the rest of Europe, following the taste, the artisan skill and the artistry of spanish furniture beginning of 20th century.

This gramophone is 102 years old but is still very reliable and works perfectly (even if this type of worm gears motors are usually rather noisy)....

Is one of the gramos in my collection I love the most!

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