Standard Talking Machine, Style X



This article is part of the ANTIQUE PHONOGRAPH, GRAMOPHONE AND TALKING MACHINE IDENTIFICATION GUIDES.
SEE ALSO: Our listings of outside horn talking machines for sale.


The Standard X was introduced around 1904 by the East Liverpool China Company of Chicago, later to become the Great Northern Manufacturing Company of Chicago. By the time of its introduction the front mount technology employed by the Standard X was becoming obsolete. Like its successor the Standard Talking Machine Style A, the X was a premium machine, i.e, a machine given away as a premium in order to stimulate business. All mechanical components were manufactured by Columbia. The X motor was simple and inexpensive, with an open mainspring rather than a mainspring enclosed in a spring barrel. The quarter inch spindle ensured a captive market for the special Standard records.

Standard Style X, front
Tone arm and support arm were made by Columbia. The reproducer is an unmarked Columbia long throat. The small black horn with truncated bell was shared with a disc Graphophone model. Larger image		 Standard Style X, rear
Rear view showing the plain dovetailed case. Larger image
Standard Style X, side
The crank was incapable of winding the motor as the machine played -- it would revolve as the mainspring ran down. Larger image