Hawthorne and Sheble Star Talking Machines

Although Hawthorne and Sheble was perhaps the fourth largest player in the phonograph industry, it marketed very few talking machines under its own name. Most of its production consisted of accessories such as aftermarket horns and cabinets, or machines masquerading as independent offerings such as the disc Busy Bee.

The Star, Hawthorne and Sheble's house brand, is surprisingly scarce. To evade the Victor needle-in-the-groove patents, a coil spring assembly was inserted inside the tone arm of rear mount machines.

Hawthorne and Sheble Star, around 1908.
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Details of the on/off mechanism and the motorboard.
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Side view
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Hawthorne and Sheble bracket and tone arm, the so-called 'yielding pressure arm.'
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Star Model 18. The model designations referred to the price in dollars. Catalogue illustrations courtesy Allen Koenigsberg.
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Star Model 22
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Star Model 35.
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This model, marked Star No.5, appears to be identical to the Star No. 18 in the catalogue. The support arm, and horn with attached bracket, appear as if they would swap with a Hawthorne and Sheble Busy Bee machine.

A familiar Busy Bee type motor appears in the Star No.5.

This Star Model 40 appears to be the Star 35, perhaps increased $5 in price.

The motor fitted to the Star 40.

Star 60.

This substantial quadruple spring motor gave the Star 60 some heft.

The star of the Star.

Lynn Bilton
Box 435
Randolph,OH 44265
330 325-7866

We buy, sell, and repair antique phonographs and music boxes.

Pick-up and delivery possible in many parts of the midwest, south, and northeast.