I have been involved in the repair of gramphones for some years now and from time to time people bring me gramophones with shiny brass horns for repair.  They are usually very disappointed when I explain that these are reproductions primarily intended for display and cannot be made to work properly.

If you are wanting a reproduction, it is fine, but if you are wanting an original machine, beware of those with shiny brass horns.  In fact very few original gramphones were made with brass horns.  Some unscrupulous traders try to pass them off as originals.  BEWARE though as sometimes these horns are painted in other colours.

Brass horn Indian Repro gramophones sell for £50 - £60 in the catalogues!!  Do not pay more than this!!!

They are cobbled together in India and China using parts from old suitcase portables.  The bases come in all shapes and sizes - squares, octagonal, round etc and many bear a fake "His Master's Voice" or "Victor / Victorola" logo and the soundboxes are stamped "His Master's Voice Soundbox" etc, the unauthorised use of which I am informed that EMI is trying to stop.  I'm not even sure if any horn gramophones were ever made by HMV when that particular logo was in use.

NEW - Beware of Victor etc gramophones being sold from China.  (with £200 postage costs).  These are crappy reproductions.  It would appear that some people are gullible enough to have bought them!!

Sellers may say that they are exact reproductions but be assured they are not.