EMERSON A51 four-speed record player with BSR auto-changer, circa 1959
As far as I can make out, this is an American design, as Emerson appears to be a well-known name in the USA. It may have been imported as a finished product or may, because of import duties, etc. been assembled in the UK. It is a two-valve (two-tube) design with a large elliptical speaker.
The Emerson is fitted with a BSR UA8 autochanger, and I believe this to be the case for all markets. These turntables, which could play a stack of records of different sizes but not different speeds in one stack, automatically compensated for the size of the record and always put the stylus down in the appropriate place. Of course, this being the cusp of the 78rpm/vinyl changeover, a flip-over stylus was provided. The BSR autochangers were bullet-proof and could work for decades with minimal trouble. Just be sure to change the stylus at reasonable intervals...Here goes the 'Warsaw Concerto' !
The Emerson performs creditably well, although the inscription 'Hi Fidelity' in rather nice Fifties-style cursive script, is something of a misnomer.
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@Havesomefun2 I wish! I was interested in hi-fi as a teenager. Built some of my own gear and the Garrard factory was in the middle of my home town. And of course what I can't remember is just a few key strokes away at Wikipedia.
@ninalanyon I have here a Garrard SP25 Mk. II, which I use for playing 78rpm shellac discs. It is left over from a 'Klinger' audio system which expired. I built a new plinth for it, using the original cover. It performs well enough except for one thing; the idler wheel design means you get a bit of rumble...
@uncalled4 They (ceramic cartridges) were quite common - the name that came up over and over again was Sonotone. Of course you could fit different cartridges. This one has a Shure magnetic cartridge and of course the 78rpm stylus.
