The Pye Black Box with Oriental-style decoration is one of the more distinctive and collectible British record players of the 1950s. Its glossy black lacquer cabinet, decorated with gold-painted East Asian scenes, makes it as much a piece of decorative furniture as an early hi-fi system. Although sometimes described as Japanese-style, its decoration is more accurately called Chinoiserie, a European interpretation of traditional Chinese art.
The Black Box was made by Pye of Cambridge, England. The original range appeared in 1954 and was one of the earliest attempts to bring high-quality record reproduction into the ordinary home.
The black lacquer version was the luxury model. Most Black Boxes were made with conventional polished wooden cabinets, while the black-and-gold version was considerably more expensive.
- The cabinet: Black lacquer with raised or painted gold decoration depicting pagodas, trees, figures and traditional landscapes.
- The sound: A built-in valve amplifier delivering a rich, full-bodied sound typical of early domestic hi-fi.
- The speakers: Built into the sides of the cabinet, designed to take advantage of sound reflected from room walls.
- The record deck: Early examples used Collaro single-play decks or BSR automatic record changers.
- The controls: Simple volume and tone adjustments, intended for straightforward domestic use.
The original models were mono rather than stereo, despite having speakers on both sides.
The service manual for this record player is available in the Members’ Area.
