Michael Parker's new pride and joy, his HMV wind-up gramophone looked magnificent (Letters, April 26).

I hope it is the real McCoy, as there are numerous reproduction models circulating at the moment.

Mr Parker was right to mention that these machines had no volume control to stifle the sound so the owners would insert a piece of material or clothing inside the horn.

Sometimes an article of gentlemen's footwear was used which transferred itself to the saying that is still used to this day regarding noisy issues: "Put a sock in it."

-Gerald Oxley, Selborne Road, Hove