Edison Idelia 2/4 Min Phonograph - UP FOR AUCTION! Mar 18

[rgordon939]

This is as not an eBay problem. This was a live auction at the Donley Auction House in Union Illinois. It was also hosted by Aictionzip for live bidding as well as eBay. This was not an eBay auction.

Rich Gordon

[Uncle Vanya]

I found that the auction worked well.

By the way, that Idelia did have an original, old Sheip and Vendegrift Music Master horn finished in spruce inside and with an original mahoganized finish on the outside.

It is an old and original horn though it is probably not now in its original configuration, and may well pre-date the cygnet horn design itself. Before S&V was making horns for Edison they made some horns for Victor and Columbia disc talking machines and some very few horns for cylinder machines. These horns shared the same bell and profile as used on the later Edison horns, but extended back to a small outlet which would fit either a fitting for a Columbia screwed end, a Victor bayonet end or (rarest) a fitting which looked like a nickled Victor fitting with an additional bit and a nipple to fit a piece of rubber reproducer hose. The S&V cylinder horns of this design are known to exist in extremely tiny numbers. I know of one genuine example in oak, and knew of one example in spruce, which (twenty some years ago) was owned by a collector who also possessed an Ideal with a straight 12 panel horn and an oxydized crane and an Idelia machine which was fitted with a newly grained 11 panel cygnet horn.

Apart from length and diameter of the small end, the only difference in construction between original Music Master Edison horn bells and the horns made by that firm for disc and straight cylinder machines was the black band of cotton tape which was inlaid into the surface of the longer horns to prevent them from splitting. This tape appears to be present on the horn of the machine which sold for such a low price today. This feature, along with the decals on the horn which are modern water slide units and which have appear to have been place over a good old finish probably distracted from the many other excellent qualities of this outfit. This is really a great machine, appearing to be in fine condition. The machine and the horn are both unquestionably old, and both display very well indeed. Someone got a shocking bargain today. I only wish that I had been able to afford to bid on this machine. As it was I picked up a couple of inexpensive but interesting items, but nothing approaching this quality!

[gramophone-georg]

This is as not an eBay problem. This was a live auction at the Donley Auction House in Union Illinois. It was also hosted by Aictionzip for live bidding as well as eBay. This was not an eBay auction.

Rich Gordon

Ah, right. For some reason I was thinking it was an eBay Live Auction. Maybe I should double up on ginko biloba.

[WDC]

It was connected to eBay live auctions. With a few exceptions, it was all there:

Apparently poorly organized as no one bothered to check the approvals... At least they did my bank account a favor.

[gramophone-georg]

It was connected to eBay live auctions. With a few exceptions, it was all there:

ebaylive.png

Apparently poorly organized as no one bothered to check the approvals... At least they did my bank account a favor.

That's what I thought! Thanks for posting that.

[JimN]

JerryVan, thanks for clarifying that the horn is solid spruce, even though the inside is blonde, and outside is a mahogany finish. That's what I was trying to say. You can see enough of the grain through the mahogany finish to see that it is solid spruce.

And yes, $12,000 seems really cheap, but I had mentally prepared myself for only getting half of the $25,000 I paid for it 10 years ago. I don't know who bought it, but they got a bargain. However, I did better than I expected on a number of other items, especially the four reproduction tinfoil machines. So I was very happy.

I cannot say enough good things about dealing with Randy Donley and Susan. The entire process was a tremendous pleasure, even though I had never sold anything at an auction before. They were very patient with all my questions and emails, even thanking me for my feedback when I thought I was driving them crazy. And Randy really went out of his way to talk up my machines when the auction started, and when some of my items came up for bid.

Jim Nichol

[JimN]

Uncle Vanya, thanks for the great details on my horn. I did think that the band of cotton reinforcing thread (UNDER the mahogany finish) did look original, and not someone's idea of a repair. So thanks, again. Too bad you all didn't have tons of money to come to Union and bid. But at least someone else will get to enjoy my Idelia. I had it 10 years, after searching for one for 30 years, so that was one item to check off my lifetime bucket list. The previous owner was Brice Paris, and at the time it seems like he had also gotten his quota of enjoyment after owning it a few years.

Jim Nichol

[Uncle Vanya]

However, I did better than I expected on a number of other items, especially the four reproduction tinfoil machines. So I was very happy.

That's the thing about auctions. I learned a long time ago to avoid attendance at an auction where I owned a good number of the consigned lots.

A fellow always fixates upon the item or items which happen to sell for a low figure. This can, of course, be distressing in the extreme. Then the next business day when the sales are totaled one is pleased beyond measure at the results of the sale. Although one or two prominent items went terribly low, the little things, lots which were not counted upon to "make" the sale, perhaps even the junk which one consigned to the auction as an easy way of discarding, bring prices which astound.

It is good to hear such a ringing endorsement of the firm by a pleased consignor.

I watched the sale on the Youtube feed and noted how hard the auctioneer worked to bring in the bids.

[WDC]

I watched the sale on the Youtube feed and noted how hard the auctioneer worked to bring in the bids.

Except for me and many others who could watch the auction by "awaiting" their approvals. By now, I had expected to at least read a statement about what was going wrong. But there seems to be very little interest, if any.
They were certainly more eager to place their advertisements here. I'll keep that kind of service in mind, should they put out another auction.

[Uncle Vanya]

I watched the sale on the Youtube feed and noted how hard the auctioneer worked to bring in the bids.

Except for me and many others who could watch the auction by "awaiting" their approvals. By now, I had expected to at least read a statement about what was going wrong. But there seems to be very little interest, if any.
They were certainly more eager to place their advertisements here. I'll keep that kind of service in mind, should they put out another auction.

I can understand your frustration. I'd be upset, too, under the circumstances. You are doing the Donley firm a favor by pointing this problem out to them. After all, one additional bidder can sometimes make a big difference in a auction's result.

I had the same problem when I attempted to sign up for Donley's June sale through eBay. I almost didn't bid on this past auction. I ended up signing up the day before the sale with Proxbid, and had no trouble at all. Was approved in minutes. There may be a problem with the eBay LiveAuction platform. I've never been able to get it to work for me, and have tried using it four or five times.