The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Since this is on our Forum I have some questions from our more knowledgable Forum members. The top wind AJ was made at the very beginning of Columbia's entry into the disc trade. I would expect a leather elbow horn with leather elbow. I would also expect a marked sound box and not one with a spring release for the needle. I would appreciate comments from one of our Columbia experts because I am not an authority.

I've heard the argument that a horn with brass elbow was an upgrade. How would that have been an upgrade when this machine was being used in the early 20th Century? I would expect that any new leather elbow would last over ten years. By 1910 any top wind AJ and really most any front mount machine would be obsolete. Why would you want to upgrade an obsolete machine. Of course any damaged machine would have been repaired with more modern parts so that argument could be made. The same argument cold be made for the sound box.

Thanks for any enlightening comments, Jerry Blais

Jerry,

I've owned a few of these over the years and I don't think anything attached to the box is correct for it. The arm looks repro and wrong style anyway. The arm for the early AJ is hollow and usually the reason they turn up broken, also the horn support should be the cast cradle style. The horn usually is black and brass not all black.

Just my opinion from the pictures is that everything except the box, elbow and maybe the crank is new.

Chuck

I agree with Chuck. This AJ was listed awhile ago, but evidently others see the problems as well as we do.

The horn is also a reproduction, and I wouldn't be surprised if the bell is brass beneath that poorly-applied black paint.

The bracket into which the support arm slips looks like it was broken and repaired. At least there's a sizeable crack in the top of it. To the seller's credit, this is noted in the description and there's a closeup of the damage.

The reproduction turntable is not mentioned, nor the reproduction sound box. The seller probably doesn't know.

These early AJs have so often taken a beating, it's always a good idea to carefully examine them before committing.

George P.

These early AJs have so often taken a beating, it's always a good idea to carefully examine them before committing.

I've looked for one at Union for the last few years and have avoided ones with too many replacement parts.

Thanks, Jerry