Did Edison make a Disc Cabinet like an S-19?

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larryh
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Did Edison make a Disc Cabinet like an S-19?

Post by larryh »

A few months back I reported that I had seen what appeared to be a cut down S-19 Mahogany cabinet made into a record cabinet. Yesterday I was back in the same mall and took another look. It now appears that no hole was in the side. The front door is one piece from up under the hexagonal decorative panel that usually sits above the horn grill. The top is a continuous piece which couldn't have come from and existing top. And the board towards the center of the inside, while having some screw holes in it about where a horn might have lowered into the wood, it has no hole. There is a paper sticker with the Edison Logo on the side as you open the door. The legs are short under the piece which are about 6" long.

Is it possible that this is something Edison had made to go with the S-19 or as a general record cabinet? There are no dividers just open bottom and shelf.

Larry

gramophoneshane
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Re: Did Edison make a Disc Cabinet like an S-19?

Post by gramophoneshane »

It sounds like it to me, but mainly because of the Edison logo. Then again, I guess anyone could stick an Edison decal or label to anything.
I know outside firms made record cabinets that matched Edison machines here in Australia.
A friend of mine has a huge cabinet that was made in Sydney to match the Chippendale cabinets. It basically looks like a CC-32, but is as tall as a C19. It has both shelves & slots for records, & I reckon it would hold 400-500 discs. The only real giveaway that it isn't an Edison product is that it's made from Queensland maple, which when stained a mahogany colour, can be very difficult to distiguish from actual mahogany.
It's a shame you haven't got a picture, but I'll be very interested to hear what others have to say about it.

Did you notice if the paper label had a form number on it?

larryh
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Re: Did Edison make a Disc Cabinet like an S-19?

Post by larryh »

No I didn't notice that. I will take a camera the next time and hope it is still there. Its for sure the same trim work as above the horn on the S-19 then below it is a large door to the bottom. It still may just be a very clever cut down by someone but I need to look at it closer. I wrote it off as a butchered machine but am starting to wonder if maybe its something else?

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scooter
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Re: Did Edison make a Disc Cabinet like an S-19?

Post by scooter »

I think I remember reading in Frow's Diamond Disc book that Edison cancelled a lot of cabinet orders at one time leaving the cabinet maker stuck with the inventory and the cabinet maker sold the inventory as record or music cabinets. I'd love to see a picture if you have one.
Scott

larryh
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Re: Did Edison make a Disc Cabinet like an S-19?

Post by larryh »

I haven't yet got around to it but I am going to write Ron Dethlefson after this post and see if he is at all familiar with that idea?

Larry

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scooter
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Re: Did Edison make a Disc Cabinet like an S-19?

Post by scooter »

I'm looking at my copy of Frow's The Edison Disc Phonographs and on page 106 it mentions C150 cabinets that were rejected by the factory and sold as music cabinets.

"Evidence of inefficiency and a probable staleness on the production lines is shown by the Company's rejection of 1,400 C-150 cabinets from the Wisconsin Cabinet and Panel Company in July 1918. These were stripped of identifying features and sold as music cabinets, and might still be recognizable by the expert eye today."

The S-19 replaced the C-150 and looks to be basically the same box. Maybe this is one of those?

Scott

larryh
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Re: Did Edison make a Disc Cabinet like an S-19?

Post by larryh »

Scott,

I got a note back from Ron. He says the only cabinets he is familiar with is the drop down type with 80 records or so. I sent him your note on the rejected cabinets and will see what he thinks about that? Its making me wonder more what I am seeing.. Need to definitely take a better inspection again. I wish it were a bit closer..

Larry

gramophoneshane
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Re: Did Edison make a Disc Cabinet like an S-19?

Post by gramophoneshane »

The reject cabinet theory sounds like a good one, until you get to page 188 of Frow's book, where it seems the Wisconsin C&P Co were only making oak S-19 cabinets, with the Level Furniture Co making the mahogany S-19 cabinets, and all C-150 cabinets prior to 1919.
It does make me wonder if the July 1918 rejects were WCPC's first attemps at the S-19 cabinets, & may have included the mahogany version, and if this was one reason LFC retained the contract for mahogany S-19's.
It also seems strange that if the cabinets were "stripped of all indentifying features", that this cabinet would retain an Edison label.

Larry,
What was the label like?
Is it like the cabinet factory number labels you find on DD machines, or something different?

larryh
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Re: Did Edison make a Disc Cabinet like an S-19?

Post by larryh »

I guess I am going to have to just take that trip again. After all this speculation I am a bit afraid that on really close inspection that I will see a converted machine lurking there.. Of course that is the most likely outcome in reality. Finding something as odd as were talking about here would be pretty unusual. Yet as I said in my first post, the thing has some aspects that are hard to explain without more close inspection.

As to that label, frankly I don't recall exactly which style it was. I did the first time I saw it take the time to stick my head down in the cabinet and I recall that the label did say Edison, figuring that is how the seller came up with calling it an Edison record Cabinet. As to the style of the little sticker, I don't recall the details at this time.

larryh
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Re: Did Edison make a Disc Cabinet like an S-19?

Post by larryh »

Well, we can end this idea. I am the worlds worst at recollections I think. I drove back today and after a quick check I could see a rather well added piece of veneer that was covering where the crank hole was. Its a pretty clever job of converting this item and someone went to more trouble than any of us would think it worth I think. But sadly I think I determined that it is a home conversion rather than a rejected factory model.
Attachments
Converted Edison machine to record cabinet.
Converted Edison machine to record cabinet.

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