The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

gramophone-georg wrote:Question that didn't get answered before: Do you USE your machines or just display/ dust them?

I use all of them (albeit infrequently), except for my "Gillett" tin foil phonograph replica -- that's a shelf-queen.

QUESTION: How much importance do you place on collecting ephemera related to each of your machines?

-Fran

VanEpsFan1914 wrote:MormonS:

I like to do most everything myself, but I have a nice little Amberola too...complete with Amberola cancer, which is peeling veneer and splintered molding. Time to call in the wood-working cavalry, methinks.

The question is, does anyone like 1910s music that isn't jazz?

I like Marches, and comic songs, and well it all from this time. I do like jazz, however I like the popular songs and comic sketches, all of them, and I even like the ballads and religious music as well, depends on my mood.

Question, has anyone seen an Edison treadle shaving machine in the wild? I know they were offered, and pretty late (1899 catalog has them.) if someone was using the phonograph for an office aid, they would need a commercial shaver. These shavers look like a treadle sewing machine. I saw a Graphophone treadle shaver at Union one year, and that would be the only one I have ever seen. Also Edison had a treadle phonograph as well, with the Class M topworks, and a seperate ball governor. I think Edison's sister had one. And a photo of 1 is on page 94 ½ of "Edison The Man and His Work" by Gorge S Bryan published in 1926 and the machine is shown with a brown wax on the mandrel and Edison Gold Moulded and Columbia moulded records on the top Photo by Frances E. Armstrong.

How much importance do you place on collecting ephemera related to each of your machines?

-Fran

I was a machine collector for a long time, maybe twenty years, before I placed much emphasis on ephemera. Of course I had bits and pieces of related items but they generally came with a machine. But we are all influenced by fellow collectors and I am no different. The person that most influenced me was Dan Melvin. He has a nice machine collection but his ephemera collection is amazing. He has exquisite smalls to amazing large banners, dealer signs, framed dealer portraits, and much more. It has always been a pleasure to visit his home. For some time now I have been looking for related smalls. And it's made antiquing much more fun because there is so much to look for. Before I could breeze through any shop looking for machines. Now I enjoy looking through cases for the rare Victor pocket mirror or the unusual needle tin. The excitement of the hunt has been multiplied. Thanks Dan!

I've seen phrase repeaters on Edison Standards but I've also seen ICS Gems and and an ICS Amberola 30. Was the phrase repeater used on any other language cylinder machines?

Thanks, Jerry Blais