The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

This is an article on the Edison standard A evolution. I figured eight major changes. I had to reconstruct a Standard A transitional model as I did not have one. It starts out as an explanation, the about my models, followed by five pictures of each model. I have to break this down to two posts as there is a limit of 24 pictures per post. Thanks for looking Tom

Nice pictures and machines. I have a standard Model A made in March of 1903 That is old enough where it still has a lift lever instead of a button one but new enough where it doesn’t have the s/n (87708) stamped on the “knifes edge”. I wonder when exactly they phased out lever lifts for button lifts and why?

I really like the crane support on the first picture showing the Suitcase Standard. I never saw anything like this before. Does anyone know who manufactured this support?
Harvey Kravitz

EXCELLENT Tom! Thanks for sharing!!!

Mike

AmberolaAndy wrote:Nice pictures and machines. I have a standard Model A made in March of 1903 That is old enough where it still has a lift lever instead of a button one but new enough where it doesn’t have the s/n (87708) stamped on the “knifes edge”. I wonder when exactly they phased out lever lifts for button lifts and why?

I always thought that anything with the patent date of 1903 had the push pull lever on the carriage. When I get home tomorrow I will check with the flow book as it may have that information. George Paul has a good insight and expert in the details. I think I have the some manufacturing info on the standards that also may include that. Tom

tomb wrote:

AmberolaAndy wrote:Nice pictures and machines. I have a standard Model A made in March of 1903 That is old enough where it still has a lift lever instead of a button one but new enough where it doesn’t have the s/n (87708) stamped on the “knifes edge”. I wonder when exactly they phased out lever lifts for button lifts and why?

I always thought that anything with the patent date of 1903 had the push pull lever on the carriage. When I get home tomorrow I will check with the flow book as it may have that information. George Paul has a good insight and expert in the details. I think I have the some manufacturing info on the standards that also may include that. Tom

Mine still has the 1898 patent date. They started putting the 1903 patent date in November of that year I think.

I have a standrd with s/n 89005. It left the factory in April of 1903. It does not have the s/n in the knife edge either so it must have been discontinued in the 70000s. If anybody knows it would be interesting to find out the stop of the knife edge serial numbers. That could have been a hit or miss from Edison also. He was trying to put the s/n on the phonograph in several places so dealers could not change them or up sale them. Later models have the s/n stamped on the bottom of the plate covered in something like a tar to hide it. .I imagine yours left March or April of 1903. Only a guess.. The lift lever was not used with the 1903 patent date on the ID plate. Edison ,though, used up old stock and I am sure there are phonographs that he used the lift lever on with the 1903 plate. Enjoy the phonograph, they are work horses, and with a 2/4 conversion can play all cylinders. Tom

tomb wrote:I have a standrd with s/n 89005. It left the factory in April of 1903. It does not have the s/n in the knife edge either so it must have been discontinued in the 70000s. If anybody knows it would be interesting to find out the stop of the knife edge serial numbers. That could have been a hit or miss from Edison also. He was trying to put the s/n on the phonograph in several places so dealers could not change them or up sale them. Later models have the s/n stamped on the bottom of the plate covered in something like a tar to hide it. .I imagine yours left March or April of 1903. Only a guess.. The lift lever was not used with the 1903 patent date on the ID plate. Edison ,though, used up old stock and I am sure there are phonographs that he used the lift lever on with the 1903 plate. Enjoy the phonograph, they are work horses, and with a 2/4 conversion can play all cylinders. Tom

Mine is just a 2 minute only but it’s my favorite cylinder machine so far. I like it a little better than my Home B because the audio on my Home B has a slight ‘flutter’ in the audio. Whereas my both Standards model A and B don’t. But that’s an issue for another thread...