Columbia Rosenfield Coin-Op Phonograph

[Raphael]

I've been chasing this machine for quite a while, and finally nailed it down this past weekend. The collector who sold it to me had it in his basement and my helper and I huffed and puffed getting it up the narrow, twisting stairs and out the front door to my van. When we got it up, he said "oh, I forgot to tell you, there's a back door, you didn't need to take it up through the stairs". Timely advice, huh?

In any event, after driving the 800 miles home, I was pleasantly surprised to find it in 100% working order. The only glitch being a reproducer in need of a new sapphire.

The mechanism is unique, for sure. The AZ Columbia is spring-driven. When one drops a penny in the slot, the machine plays through the cylinder. At the end of the cylinder, the electric motor springs to life and (a)rewinds the springs via a shaft (b) begins turning the repeater mechanism (c) lifts the reproducer (d) returns the reproducer to the starting position and (e) turns off the rotation of the mandrel and (f) lowers the reproducer to the cylinder. All of this occurs within a few seconds. Take a look: https://youtu.be/EuvxU7rpZZ4

Here's another video of the entire unit: https://youtu.be/DKc7jqakmuk

The unit came with the original listening tubes, but I prefer the look of a horn, like the one shown.

The Rosenfield Serial # is 3312. The mechanism was obviously restored some years ago, I was wondering if any TMF member might know who did the work.

Tomorrow the reproducer is off to Dr.Wyatt for a sapphire transplant.

Raphael

[NEFaurora]

Fantastic machine!... How much did it set you back???!??

)

Tony K.

Edison Collector/Restorer

[Django]

Thanks for posting it with videos. I love the mechanisms. Great machine, but you already know that.

[Phono-Phan]

WOW Congrats.

[TinfoilPhono]

What a great machine! The only one I've seen in real life was in Dave Heitz's collection, which was sold 15 years ago. That has such a Rube Goldberg mechanism, electrically winding a spring motor. You've just got to love that!

[phonogfp]

Rosenfield also manufactured an Illustrated Song Machine which utilized the coin-operated Talking Machine as well as a picture show:

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... ect#p37156

You gotta love Rosenfields - - congratulations!

George P.

[fmblizz]

wow what a super machine... most of us collector would be happy just to see it in operation let alone own something as magnificent at that....

Thanks for sharing

blizz

[wjw]

Raphael, finding out about the "back door" just a little too late reminded me (fondly) of Laurel and Hardy's short, The Music Box. Similar outcome. The Rosenfield was well worth the effort !
-bill

[ticticdok]

Sweet machine! Congratulations!

[MTPhono]

Raphael - what are you using for the horn elbow? And is the horn an original?