The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I found this milk cap inside one of my Victrola Revere models (I owned and sold two in my life).

I also found a tiny celluloid baby doll with a flapper-style perm. It was marked "Japan" -- a lot of celluloid items were made in Japan during the 1910s - 1950s. Because of the hair style of the doll, I assumed it was contemporary to the 1920s Brunswick phonograph that it came out of.

Interesting stuff found in these machines. A bit of archaeology.

Sorry, no before-and-after photos, but my second machine I ever bought (this maybe half a year ago) was a 1918 VV-VI in horrendous condition. I bought it at an auction for $5 with no other bids. Frankly, I could have gotten it for $1. (Frankly, I shouldn't have bought it at all.) It had resided in a barn for some lengthy time and was filled with all sorts of wispy debris. Why? Because a rat had lived in it. And it stunk to high you-know-what. The stench was due to urine. Long story short, the oak finish was shot, the motor was seized, the horn was rusted, no crank, no escutcheon, and the bottom board was warped. Now the motorboard on this particular version of the VI had originally been glued on with hide glue. Of course the motorboard had come loose at some time and had been nailed back on with three nails to each side. Fortunately, the rat had vacated the premises.

And so began my first talking machine adventure (well, not counting the Domestic Talking machine I had found about a month earlier.) So after stripping it, applying my own shellac that I prepared myself, putting a new motor in it (cost me $2--I wasn't going to put any money into this baby--that motor came from another auction, along with a better turntable for a buck), cleaning up the horn, and a sundry other things, the machine was ready for playing. And play it did! These things are robust. Total cost to me was about $25.

Later this year, the machine will be on its way to Newfoundland, to the fair city of Cornerbrook. Therein lies my brother's house, and inside that house, you may find my brother. He wants the machine.

I found this in a C-19 behind the horn?

Guess why these are called potter wasps!

more about the phonograph once its a bit cleaned up!

Not as interesting as many of the past posts, but will revive this great thread for another day at least. While finally getting to rebuilding the motor on my VV-XVII Walnut, I came across this 1944 Mercury dime.I used to see them quite often as a child but can't remember the last time I saw one. It was under the speed control plate and dirty as all heck. My machine is 19183 which puts it around 1921. I would have to think the dime fell in around 1944 or shortly there after due to the limited wear.

Andersun wrote:Several years ago I picked up a C250 Diamond Disc and in the bottom of the cabinet underneath the drawers was a condolence card from Harvard University concerning a student who died.

I found it......

A few years ago I bought an Edison C150, complete with its reproducer, etc. When I removed the grille there strapped into its wood shipping cradle was another reproducer which looked as though it had never been removed. Why it was there and another reproducer of exactly the same time installed for use I will likely never know.

Clay

First off, not expecting and totally disgusted by all the bugs and dead things found in phonographs, lol...

My first ever phonograph was an LU-37... found these behind the horn.

phonophan79 wrote:First off, not expecting and totally disgusted by all the bugs and dead things found in phonographs, lol...

My first ever phonograph was an LU-37... found these behind the horn.

You're very lucky to have the packing/shipping slip!

Using George Paul's decypher for the date code, your London Upright was crated up for shipping July 17, 1924. http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... 255#p92255.

I've paid pretty close attention to these packing/shipping slips, noting the accuracy of George's hypothesis in his above linked post; I have complete faith in his analysis of the date codes used with this type of packing/shipping slip (after 1919).

Fran

Merry Christmas 1920! and Healthy New Year! Found this in another S-19 that is in bad shape, but getting better....

A little background on the stamp:
The American Red Cross sponsored the Christmas Seal until 1919, when the National Tuberculosis Association (later renamed the American Lung Association) assumed exclusive control of the project. The emblem of the NTA, the double-barred cross, appeared for the first time on a Christmas Seal in 1920 and is still used today.