Amberolas

[Gramtastic]

Hi, I see pictures of Amberolas on the net and it seems about 50/50 as to whether thy have cloth behind the grill. Did they all start with cloth and the ones without it now are because it rotted away or did some never have it ? Is there any information on the correct colour/s as again it seems to vary ??
Thanks

[briankeith]

Repro from JAS - They are very nice

[vansteem78]

My Amberola VIII had a nice horn looking like wood grain so would not hide it behind cloth. Though perhaps it had it at one time. I don't want it as the wood grain on the internal horn looks nice.

[rgordon939]

In several original Amberola advertisements it shows the machines without any cloth behind the grill.

Rich Gordon

[briankeith]

I have an Amberola with an orange-ish colored fine silk, one with a light brown fine silk, and two with no signs of ever having any silk at all. The last two have faux woodgrain horns also, the other two are just plain black. I love the orange-ish silk the best...

[texasvwnut]

Repro from JAS - They are very nice

JAS Antique Phonographs?

[NEFaurora]

To answer you question, It would depend on exactly what model Amberola machine we are talking about.

ALL Amberola 30/50/75 's (1915 and after) all came with Grille Cloths originally. All of them. They all had Black painted horns. The repro JAS Grille above has a very correct color of what the original cloth would have looked like. It's a kind of Golden Beige color.

Earlier Amberola Model X's, DX's and other earlier models (1914 and before) had "simulated wood" painted horns. None of those models ever came with Grill Cloths so the "simulated wood" painted horns could be seen through the grille.

Tony K.

Edison Collector/Restorer

[phonogfp]

Earlier Amberola Model X's, DX's and other earlier models (1914 and before) had "simulated wood" painted horns. None of those models ever came with Grill Cloths so the "simulated wood" painted horns could be seen through the grille.

I have seen and currently own 1913-1914 Amberolas whose grilles still have the remnants of original grille cloths on them. A-series Edison Disc Phonographs, which likewise featured nicely grained horns, also had grille cloths. Although this practice seems nonsensical, careful observation will bear this out.

George P.

Here's an image I posted several years ago of the inside of an Amberola III grille:

[NEFaurora]

That's really interesting George. I've tried to find more info on earlier Amberola Grille Cloths over the years, but Frow did'nt care to write much on the subject unfortunately.. at least none that I have found to date....That's why I try to rely on original machines and Advertising photos of the era..at least those that surface.

It does seem kind of dopey for earlier Amberola machines with "simulated wood" painted horns to have Grille cloths. It would be nice to know if maybe this was an added "option" by the factory, or maybe added by Edison jobbers on request after receiving the machines. It would also be nice to know if there was any "rhyme or reason" if some earlier Amberola machines had them added by the factory. I would not even try to venture into Disc machines since there are so many variables with Disc machines. Thanks for the info on "A" Series Disc Phonographs as well.

As always George,

Thanks for sharing your info.

)

Tony K.

Edison Collector/Restorer.

[Lucius1958]

Earlier Amberola Model X's, DX's and other earlier models (1914 and before) had "simulated wood" painted horns. None of those models ever came with Grill Cloths so the "simulated wood" painted horns could be seen through the grille.

I have seen and currently own 1913-1914 Amberolas whose grilles still have the remnants of original grille cloths on them. A-series Edison Disc Phonographs, which likewise featured nicely grained horns, also had grille cloths. Although this practice seems nonsensical, careful observation will bear this out.

George P.

Here's an image I posted several years ago of the inside of an Amberola III grille:

AmbIIIgrille.jpg

True: my A-80, despite having a grain-painted horn, had traces of old grille cloth.

Considering, though, that this machine, although with a very early serial number, came with a later-style reproducer with cast lugs, I wonder whether the cloth was an "upgrade" of a dealer's surplus stock, to get a quick sale from an immigrant buyer...

Bill