US Lakeside on ebay soon.

[USlakeside]

Thought you all may be interested to see these pictures of my US Lakeside I am parting with in order to complete a victor V. The images on the top of the page are average size, scroll down for mega huge images. It will be for sale soon, on ebay.

Enjoy!

http://www.roudane.com/current/USlakeside.html

[USlakeside]

Its now up... for anyone interested. Thank you!

http://cgi.ebay.com/US-Lakeside-Phonogr ... 7C294%3A50

[Neophone]

USLakeside,

Good Luck on the sale!

Regards,
John

[Valecnik]

Interesting differences between the US Lakeside Junior you have and my US Junior. Most Notable is the differences in the size of the elbow. My elbow is huge compared to yours although I know both are correct. I'd be very interestd to know the reasons for the change. I'm guessing yours is a bit later but not totally sure. here are some pics from my website. The reproducers were a mess on this one too. The previous owner had the mechanism rebuilt by Paul Baker so this one works well in both 2 & 4 min mode. Good luck on your auction. I think the US and Lakeside are undevalued machines. The problem is always the reproducers.

[Valecnik]

What is the problem these reproducers have?
I've never seen one in person, so I have no idea what the set-up is on these. I've always wondered why the reproducer is so big & the shape it is.
I tried google patents hoping for a diagram of some sort, but only found 2 disc machine motors.

The problem is pot metal. US maybe for patent reasons had a very different approach to thier combination reproducers than Edison had with his K, M, O etcetera. On a US phonograph underneath that big capsule shaped housing sit two weight and stylus assemblies, (sort of like mounting an Edison C and H right next to eachother). Turning the butterfly nut on the top of the housing to the left moves one reproducer to the center of the housing and moves the other up and out of the way. Turning to the right moves the other reproducer to the center and into position. When the butterfly nut is at a 45 degree angle, straight up and down, both reproducers are raised up, to the right and left of the hearing tube so you can slide the record on/off. You can imagine this requires alot of moving parts and most of them, including the butterfly nut itself, are pot metal. As the pot metal swells, somthing has gotta give.

[Valecnik]

A few years ago on eBAY there was somebody selling US Phonograph Company literature showing pictures of all the models and pricing. In addition to the Junior which I have, they offered a "Banner" that was a little bigger and also a larger yet in Mahogany with wood horn similar to the Edison Opera. They also offered a floor model designed to compete with the Amberola 1. I've never actually seen one but Paul Baker got one somewhere that needed a full restoration, did it and sold it so there's at least one floor model out there. A bit later they came with other internal horn table top models which turn up from time to time.

I bid on the literature but it went for big bucks, $300 or more per piece as I recall. I contacted the purchaser, (back when eBAY allowed you to do that) and offered to buy copies but he never replied.

That literature, or pics of some of those other US machines would make for a very interesting thread. I used to keep in contact with at least a couple collectors specializing in US stuff but lost touch with them. Wouldn't it be lucky if the owner of the one Paul restored read this and posted some pics!

[JohnM]

A few years ago on eBAY there was somebody selling US Phonograph Company literature showing pictures of all the models and pricing. In addition to the Junior which I have, they offered a "Banner" that was a little bigger and also a larger yet in Mahogany with wood horn similar to the Edison Opera. They also offered a floor model designed to compete with the Amberola 1. I've never actually seen one but Paul Baker got one somewhere that needed a full restoration, did it and sold it so there's at least one floor model out there. A bit later they came with other internal horn table top models which turn up from time to time.

I bid on the literature but it went for big bucks, $300 or more per piece as I recall. I contacted the purchaser, (back when eBAY allowed you to do that) and offered to buy copies but he never replied.

That literature, or pics of some of those other US machines would make for a very interesting thread. I used to keep in contact with at least a couple collectors specializing in US stuff but lost touch with them. Wouldn't it be lucky if the owner of the one Paul restored read this and posted some pics!

Bruce,
I'm not familiar with the 'Banner' designation, but the mahogany model you describe was called the 'Opera' by US and was the reason Edison was compelled to change the name of his 'Opera' to 'Concert'. When I lived in California there was a US 'Opera' for sale for years at The Gas Pump Antiques in Riverside, but that is well over ten years ago. I don't know where it went. The only other US 'Opera' I know of is in Don Gfell's collection.

Ask and ye shall receive . . . believe it or not I have photos of Paul's US 'Peerless'! The cabinet is by Herzog and the bedplate is ivory white. It went to the museum in Texas that Rick Willins was associated with. I actually have the images on my iPhone, but will have to email them to MordEth to post them for me, so stay tuned. It is a magnificent beast . . . gold-plating, bombe' cabinet, both doors linked to open at the same time. I show the patent drawing for it in my book American Phonograph Design Patents, if anyone has a copy of that to reference.

John M

[Valecnik]

John, Thanks for the information. I look forward to the photos. Do you or does anyone recall what this model was called?

You are right about the "Opera model". I kept in contact with a guy for years in Canada who had a beautiful example with a wood horn. He claimed that the reproducer had never been rebuilt but that it played perfectly. He sent me some pictures of it by snailmail which if I ever find them I will post. It was really nice. I lost contact with him but these are so rare that I wonder if Don Gfel ended up with it somehow. So the first model lineup was from bottom to top the Junior, Banner, Opera, and that upright one. Hope somebody helps us out here!

Cheers, Bruce

[MordEth]

John,

You’re fast—I noticed I had that image in my e-mail shortly after reading your post above.

So as John promised, here is that photo:

From the photo, that’s a very nice-looking machine.

— MordEth

[Valecnik]

John, David,

That's the one allright. Isn't that the most bizarre looking piece of equipment you've ever seen? Looks like a cross between a Sonora, Amberola 1 and a 34 Chrysler! As far as I know it's the only surviving example of an upright non-Edison cylinder phono.