The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I found some cylinder sleeves today at a local antique shop and wasn't going to buy them until one caught my eye. It is metal of some sort and has a label in poor condition so I can't tell who made it. I think the bird may be from the "Bluebird" labels that I have seen? Anyway, when digging deeper I found there were three of them. The label may say "Standard No. 4" I believe as seen in the pics. The bottom says, "Hellyer & Co., Kope" and there is some Chinese/Japanese writing along the bottom. I haven't seen any like this since I have collected phonographs and related items and was wondering if anyone has any information on them. Thanks again for the help!

(I also included a Columbia lid I have never seen until now. Anyone know what it came from? Thanks again!)

Sonny,

I think you may have found something VERY rare here... I remember a friend telling me once about some metal cylinder record cases he had, and i belive it was more popular in Europe than in the U.S. And if i remember, he said they go for a couple hundred a piece! I'll see about giving him a call and asking for you! But I'm sure George will have something to say on this...

Aaron

Wow! I was beginning to lose hope as I still can't find anything on them. I can't decide what country they are from. I believe I was mistaken about the Japanese writing at the bottom. I think they are decorative flowers, not writing. I wish they were in a little better condition but nonetheless are unique. I appreciate your help with this. I hope we can find out more about them.

Hellyer & Co. of Kobe, Japan with headquarters in Chicago was specialised in the export of tea. Your tea containers date pre 1912 when the Japanese office moved to another city.

Awesome! Thanks for the help. At $5.00 for the whole box of them, I was beginning to think it was too good to be true.

Side note: I have some pretty neat tea tins if anyone is interested!

At least the French Columbia lid is quite interesting to certain degree. These do not turn up that often. Apparently they do match to a late brown wax cylinder with New York & Paris announcement. Columbia opened their first European office in Paris in 1898.

This is an extremely nice lid. The Columbia Phonograph Company General, the foreign branch of the Columbia Phonograph Co., opened its European headquarters in Paris in the summer of 1897 (sorry for correction WDC ). Your lid with a very attractive pictorial trademark dates about 1900-03.

Here is its equally nice counterpart from the German branch of about the same period:

Thanks for the info. At least one thing about the purchase turned out ok!

The lid is in excellent condition. Its about 1-1/2" tall and whole thing is clean with no tears or bends. What kind of container would this go on? I would like to find the right container for it.

Sonny- check your messages
Great finds there. Congratulations!