Strange BA cylinder box

[edisonphonoworks]

Very interesting box, and I am sure it is original to the time of the cylinder. I have seen quite a few Edison Standard cylinder boxes, both with the old style paper caps, and the late wax Amberol style box. And Yes most of the four minute blank cylinders I have seen have an Edison Record, or Edison Gold Moulded label underneath.

[gsphonos]

Gramophoneshane! I did not look to see that you are located in Australia! So, that must definitely be where I got it! I think ozcap on ebay or Ron Cornelius (I think he is in New Zealand) had a box on ebay like this, some years back. And yes, we do have all those different types of concert amberol boxes here in the US. Yes, obviously cost cutting measures. Just like the Royal Purple series. Towards the end, the color of Royal Purples became just the standard color of regular blue amberols, and they came in regular boxes, sometimes with a Royal Purple lid, that might have been old stock that was being used up! Also, late released Royal Purples also came, not only in the standard blue color, but also in a regular box, with regular standard type lid. I have examples of both, somewhere!

I also like looking for the very few 4000 series blue amberol cylinders that have Made in USA embossed on the top instead of PATD. 4441 is one example of this, Silver Sands of Love. Would be curious to see if someone has a copy of this particular cylinder that DOESN'T have Made in USA engraved on it and had the standard "PATD" after the Edison name.

Mike Sorter
Riverside CA USA

[max_phenol]

Hi there,

I just saw this topic today. What "gsphonos" answered is totally correct ... this label is an official label only for New Zealand.

An old NZ collector told me that they show up there from time to time. He thinks that it had a legal reason that the original label was overglued, perhaps to get rid of unsold American stock while other (more popular) Edison cylinders were still for sale. I don't have a confirmation for this though.

The label exists in two very slightly different versions (see the different gap between the horizontal lines!) and it is to be found on early style blue boxes as well as later(smaller diameter) orange boxes with blue lid. A photo of both is attached here. Probably the final style orange boxes with brown lid had this NZ label too, but I haven't seen one so far, maybe because it is very hard to find examples of this box anyway and one together with its original lid is almost impossible.

If anyone is interested in cylinder box design, the different labels, box makes, brands etc. ... please get in touch with me, so I have your contact info when my book about cylinder record boxes is available (not quite soon though). This will show many items like these NZ boxes from all brands worldwide and all variations of labels and boxes (as far as I can get proper photos of it for the book). It's going to be a stunning book that many cylinder collectors support with photos of their boxes.

Cheers,
Helmut

[JohnM]

Pardon my ignorance, but who is Clarence Ferguson?

The last active, living Edison Phonograph dealer.

[edisonplayer]

I have several cylinders that I got from Jerry Donnell with Mr.Ferguson's stamp on the boxes.Jerry was a very good customer of his.edisonplayer.

[max_phenol]

That's a different topic though.

Some of Ferguson's labels indeed were kind of similar to the New Zealand official label. Here's a quick overview on Ferguson boxes. There obviously are a few more variations of the labels around. But that's all I have seen so far.

Nobody interested in my cylinder boxes book? I got no messages so far. Just drop your email and I tell you when it is available and what will be the price. Then you can decide whether to buy it or not.