Phonospace (or, "Where's Waldo?)

[brianu]

george, at one point I used to have that same model aeolian... what a great machine.

below are some photos of the phonographs in the apartment at the victor building in camden... although I think they looked much better in the old house where I used to live (hardwood floors, older feel, etc.)... the apt looks in the photos far more sparse than it actually is, probably because of the white walls and ceilings (I think they're at least 14 ft. by the way) and industrial strength commercial grade bureaucratic gray carpet... but nevertheless, it's a decent space, two bedroom, two bathroom, big living area, even a small den... one of the bedrooms holds most of the machines I've brought here (first five shots)... the other shots are the living room (next four) and entry way (last one - which looks particularly sparse in the photo (it seems far less so in person). I like the fact though that, at least for the victors, it's been more than a hundred years in a couple cases since these machines left this same vicinity, and now they're back...

[Kirkwood]

Wow. wow. wow. Mr Paul, your collection is wonderful, as is the presentation. The space is clean, well-organized, and everything looks to be well-lighted---a big plus! Looks like you can access any machine at a moment's notice if you want to hear it. Personally I'd get a few more nice phonographs in that living room, but I understand the need to keep harmony in the household above all else. Thanks a bunch for your great, clear photos, and for the honest glimpses into the "beginnings" of your collection. I especially appreciate you taking the initiative to get the ball rolling on this topic! We can all learn from each other, and seeing other collections can give us ideas on display and arrangement. Phonophan's and Brianu's pics prove that it's possible to live peaceably with nice machines throughout the home. WE know it's possible, but at times we can use something to show others in the household to prove we aren't "the only one" that collects and enjoys these great old phonographs.

[phonogfp]

Phonophan's and Brianu's pics prove that it's possible to live peaceably with nice machines throughout the home.

I'm with you, Kirkwood - - I'd be at home in either place! The only thing that worries me is the Edisonic Schubert so close to the couch... I'd become deaf in the right ear! Between that and the 8-30, what else do you really need to play disc records? But what are all those luminescent screens, wires, and attachments to the wall sockets??? And as for living in the Victor Building with all those phonographs, I'd be off in a trance most of the day. Anyone ever read a novel called Time and Again? It's about a guy who travels back in time from an apartment in the Dakota Building in NYC. I maintain that the same thing could be done from Brian's place in Camden. It's an interesting read and I think still in print.

Thanks phonophan and Brian for the tours. Brian, is that a disc record cabinet under your Victor IV? It looks like a beauty.

George P.

[schweg]

Good grief- I go out of town for a week, and you guys post some of the most wonderful pictures I've seen on this board. Everyone's stuff looks fantastic and so nicely arranged.

The purpose of my trip was three-fold. First and foremost, to visit my parents at their winter place in FL. We always have a great and relaxing time together. Second, my Dad is always willing to haul down from NJ any phono items I come across during the year in his neck of the woods. Some pics were posted earlier of the latest. These included a fancy Silvertone, ebony Pathé with Asian painting, Hawthorne and Sheble cylinder cabinet, and Victor Victrola IX on a stand. Finally, we drove to Orlando for the phonoshow. I didn't intend to make any purchases (since my truck was full to overflowing) but just like seeing all the neat machines. Overall, a super and safe trip. I will try tomorrow to post a few pictures of my collection. Without having the fantastic space that George has, my stuff is here, there and everywhere. It's kind of a mess right now since pretty much everything I just brought back needs some work, but I'll do a bit of re-arranging first..

Steve

[brianu]

Anyone ever read a novel called Time and Again? It's about a guy who travels back in time from an apartment in the Dakota Building in NYC. I maintain that the same thing could be done from Brian's place in Camden. It's an interesting read and I think still in print.

Thanks phonophan and Brian for the tours. Brian, is that a disc record cabinet under your Victor IV? It looks like a beauty.

George P.

time and again, I know that book, never read it but I'll check it out... speaking of time travel, the final season of lost starts tonight, so my mind will be warped around that for a while first, nevertheless...

the cabinet under the IV - interesting story... it's actually a piano roll cabinet that I picked up at an estate sale maybe five years or so ago... a compromise for what I lost at the prior sale two weeks earlier. at that prior sale I saw what turned out to be one of those (blanking on the furntiture maker) custom ornate stands made specifically for a victor VI... I wasn't aware of the value at the time, so I think I bid up to about $350 or $400 before losing - it was just me and another guy, who I figured was another collector. two weeks later at the next sale, I saw the cabinet (that I ended up buying) with the IV in the photo - which loosely resembled the first - and picked it up for about what the other guy paid for the original VI cabinet at the last sale... as it turned out, I realized I was only bidding against one other person for that one as well, the same guy who beat me for the VI cabinet at the last sale. we spoke afterward, I was curious about his machines, and he was like, no, I know nothing about this stuff, am not really into it at all, but when I saw that cabinet last week, it looked like something I saw online, so I contacted that web site and the web site owner told me to buy it for him, and he'd pay me a thousand bucks over whatever I paid for it. of course, when I asked him who the buyer was, he told me "some guy" named bob johnson out in the northwest, owns some radio stations or towers or something.

go figure. I asked him why he was bothering with the second cabinet, being that it was just a piano roll cabinet, and he told me he thought it was for records as well and figured he could do the same thing with it. ridiculous.

These included a fancy Silvertone, ebony Pathé with Asian painting, Hawthorne and Sheble cylinder cabinet, and Victor Victrola IX on a stand.

that Pathé was about 5 minutes from me, and I actually had a few conversations with the owner about it when it was for sale, but it was a terrible week and I just couldn't get away from things. as I recall, his price seemed a little steep, but it looked like a great machine despite the terrible photos... although I'm doing some major downsizing, I wish that one hadn't escaped me. enjoy it.

[Valecnik]

George,

What a great space. You've certainly come a long way since 1968! Thanks much for posting.

Phonophan79,

Your space reminds me of home, a mixture of old & newer technology spread around the house.

Brianu,

Your phonos are very well displayed too and the Turkomen style rugs work well with the phonos. I have some too.

Cheers,

bruce

[Lenoirstreetguy]

I can't hold a candle to you lads. George Paul's place is more or less how I envision heaven: I've always felt that the celestial choir will be on mint Diamond Discs, but be that as it may, I'll post a couple now ( that you've seen before) and then I'll take another of the cylinder machine. I had many more machines when I was a kid than I do now...but nothing very rare or wonderful. We lived in the country and the neighbours passed on machines that they wanted out of the house hehe. The Edison C200 is one of those from my teen years. And the flash did weird things to the colour of the walls and woodwork.
The Victor III came with what is obviously the largest Zonophone horn, but as I've always said the Victor/Berliner stuff up here often has very eccentric horn equipment. It is huge, and the old blister actually sounds pretty good. The rubber hose on the tone arm is my homebrew version of a Lifebelt: the attachment that the British audiophiles used in the twenties. The Gramophone Magazine marketed them. The hose adds compliance to the system and you get more bass and less surface noise. No, I not making this up... The Standard D and Diamond Disc are facing each other in the same room. Points for " what's wrong with the Standard. "

Jim

[martinola]

Nice machines, everybody! Jim, I can't see anything wrong with the Standard. Is it the crane that's too tall or something? (I'm curious what it could be!) Anyway, thanks for sharing.

Martin

[OrthoSean]

Great pictures, everyone! George, that really IS phono-heaven!

Well, I'm in the process of painting my entire house, and so far all that's done and presentable so far is my living room, which I'm pleased to have three nice little machines that I can enjoy much more now that they're in accessible places, so here you are:

[OrthoSean]

Three more, from what is finished and back in place in my hallway and "dining room", music room will be more like it when it's finished.