Edison online catalogs?

[BwanaJoe]

So, I may have now been bitten by the bug as I am now trolling CL for Edison players. I am having a hard time finding information on the various models. In this case Diamond Disc machines. Is there a place on the net that compares/explains all the various models as to specs and rarity? For instance, the various 19 models. Are they all the same mechanicals just different cabinets? Is the H19 more rare than the C19 or S or LU? I've seen this link: http://home.earthlink.net/~gnordenstam/ ... tents.html, but as cool as it is it is very limited.

Thanks in advance.

[phonogfp]

There are lots of online resources, but there's a TON of information in books that cannot be found online. If you have a serious interest in Edison Disc Phonographs, you really need George Frow's book on the subject, The Edison Disc Phonographs and the Diamond Discs. Here it is on eBay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Edison-Phonogra ... 51c7fb2bc8

This book is still readily available, but in a hobby as small as ours, this can change fast. (A very few years ago, Frow's book on cylinder Phonographs was readily available for around $30... Now you're lucky to find one for under $100!) You can find the disc book in various places, but not much (if any) cheaper than the link above. It will be the best eighteen bucks you spend this year!

As for your questions, the "19" models use much the same mechanisms, but some have single mainsprings while others have two mainsprings. Three different size horns were used among the various models. The H-19 is probably rarer than the C-19, but it's not as valuable nor as sought after. The S-19 is more common yet generally more popular among collectors - probably due to aesthetics. The London Upright is not generally popular among collectors due to its cheap-looking cabinet, single mainspring, and small horn. Still, it plays well when adjusted properly (just like the rest of them!) and is an enjoyable machine for many.

Full descriptions of these machines (and dozens of others) are in the book above, along with historical background.

George P.

[BwanaJoe]

I've been trying to find info on the net and there doesn't seem to be one place has has it all. A C19 here; a C200 there. That makes it hard to know where all the various models fit together in the grand scheme of things. Or which models are the same after the 1919 change over.

I think I'll pick up that book now!

Any other spots on the net though?

[Curt A]

Just a heads up... stay away from H-19's. Although the grill looks fancy, it is pressed sawdust and if dropped, it becomes a pile of small pieces. It is extremely hard to get rid of an H-19 because of it's ugly flat top cabinet, so unless you get one really cheap (under $100) or you somehow find yourself drawn to an extremely plain cabinet that looks out of place with it's over the top grill... look for something better, like a laboratory model which lots of people like and in this case, oak is better.

[Valecnik]

I've been trying to find info on the net and there doesn't seem to be one place has has it all. A C19 here; a C200 there. That makes it hard to know where all the various models fit together in the grand scheme of things. Or which models are the same after the 1919 change over.

I think I'll pick up that book now!

Any other spots on the net though?

There's Frow's "Edison Phonograph Companion" available from iTunes but you have to but it. It's also available in hard copy but out of print so quite more expensive. There's also "Edison Phonograph Monthy" available online for free. For you though, Frow's disc book is definitely the place to start. It's available on eBAY, from Bob Baumbach, Kurt Nauk and other places. It's worth whatever they are asking.

[BwanaJoe]

I've been trying to find info on the net and there doesn't seem to be one place has has it all. A C19 here; a C200 there. That makes it hard to know where all the various models fit together in the grand scheme of things. Or which models are the same after the 1919 change over.

I think I'll pick up that book now!

Any other spots on the net though?

There's Frow's "Edison Phonograph Companion" available from iTunes but you have to but it. It's also available in hard copy but out of print so quite more expensive. There's also "Edison Phonograph Monthy" available online for free. For you though, Frow's disc book is definitely the place to start. It's available on eBAY, from Bob Baumbach, Kurt Nauk and other places. It's worth whatever they are asking.

Bought the first Frow book last night. Does the companion book cover cylinder and disc? Is it more of a gee-wiz thing or another must have?

[phonogfp]

Frow's Companion covers cylinder Phonographs only, but in-depth. If you have a serious interest in Edison cylinder Phonographs, it's a must-have.

George P.

[BwanaJoe]

Sounds like a pinned FAQ to me. It would cut down on dumb newbie questions like mine.

[DGPros]

It sounds like we are in the same boat BwanaJoe. I picked up Frow's Edison phonograph book a few weeks ago, after picking up my A-250. It's definitely helping me organize my thoughts on the subject and which models I find most interesting in the Edison phonograph catalog. (http://www.gracyk.com, http://www.victor-victrola.com) I find myself going back to the same few sites and reading them over and over. As I learn more I tend to pick up more tidbits of information that I missed originally. Of course this site has been a godsend. I have spent many hours doing searches on various models and reading up on past posts. I am up to 5 machines, nothing exotic, in just over 2 years.

(I also own Discovering Antique Phonographs 1877-1929 by Fabrizio and Paul after noticing what looked like my initial purchase on the cover: Sonora) Happy Hunting

[phonogfp]

Sounds like a pinned FAQ to me. It would cut down in dumb newbie questions like mine.

Not a dumb question at all.

George P.