℞: One Phonograph...

[Lucius1958]

So: I drove up to Hartford today for an appointment with my therapist.

Shortly after I sat down, he said, "I've got something for you." From out of a closet he brought a cardboard box, from which I could see peeping some cylinder boxes, a dusty lid, and the tarnished bell of a horn.

It turned out to be a Standard B with ICS attachments.

When I got it home and dusted it off, it looked to be in very good original shape: under the lid was a nice clean bedplate with nearly perfect striping, upper works with shiny nickel, the requisite speed control and repeater, and a Model C reproducer with pristine stylus. Also in the box were the original horn (slightly bent in the bell, but with good paint and brass), 15 wax cylinders, most of them in V+/E condition (of which 5 were language lessons), and a set of ICS lesson books.
Barring any problems with the mainspring (it had spent the better part of a century wound up: but when I released the brake, it purred on for a good number of minutes), all it will need is cleaning and lubrication, a new belt, and gaskets for the reproducer.

Here are the photos in "as found" condition, plus a selection of the musical titles:

Bill

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[gramophone78]

Bill, I'm certainly happy to hear that's all your therapist brought out of the closet... .

[De Soto Frank]

WOW ! What a find !

[Lucius1958]

Some more titles:

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Bill

Oops: one photo got double posted...

[RAK402]

WOW!

I don't know what to say, except the aforementioned "WOW!"

[De Soto Frank]

I'm intrigued that the celluloid tag reads "International Textbook Company"... both I.T.C. and I.C.S (International Correspondence Schools) were founded in Scranton by one Thomas Foster, and for many years a huge book printing plant stood on Wyoming Avenue at Ash St.

Both I.C.S. buildings still stand, the older one is now an apartment building, the later one is now Scranton Preparatory School. Sadly, the book printing plant was razed several years ago, and the site turned into athletic field for Scranton Prep.


I.C.S. lives-on as Penn-Foster Career Schools.

[doctor t]

That's a beauty!

Tod

[Jerry B.]

What a generous gift. Jerry Blais

[Phonofreak]

That's what I call therapy. Great machine with the books. That the way to get them.
Harvey Kravitz

[martinola]

The model B ICS is pretty much the best of the two minute Edison Standards. Quiet motor, top mounted speed control and an endgate. Would you be comfortable sharing the serial number and latest patent date?

Regards,
Martin