most expensive Brown Wax Cylinder I have seen on ebay

[GeorgeDixon]

It appears that this was purchased for the box, their appears to be some historical interest in The Arcade.

I have seen the item. The box is in great shape and represents well with other Berger boxes.
Box and slip match the cylinder, which plays loud and clear. There is further evidence that
the artist was involved in the early Cuban rumba movement and national anthems
of certain South American countries. An interesting historical purchase all the way around.

[Starkton]

There is further evidence that the artist was involved in the early Cuban rumba movement and national anthems of certain South American countries.

Because he recorded Berliner discs of this type or what?

[GeorgeDixon]

This price had nothing to do with the cylinder or its (possible) recording of a third rate singer. Sole reason was the uncommon box label.

On the other hand, I have seen brown wax cylinders selling for thousands of $$$ regardless of the box.

My latest post summarized a purchase of a very good brown wax recording (I have heard it, it would be an 8 on Nauck's scale);
the item came with an excellent condition matching slip,
in a very uncommon, if not rare box in very good to excellent condition
with a title by an uncommon, but intriguing artist who in addition to this Edison title was also associated with other Berliner records as well.
I plan on doing additional research on the artist and others of color who recorded for Edison.

The cylinder was acquired for all of these reasons, not just one.

Trolls aside, the acquisition encouraged dialogue about what good to great brown wax in uncommon box/labels go for,
other examples in the hobby and a great, ghost photo of an arcade now a very prominent location in current events.

http://www.theclevelandarcade.com/

[Starkton]

Can you make out what is handwritten on the lid?

[GeorgeDixon]

Can you make out what is handwritten on the lid?

Yes, and it spells happiness. Provide me with a mailing address and I will make sure you get a copy..appreciate the love.

[edisonphonoworks]

What does good condition band recordings on North American cylinders go for?

[Starkton]

I would guess between $1000 and $2000, depending on band and title.

Unfortunately, my U.S. Marine Band paper ring North American cylinder was shaved and re-recorded with two Ragtime/Charleston piano pieces (of an able pianist though): http://grammophon-platten.de/e107_plugi ... 32007.post

[edisonphonoworks]

My only North American Phonograph company cylinder is blank as well, not sure when it was done, but it has held the surface quality, it is one of the quietest cylinder surfaces I have heard. Not much to listen to, but historically interesting. I will not record anything on it, it is nice just to have an early example of a blank. I note that North American (Edison Phonograph Works blanks) have a single spiral, not a double. Trying to figure out when Edison went to double spiral. I have seen only about a dozen North Americans. The color of them is a medium to very dark reddish brown, all the ones I have seen,while later National Phonograph Co. era blanks seems to have a more orange cast to them. Supposedly previous to 1896 Edison used aluminum acetate, which had to cook at a higher temperature to boil off acetic acid, It was about 1896 when sheet aluminum supplanted acetate. I at first thought somebody maybe tried to make a fake, and modified a Columbia record (circa 1897-1899) to make it look like an NAPC as the channel looks a little cruder than most, that was my first impression, however in the middle of the channel is an air bubble in the center of the channel terminating with a pin size hole in the bore of the blank. It also has a dark pour streak in the core, usually in my own experience moulding blanks in the manner this was, is caused by wax from the previous blank stuck on the core and melted into the new blank when the wax is poured in the mould again. I note on other blanks of the NAPC period that the shoulders look moulded while this one seems a tool was used, but if if was done later the tool would have caused nicks on the pin hole in the channel. Does anyone else have this crude of a channel on the NAPC. As I have also said, color varies some on brown wax, but it seems that most of the early ones are more dark all around. It seems to match in that respect, the thin end is beveled, not like later Edison blanks that have a shorter termination. By the way the brown wax behind this one, is a new one made by me.

[Starkton]

As I have also said, color varies some on brown wax, but it seems that most of the early ones are more dark all around.

Then this could be an early North American cylinder?

[edisonphonoworks]

What I mean about darker, is certainly yours and mine are darker than most later Edison brown wax (1897-1899) Is it absolute,no, as brown wax varies a lot , from batch to batch, later on, from white to dark brown. It also seems that later home recording blanks made in the era of Gold Moulded and Amberol records are a little darker than later production direct cut commercial brown wax, possibly due to the fact that cooking longer cooks out some foreign carbon matter making the blanks quieter. It appears that both of the spirals in yours and mine are the same spacing and single. Yours has a much nicer channel than the blank I posted. However both are pretty dark brown, yours a very chocolate brown, indicating a long heating time to boil off acetic acid. From what I gather is that this was discontinued sometime in 1896, and sheet aluminum used to make the hydrated alumina solution instead of acetate. Would love to see other photos of North American records to see if they are also a medium to dark brown. Also indicate double or single spiral. Look where the thread begins, on the end of the record, then look directly across if you do not see another start, it is a single spiral, if you look across the start of the thread spiral and see another start of the thread it is double.