Edison Standard Under Glass Revisited

[Jerry B.]

I bought George's Edison Standard under glass and I spent the last couple of days fussing with it. The mechanism is from a Model B Edison Standard with serial number S 271958. I don't have another B Standard to compare but I found it interesting that the mechanism is held to the motor board with only three screws, two in the front and one in the middle back. My Model A Standard has four and most D Standards are secured with five, two in front and three in the back. Maybe three for a B is common and I just didn't notice.

The four drawer cabinet is beautifully made. Even the back is finished. It appears that a great deal of attention was give to its construction. The top drawer is designed to limit the number of cylinders stored so they do not come into contact with the spring motor. I wondered why there is an additional division on the left side of the top drawer. There's just enough room for a recorder and reproducer box to fit perfectly. One drawer is drilled for pegs. Also, the drawers show signs of cylinder storage. The crane mounts in the front and I have not idea why there is another hole behind the mechanism. Perhaps it was drilled for the option of a crane behind the mechanism. (Maybe it's the only top wind Standard! See photo! ) When you examine the crane there is a difference in the nickeling between the area protected by the inside of the cabinet and the rest of the crane. That tells me that this particular crane has been with this cabinet for a long time. The finish is crazed worse than any machine in my collection or any that I've previously owned. So it must be old, right?

Just what is old? In a few years this mechanism will be 120 years old. Phonographs became collectable about 1960 which is about 60 years ago. If this cabinet was built by a skilled cabinet maker is 1960 is it possible for the finish to have deteriorated to this degree in the last 60 years? Another curiosity is the Model B top board and mechanism. I've seen quite a few machines under glass and they all seem to have suitcase Home or flat top Standard mechanisms. I imagine that cabinets that housed mechanisms would have been unpopular when the Model B machines were introduced.

I took lots of photos to show the construction of the cabinet. If you have an opinion I would love to hear it. I will not be offended because I like the entire outfit. Thank you George.

Jerry Blais

[gramophone-georg]

Hi Jer- it's looking better and I am glad you are having fun with it. The points you make are all ones that convinced me of its age and authenticity... especially the wear on the horn crane.

I'm wondering if the second hole wasn't intended for crank or crane stowage when the machine was not in use. Since there's no sign of any escutcheon I'd venture to guess it was added later... but who knows?

I'm guessing the machine was stored in a hot dry attic for decades with the crane installed. This would explain the severe alligatoring and the split top board. I'm guessing maybe Eastern Oregon.

BTW, all indications I got from the previous owner and dealer tags on a lot of cylinders that were originally in the machine was that it was sold in the Mansfield, Ohio area. Whether it was a "coachbuilt" from that area I don't know. There were all sorts of furniture makers around there that built furniture in that style, but no real "AHA" moments in my research.

[martinola]

Neat machine, Jerry! The Bedplates that used 3 screws spanned from the late Model As (about 230,000) to the early Model Bs (about 277,000). There are a few exceptions at the fringes of that range.

I know squat about cabinets like this, but it does appear to my untrained eyes to be a cylinder cabinet that had the mechanism added at a later date. I judge that on the difference between the heavily crazed top and the nice finish on the wooden bedplate frame. If they're original finishes, then they were stored in different places. If it's a marriage of parts, then it's a nice marriage. It looks good and is quite practical. I'd be interested to hear any more observations. Thanks for sharing!

Martin

[gramophone-georg]

Neat machine, Jerry! The Bedplates that used 3 screws spanned from the late Model As (about 230,000) to the early Model Bs (about 277,000). There are a few exceptions at the fringes of that range.

I know squat about cabinets like this, but it does appear to my untrained eyes to be a cylinder cabinet that had the mechanism added at a later date. I judge that on the difference between the heavily crazed top and the nice finish on the wooden bedplate frame. If they're original finishes, then they were stored in different places. If it's a marriage of parts, then it's a nice marriage. It looks good and is quite practical. I'd be interested to hear any more observations. Thanks for sharing!

Martin

Yeah, but the wear pattern on that crane...

I'm thinking that the Edison just had better final finish.

[wjw]

The shellac coating on the cabinet might be a lot thicker than the edison part. Seems to me that the heavier applications don't fare well over the decades.

- bill

[Jerry B.]

The finish under the top board is much better than the surrounding area. That suggests the Standard with top board have been there a long time. It still could be a cylinder record cabinet that was adapted for the Standard. If so, the finish under the top board and also the mark on the nickeling suggest it was modified sometime shortly after the machine was purchased new. Maybe the original cabinet was damaged and this was the solution. It's too bad our talking machines can't really talk!

Jerry Blais