My Recent Find - Another Columbia B With Pizazz!

[phonogfp]

George,
I had a Columbia Eagle serial # 103325 no patent information on belt cover no mandrel tag and tabbed spring barrels my friend might still have it i can ask him . It also had the early Lid handle with no metal caps . Maybe some of these oddities were done before it the left the dealers ?

Eric

Except for the tabbed spring barrels, that all sounds like factory original for that serial number.

George P.

[Hailey]

And, I saved a ton of money by shopping with Geico.

[ehs004]

George,
Do you know where the serial numbers stop on a 1898 Bs Coin-op the highest number?
Thanks Eric

[travisgreyfox]

I've always believed that saying you "found" something collectable meant you just purchased something collectable. On the other hand "found in the wild" meant you found it in a barn, yard sale, side of the road, or in a similar circumstance.

Just my two pennies.

[phonogfp]

George,
Do you know where the serial numbers stop on a 1898 Bs Coin-op the highet number?
Thanks Eric

Nope. The BS was introduced around August 1898, so late 1898 would be early production.

George P.

[brianu]

I'm sorry this thread has caused such a fuss. I used the word "find" simply because brianu used it in his thread title about his beautiful Columbia B(XP) and, if my memory is correct, there was also another XP example mentioned recently on our Forum. The plain and simple reason for using "find" was a continuation of a theme. It's nice to see terrific examples of a simple but historic machine. I have had nothing but good experiences with Larry Hawes and hope to have many more in the future.

Sincerely, Jerry Blais

I "found" mine first on craigslist, and then in the trunk of the guy who delivered it to me in the parking lot of the local chili's.

[Swing Band Heaven]

Great find Jerry. I just wish I could find machines like that here but at least you have been generous to share your fantastic find here with us.

[ehs004]

George ,
How early are you talking ? my 1898 Columbia BS coin-op has the same type of spring barrel and a mandrel tag ? I think the tag has different information than the later tag ? It probably doesn't have patent info on belt cover i'll bet!
Eric

Mandrel tags didn't appear on Eagles until about #145,000. Tabbed spring barrels appeared at the same time. If your BS is numbered over 145,000 and has metal plates holding the spring barrels together, it's highly probable that the barrels/springs were replaced.

You're correct that an Eagle numbered in the 80,000s should not have a belt cover with patent information stamped into it. Early cased Eagles had plain belt covers. Jerry's belt cover has a serial number stamped in it which confirms that his Eagle was manufactured as a $10 "caseless" model. The cool base and lid were supplied by the retailer.

All this and much more detail on Eagles (and BS coin-ops) has been written about in the Antique Phonograph Society journal. All APS members have online searchable access to all journals going back to March 2004. One of several very nice member benefits...

George P.

George,
Here is another example of what your'e calling a tabbed spring barrel with a early serial number and i know of more , he took the flat key off and stuck on a filigree key because he liked s the look !

[HisMastersVoice]

Put away your knitting needles, ladies. Why get into such petty semantics and ruin the whole reason of this thread, and the forum itself.

Fantastic machine, no matter where or how you found it.

[ehs004]

Brandon,
I'm no lady but i am trying to find out if my 1898 BS coin-op has the correct spring barrel . I am under the impression it does and have now been told it does not and would like to find out!! ,If you look at the conversations between me and George you can clearly see i'm researching something .Is that not what the forum is for?
Eric :