Edison Spring Motor Phonograph In The Wild

[SonnyPhono]

So I stopped at an antique store yesterday on the way home from a short vacation. I only had about ten minutes to make a quick pass through the store. So I put on my phonograph finding goggles and zipped through the place. There wasn't much there by the means of phonographs with the exception of one. An Edison Spring Motor phonograph. It was in very good condition. The gold pin stripe decor and nickel plating were very nice and original. The cabinet was in original condition and looked very nice. Here are the downfalls. The drawer was a reproduction, although was very well done. The reproducer was a winged model C. Also, the lid was a reproduction. It wasn't stained yet though. It was sitting next to the machine. Someone did a heck of a job on it as the craftsmanship was superb.

Anyway, I was just wondering how common it is to find one of Edison's more rare phonographs out in the "wild" like this. Anyone care to share similar finds out in the "wild"?

[SonnyPhono]

By the way, I passed on buying it because of the $1900.00 price tag. I know that this would be an o.k. price if it was all original. But is it still a decent price considering the reproduction lid, drawer and model C reproducer?

[OrthoSean]

It seems like it could be a reasonable price, but I'll leave true estimates up to the Edison guys here. Still, at $1900, obviously somebody has an idea of what they are selling.

Sean

PS, "in the wild" is an awfully broad phrase these days, to me, it means "not from another collector".

[gramophone78]

Certainly not my idea of "in the wild".If it were in a lady's basement at a tag sale.......that would be good.This is in the hands of a collector/dealer and is priced at full retail and some. Given the repro items on it,I'm glad to hear you passed.Spend the 300.00 on the mint but, dusty one you find in that "basement" .

[SonnyPhono]

Great point! I guess "in the wild" was used a little loosely, huh?!

I guess I hadn't ever come across one in person for sale so it seemed a little "wild". But the person with that booth must have been a collector/dealer. There was also a book of Victor records in the original leather bound carrying case. The case had the original Victor label under the flap that talks about the records being "Voice Lesson" records. They were all in the carrier and were in great condition. The price was $15 which seemed reasonable considering there were several records and the case was original with dealer tags intact. I went ahead and bought them and passed on the Spring Motor.

[OrthoSean]

OK, well, I CAN tell you that was a nice buy on the voice lessons set. It's unique, which "voice" are they for? Tenor, Bass, Soprano...etc? They made a few different sets for different singing voices.

Sean

[phonogfp]

Assuming the "Spring Motor" was a run-of-the-mill example, $1900 sounds about retail. If it had a Class M top casting with the original brass mandrel, and/or the United States Phonograph motor variant, the price would be more attractive. But it sounds like your seller would have known better than to sell off an early "Spring Motor" for that price. Curious, though, that the new lid hadn't been stained... An hour's work, plus a couple of coats of shellac would make the machine far more attractive!

George P.

[SonnyPhono]

Thanks Ortho! I was hoping someone might know something about them. They are the Baritone lessons. I just got them out of the car and took a good look at them. Unfortunately, there are only 9 of the original 10. I am missing record no. 1. Apparently someone wasn't able to make it past the first lesson and left it on their turntable!

But they are all in Excellent condition and look as if they have never been out of their sleeves. The sleeves are interesting too. Each one has a different opera artist depicted. They are in amazing shape too. All of the numbered dividers are in the case too. The lid to the case has a small clasp on the front that latches with a lock. I wonder what the key would look like or how hard it would be to come by one. (I imagine next to impossible.)

My favorite part is on the certificate that is under the lid flap it states the the undersigned promises to play these records only on a Victor phonograph. There are places for the dealer and the buyer to sign and date on the certificate of purchase. Both the dealers certificate and a copy for the buyer are still attached to the flap. Neither were ever signed and are completely blank. I wonder if that adds to the value/rarity or not.

Anyway, I thought they were unusual when I saw them so I bought them. I passed up about 50 or so Blue Amberols in a glass case though as I didn't have time to get the clerk to open it for a view. I will probably head back this weekend to check out the titles.

[SonnyPhono]

Assuming the "Spring Motor" was a run-of-the-mill example, $1900 sounds about retail. If it had a Class M top casting with the original brass mandrel, and/or the United States Phonograph motor variant, the price would be more attractive. But it sounds like your seller would have known better than to sell off an early "Spring Motor" for that price. Curious, though, that the new lid hadn't been stained... An hour's work, plus a couple of coats of shellac would make the machine far more attractive!

George P.

I thought the same thing, George. The lid was very well made and was bare wood. I don't know why the person didn't stain it and put a few coats of shellac on. When I go back to check out the cylinders I will try to take a picture of it to show you. I knew enough to check the top casting and mandrel. It didn't have a brass mandrel and wasn't the casting from a Class M, otherwise, I would have been a little more tempted by that price.