Brunswick Model List?

[Kirkwood]

I have long been a fan of the Brunswick phonographs and records. I think it's a fascinating company, and had wondered when a "Brunswick Collector's Guide" would come along. There was a Mr. R J Wakeman that---I had hoped---was involved in such an endeavor, but that may have been just wishful thinking on my part. He has posted a very good overview-type write-up on Tim Gracyk's website about Brunswick. Off & on, a book pops up on eBay that was published as a kind of company history of Brunswick. The chapter about the phonographs and records is far too brief for my taste.

According to that Brunswick book (and Mr Wakeman) the decision to jump into the phonograph industry seems to be a "corporate decision" sort of thing. The discussion went along the lines of: You've all seen these things, how hard could it be to make our own? Given that a number of the uprights have very Edison-looking details, it seems likely that Brunswick had already produced more than one run of cabinets for Edison, and had the jigs, forms, cutting knives on hand. I always thought that the molded oval horn had a decidedly Edison look to the profile, but have never researched the patent info covered by the dates on the horn decal that usually is found at the front.

Somewhere in storage up in NY, I have an old magazine called "Good Furniture" which dates to the late teens (maybe 1918?). In addition to numerous photos of furnished interiors of the day, with the odd phonograph advert here and there, there is an article reviewing the state of the phonograph industry as a producer of fine cabinetry. In it, the authors are extolling the new direction the phonograph industry was headed in the production of cabinets designed to blend into the "tasteful" interiors. NOT shown are the uprights so familiar to all of us; there isn't one Sonora "bulged/bombe" upright, even though they seemed to have been popular at the time---judging by the numbers of survivors we find today. Most of the cabinets shown in the article were Art Cases or consoles, very much like the Brunswick we see in the above post. It's interesting that---in their day---the consoles were the expensive, up-market, "tasteful" way of having phonograph music in the home. Today, among most collectors, they may be appreciated for the skilled woodworking involved, but otherwise they're just awful floorspace hogs.

But back to Brunswick-----beyond magazine adverts for individual models, it seems like there must have been lavish catalogs to display the whole line of models. Maybe somebody out there has some and just didn't feel like there was any interest out here. Well, yes! There is!

And over the years I have heard two different pronunciations for the second name of Brunswick-Balke-Collendar. One person said it as "Balk" the other said it as "Balkey"----which was right (and does it matter any more?)

[phonogfp]

Well, I have little to contribute regarding Brunswick model identification. I have, however, been expecting someone to make the Edison/Brunswick connection, but it hasn't happened so once again I'll post an annoying scan from one of those annoying books. This one is taken from Discovering Antique Phonographs, 1877-1929.

What I find interesting is that the lower carving looks the same as that on Bruce's A-250. I wonder if Cabinet Factory No.3 was Brunswick? (I just compared the feet again...I guess not...)

Anyway, I always thought this particular Brunswick was interesting...

George P.

[Lenoirstreetguy]

Well since we're into Brunswicks I'll scan more. Brunswick machines sold very well up here and they were heavily advertised in Canadian publications. Brunswick rather courted the Canadian market for some reason: the first Brunswick records were sold up here...all vertical cut...before the line was introduced in the States. There was a Brunswick factory here in Toronto and one of the American company's early forays into recording in the field was a trip to Toronto to record the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, our huge choral group which is still very much with us. If you ever run across any of the records you'll hear that mediocre Light Ray sound in all its fuzzy glory.
I like the sounds the machines produce: their horns must have made the Edison gang gnash their teeth, but they do sound very nice. Brunswick went for what The Gramophone magazine in the acoustic days would have called a "Romantic" sound ( vs " Realistic): a warm rather mellow tone which diminishes surface noise and makes the rather brilliant Brunswick acoustics sound particularly fine when played on the big Ultona.

Jim

[SonnyPhono]

George,

It's funny you showed that scan. I was in an antique shop today and met a local collector by random coincidence. During our conversation I mentioned that there is a Columbia phonograph that uses the Amberola I cabinet. This gentleman didn't think I was correct and that I must have my facts mixed up. I told him I had read about it, but couldn't recall which book it was in. Now I can email him and tell him where he can find it!

By the way, while hunting today I found a strange table top model that I would love to know more about. It has large glass sides that show the motor, horn and other inner workings. It is a small internal horn phonograph with relatively cheap looking parts. (ie. reproducer, tonearm, etc.) The tag on the machine said that it was used in a music shop to demonstrate how a phonograph works. The phonograph looked like it was of the correct period, but I have just never seen anything like it. I didn't have my camera with me, but I did take a couple of pictures with my cell phone. If anyone would like me to send them via text message and would like to take a stab at identifying it for me, please let me know. There wasn't any identifying names on the reproducer, cabinet or anywhere else. I would be interested in having someone else take a look to see what they think.

Sorry about straying off topic!

[Tinkerbell]

George,

It's funny you showed that scan. I was in an antique shop today and met a local collector by random coincidence. During our conversation I mentioned that there is a Columbia phonograph that uses the Amberola I cabinet. This gentleman didn't think I was correct and that I must have my facts mixed up. I told him I had read about it, but couldn't recall which book it was in. Now I can email him and tell him where he can find it!

By the way, while hunting today I found a strange table top model that I would love to know more about. It has large glass sides that show the motor, horn and other inner workings. It is a small internal horn phonograph with relatively cheap looking parts. (ie. reproducer, tonearm, etc.) The tag on the machine said that it was used in a music shop to demonstrate how a phonograph works. The phonograph looked like it was of the correct period, but I have just never seen anything like it. I didn't have my camera with me, but I did take a couple of pictures with my cell phone. If anyone would like me to send them via text message and would like to take a stab at identifying it for me, please let me know. There wasn't any identifying names on the reproducer, cabinet or anywhere else. I would be interested in having someone else take a look to see what they think.

Sorry about straying off topic!

Did this one differ significantly from the glass sided phonograph you mentioned/queried about last year (in a post dated Sept 03 2009)? http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... w=previous

When checking around online (as I have limited local library resources here), it looks like there were several off-brand, quirky manufacturers of phonographs who used glass panels (ostensibly for that "wow" factor to grab newcomers). If you are interested in any of these web results, please post and I will include those links.

[SonnyPhono]

It sure is the same one! Still there and I still can't figure out what it is. It is probably a good indicator that it isn't anything to get worked up about as it has been there for over a year without selling. But when I saw it again, I was intrigued. There aren't any markings anywhere. It is strictly for demonstration purposes only. It doesn't have the craftsmanship to match a glass sided Zon-o-phone or Kurtzman. But it is interesting in it's own respect.

I will probably have to take a picture with my digital camera and post it here to see what others think. It may be a modern Frankenphone of sorts. But maybe not...

[phonogfp]

George,

It's funny you showed that scan. I was in an antique shop today and met a local collector by random coincidence. During our conversation I mentioned that there is a Columbia phonograph that uses the Amberola I cabinet. This gentleman didn't think I was correct and that I must have my facts mixed up. I told him I had read about it, but couldn't recall which book it was in. Now I can email him and tell him where he can find it!

I'm thinking that you mis-typed "Columbia" instead for "Brunswick," right? I'm not aware of a Columbia that came factory-equipped in an Edison cabinet. Your collector friend may be right!

George P.

[SonnyPhono]

Oops! Yup, I meant Brunswick. Don't know why I typed Columbia.