Edison's Museum Phonographs

[audiophile102]

I was watching TV when I saw a segment about Edison's Orange NJ museum. I was surprised to see a Victrola and a Brunswick on display. I wouldn't have expected to see so few Edison's machines. I'm sure Edison would not approve competitors machines displayed if he was able to object. I would like to visit the museum someday.

[gsphonos]

That is the original setup of machines, as I remember. Edison had some competitor machines to see how they compared with his! It’s a great museum and I hope you can go. I haven’t been since 1997, and the music room pictured was not opened yet. Would love to go back and see this room some time.

Mike Sorter

[JerryVan]

The Columbia on the far right used to belong to me. Years ago, the Historic Site put out a request to acquire that make & model. Original photos of the music room showed the Edison, Brunswick & Columbia, lined up as you see them today. Edison was keeping tabs on the competition. I contacted the site and within a day or two a van pulled up in my driveway, near Detroit, to collect up my donation. As I was told, nearly all of the furnishings in the room are the original ones. They were still on-site, but scattered throughout the complex. Still want to go one day to visit "my" Columbia!

[JimN]

The room in your photo is almost exactly as it was in Edison's day. It was a working part of his laboratory. There are old pictures of the room as it appeared then, and the museum staff made sure it looks virtually the same.

Since the Edison Historic Site is now effectively a museum, there are other rooms that display many Edison phonographs, including quite a few one of a kind machines. Edison's original tinfoil phonograph is there (made by John Kruesi).

Jim Nichol

[edisonphonoworks]

The music room was originally where many early 1888-1895 cylinder recordings were made, mostly experimental, but some commercial releases. It was used for cylinder recording until about 1905, in 1906 much of the recording operation was done at 79, 5th avenue. It would be hard to of set it up as it was in the 1890's. It is set up as it would have been for record reviewing, as it was in the teens. And yes the other companies machines was used to compare the Edison recordings to others, they would have copies of the same song, on Victor, Columbia Brunswick, and do comparisons to make sure the quality of the Edison was above those of the competitor.