Wanted: Brass elbow for a late AH Graphophone c1904

[langleycello]

Greetings,

A few weeks ago I posed some questions about the possible restoration of a Columbia 1904 AH horn which was badly rusted. Fortunately, I have found a local tinsmith with the requisite skills to remodel the tin section and preserve the brass bell. The only thing I need now is an elbow between the horn and the reproducer. I see that there is a standard design used with various machines from this period and I just wonder if anyone has one they would be happy to sell me? I would have to factor in postage to Australia but would be very grateful if someone was able to help

The tinsmith also requires some detail about the aperature of the small end of the horn which fits into the elbow. Does anyone have the dimention of this at hand?

Please PM me if there is any prospect and many thanks for your consideration.

Kind regards,

Stephen

[Jerry B.]

Could one of our Columbia experts comment on the type of elbow and horn used on a 1904 AH? Would it have been a leather or brass elbow from the factory? I think it would be easier for the tinsmith to repair the horn if it should have a leather elbow. A leather elbow horn would have a continuous taper from the bell to an opening at the small end. How large is the opening for a Columbia leather elbow horn? If a 1904 AH should have a brass elbow the tinsmith would have to build a shoulder to accommodate the brass elbow. I hope the repair your machine so it's historically correct.

Jerry Blais

[langleycello]

Thanks for your thoughjs Jerry,

You have a good point here and it may simply be easier to anticipate a leather elbow, as the shoulder may be more of a challenge to fashion. I think there was a comment, now I think of it, following my initial posting suggesting that both leather and brass elbows were in use in the AH Graphophones. I am quite certain that this is a later AH but for convenience maybe I should go down the leather elbow route until such a time as I find a replacement horn..?

This being the case, I wonder if there is a pattern / template for a leather elbow which I can show my local bootmaker?

Kind regards,

Stephen

[Jerry B.]

The AH was one of the most popular Graphophones and was manufactured for quite a few years. During that time it went through several variations in both cabinet and mechanisms. The AH was introduced with a leather elbow and an appropriate horn that mated with the leather elbow. Some time during production it transitioned to a brass elbow and shouldered horn that accepted the brass elbow. I don't know if this was done during a particular AH variation or at the introduction of a new AH variation. I suspect the change to a brass elbow was quite immediate with very little, if any, overlap with leather elbow examples but that's an educated guess.

As a collector/restorer, it should be a goal to be as authentic as possible. When I hear the word "convenience" it generally means a path of least resistance which may or may not be towards an authentic restoration. That's a route that is too often taken. The early Graphophone AJ is a good example. The first AJ is a very unique machine known today by collectors as a "top wind" AJ. It was a very unique machine that, without exception, left the factory with a leather elbow. But the majority of top wind AJ machines seen at phono sales have brass elbows. Why? Your guess is as good as mine. The top wind shared few common parts with other AJs. When front mount machines became obsolete they were stored in the attic or basement and parts were separated. Very few top wind AJs have come through time with their original parts. I don't know how many times I've heard an optimistic seller say "It was a common upgrade to use a brass elbow back in the day." Really? Why? You could purchase a cheap clamp for the small end of the leather elbow. After adding a tab of glue the leather elbow could be firmly attached to the horn. Problems solved without buying an expensive replacement horn and elbow. Yes, a horn could have been damaged when the machine was current. Yes, it may have been difficult to buy a leather elbow type horn late in the front mount era so a later horn and elbow my have been the best solution. Unless a seller has provenance I will will always suspect that the path of least resistance was taken when I see a machine that should have a leather elbow with a later horn and metal elbow.

My reply is way too long but it's made with the best intentions.

Jerry Blais