Brunswick made Edison cabinets?

[gunnarthefeisty]

I've read that in the early to mid 1910s, Brunswick was making cabinets for Edison- is there any indication this is true, and which cabinets did Brunswick produce? Are there any markings on these cabinets that identify them as Brunswick made?
Thanks,
Gunnar

[Benjamin_L]

Yes, sometime around 1914 Brunswick started making cabinets for multiple Edison models. It only lasted a few years, to quote Wakeman's book "The story that Brunswick began manufacturing phonographs because the Edison Company refused a shipment of cabinets from Brunswick persists and is often repeated. Brunswick was expecting the cabinet contract with Edison not to be renewed and it was decided to begin manufacturing two styles of complete Brunswick phonographs. The plan became official on April 20th"

When Brunswick started making their own machines in 1916, they repurposed Edison cabinets. You'll occasionally find Edison cabinets rebranded as Brunswicks.

[schweg]

Where did you get that great picture? Please cite your source.

[phonogfp]

Yes - please cite your source!

George P.

[Benjamin_L]

Oops my mistake! I should've included the link to the topic George shared the photo in.

(viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4414&p=23156&hilit=brunswick#p23156)

[gunnarthefeisty]

I've got to track one of those A250 cabinets with the Brunswick mechanisms down. Are there any markings on the Brunswick made Edisons that indicate as such, or a run of serial numbers?

[phonogfp]

I've got to track one of those A250 cabinets with the Brunswick mechanisms down. Are there any markings on the Brunswick made Edisons that indicate as such, or a run of serial numbers?

As you can see on the second image shown in the page scan above, there's a Brunswick decal on the lower interior panel of the lid.

George P.

[EarlH]

I used to see those "Edison Brunswicks" in antique stores along the Mississippi here in Iowa and Illinois once in awhile back in the 1970's and 80's. I haven't seen one for a long time now, but I don't drive around looking through shops like I did back in those days. It seems like Brunswick had a factory along the river down by Dubuque or Davenport and that might explain some of it. Someone must have told me that back then, but I really don't know for sure. There used to be a lot of furniture companies along the river, but that's all long gone.

[gunnarthefeisty]

I've got to track one of those A250 cabinets with the Brunswick mechanisms down. Are there any markings on the Brunswick made Edisons that indicate as such, or a run of serial numbers?

As you can see on the second image shown in the page scan above, there's a Brunswick decal on the lower interior panel of the lid.

George P.

What I mean is the ones that Edison DID use in production.

[phonogfp]

What I mean is the ones that Edison DID use in production.

Oops - my mistake.

You'd need to know the Cabinet Factory number for Brunswick, and check the little tag inside the cabinet. Unfortunately, I'm not aware of a key to the cabinet factory numbers. Brunswick would have been a low number, probably less than #6.

Based on late-model Edison production, I'm pretty certain that #18 was Edison's own New London WI cabinet factory, but that doesn't help identify the Brunswick-made A-250s and/or B-250s.

George P.