Found in the Wilds of Facebook Marketplace, Early Home Suitcase, 2 and 4 minute conversion with Model O Reproducer

[AllenKoe]

A very nice package indeed. It is surprising to see that early "branded" crank with 'National Phonograph Co.' on an 1899 machine.

There was an even earlier-style crank, used when the Home first appeared in Oct 1896 (with single-spring mainspring barrel), and that one said "U.S. Phonograph Co." (but quite rare). Some models may well have been sold out of order.

Both the first Home and giant "Spring Motor" types had these branded cranks originally, and in the same sequence, from "US" to "National." and then to "blank."

Although some still resist the explanation, there is even a chronological "sequence" to the number of "Lines" used in the gold scroll decals on the lid (over time). I cannot tell, at this resolution however, whether the number of such vertical lines, below the "DI" (in Edison), has 14 or 18 lines.

Allen

[Django]

A very nice package indeed. It is surprising to see that early "branded" crank with 'National Phonograph Co.' on an 1899 machine.

There was an even earlier-style crank, used when the Home first appeared in Oct 1896 (with single-spring mainspring barrel), and that one said "U.S. Phonograph Co." (but quite rare). Some models may well have been sold out of order.

Both the first Home and giant "Spring Motor" types had these branded cranks originally, and in the same sequence, from "US" to "National." and then to "blank."

Although some still resist the explanation, there is even a chronological "sequence" to the number of "Lines" used in the gold scroll decals on the lid (over time). I cannot tell, at this resolution however, whether the number of such vertical lines, below the "DI" (in Edison), has 14 or 18 lines.

Allen

I’m not sure that I follow, but mine has 18 vertical lines.

[AllenKoe]

The first covers of the Edison Suitcase Home had just 10 lines (below the DI), then 14, then 18, and maybe even more (over the years).
It is a "rough" dating technique. Why they bothered with such a detail, invisible to most (then and now), is hard to tell...

Allen

[fran604g]

The first covers of the Edison Suitcase Home had just 10 lines (below the DI), then 14, then 18, and maybe even more (over the years).
It is a "rough" dating technique. Why they bothered with such a detail, invisible to most (then and now), is hard to tell...

Allen

I'd always thought the lines had deminished over time, obviously I've had it backwards. Thanks for clarifying that relatively ignored feature, Allen.

Fran

[Django]

The horn came out nice. I never liked the smooth, Music Master horns, but this one has grown on me. The wood grain is decoration enough.

I haven’t done anything to the machine yet, but I did come up with a place to display it and I am using a crane that I already had. I will keep it as a properly converted example.

I still haven’t recorded the New Year gathering cylinder.

Does anyone know how to control the orientation if pictures? Thanks in advance.

(I figured a way to get the pictures oriented. I rotated them part way around, saved, rotated them the rest of the way and saved again. It’s a bit awkward, but it worked). I fixed the pictures at the beginning of the thread as well.

[KCW]

Looking forward to the brown wax recording when time permits. This setup looks fantastic! I love the glass case. Are those steam engines in there? So cool. I’ve got a VV 8-9 as well, which I overpaid for, but absolutely love. For some reason the 8-9 cabinet just really really looks elegant and simple to me, all at once. Great presentation!

[Django]

Thank you for the kind words.

Those are steam engines. All are operational, and the large one is capable of powering a small launch. My father machined and built the smaller engines and started the large one. I finished machining and building it because he no longer could. He built the ship model when he returned from the CCCs in 1938. It is need of a re-rigging, (one of my upcoming projects).

[Schlick]

I have a modern phono cartridge with a large, 2 min sized stylus, which replaces the O in that carriage. By acoustic reproducer standards, it may be able to play the brown wax recording "with little or no wear." But it would play it electronically...
Kind of like this one:

file.jpg (45.69 KiB) Viewed 615 times

[Django]

Here is the brown wax New Years Eve recording. The year is not divulged and the recording is not great, but it may be of interest. I suspect that there was alcohol present.

I will be going to the Wayne Show in April. If anyone will be there and has an exceptional 2 minute machine with a floating reproducer and good recording capability, I would be happy to lend them the cylinder and they can give it back at the September show.

[KCW]

This is great! I love when they shout “Happy New Year!”. It seems like they cycle through a few different songs. I like the chatty parts in between, but I can’t tell what they are saying. A wonderful slice of time, otherwise forgotten. What a treasure.

Is there any way to contact the seller and get a little more information in the machine history and perhaps the folks on the cylinder? What a magnificent piece of American history. Thank you for sharing!