EDISON CLASS M

[ducretet]

Thank you so much. Thanks for your clarification. Incredible!!!!!!
Next week I will take more photographs, to be able to show something more.

Ferran

[Andersun]

For informational purposes, I had a Class M SN 6589 that was once in a Keller Coin Op but the mechanism was later repurposed into the typical late style edison "Victor" case like your Class M. Two features that stood out were a "SOLD FOR USE ONLY IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA" plate on the reverse side of the upper bedplate and an extended nickel plated arm that was screwed on the carriage above the lift lever. See pictures. If your carriage has 2 screw marks above the lift lever, it could have been in a Keller.

[ducretet]

I attach more photographs, so I can investigate more about the matter.
Thank you.
Ferran

[JerryVan]

More question marks????

Screenshot 2024-06-01 083808.png (448.47 KiB) Viewed 711 times

[phonospud]

Just as another tidbit of somewhat useless information. It’s my understanding that you cannot accurately date any class M mechanism from it’s serial number as the entire run of chassis castings we’re manufactured at one time in one large run, so low numbers turn up in late cases and vise versa. Early B series model T ford engines are like this too.

[phonogfp]

More question marks????

Jerry, the two empty holes at the top of the carriage were meant for a positioning wire (front) and its set screw (rear). This wire and the post seen on the Standard Speaker's tube plate were used to ensure the proper positioning of the cutting jewel with a speaking tube, and the reproducing stylus with a listening tube. Notches in the ferrules of the speaking and listening tubes prevented accidentally mixing the devices. These vestigial features are sometimes found on later machines due to the recycling of Edison Class M upper works.

The end gate fastener is typical of the design used on Edison machines at the behest of Edison-Bell for a few years into the early 20th century. I suspect the "EDISON" decals and the added "K" serial prefix were applied by the company that imported this machine for European consumption.

George P.

[JerryVan]

Thanks George!

[phonogfp]

You bet, Jerry!

Now if only someone can figure out what entity would have stamped that "K" on the top casting!

George

[Inigo]

Keller???

[edisonclassm]

I guess I had better put my two cents worth in after having restored over 60 class Ms over the years. It is my opinion that this machine is a very late Balmoral. 1905-1909. Possibly as late as 1910. I've had a couple like these with the late bedplate tag. The Henry Ford Museum has a gold-plated class M concert presentation machine produced in 1910. George is probably right about it being a machine produced for foreign consumption. Ferran, where are you from? Where did you get the machine from. Do you have any knowledge of its history? I have found in these very late machines that they eliminated the belt pulley lugs on the upper chassis and used the configuration you see on Ferran's machine. Makes for a less stable belt operation however. As far as the end gate goes and the knurled screw for holding the end gate shut, I restored Charley Hummel's gold plated under glass Concert machine with the same end gate configuration. It supposedly was sent to India. It would help Ferran if we knew where you were from and where the machine came from. That might shed some more light on the subject!