Horns Supplied with the Very First Edison Firesides

[MikeB]

I picked up an extremely early Edison Fireside with a serial number in the 300 range. It came with a black one-piece Edison Gem-marked polygonal horn, rather than the maroon two-piece Fireside version. In the "Edison Cylinder Phonograph Companion," George Frow mentions that the earliest Firesides may have been supplied with black japanned horns or blue or green ones. So essentially I am trying to figure out if there is any possibility that this black Gem horn might have been furnished with my machine originally, (in which case I'll keep it all together), or if only Fireside-marked 2-piece horns were sent out from the very start of production. I am not sure if Frow was referring to black "japanned" horns as one-piece Gem horns, or as two-piece Fireside horns, but I'll assume it's the two-piece version. Has anyone seen the two-piece horns with original blue, black or green paint?

Thanks - Mike

[MikeB]

Here it is, Fireside #336, just as I got it. Model K reproducer, crank, and that Gem horn. Missing only the crane. But did this horn come with this early machine originally? Maybe the maroon Fireside horns were not quite ready yet? Apparently your guess is as good a mine. This setup looks pretty untouched, but??

[Andersun]

Very interesting and that horn could have been originally supplied. The earliest “maroon” Fireside horns were one piece black Gem horns that were painted over with the maroon finish. Usually the finish is in better shape than the 2 piece Fireside horns because of the nice black base coat.

[MikeB]

Very interesting and that horn could have been originally supplied. The earliest “maroon” Fireside horns were one piece black Gem horns that were painted over with the maroon finish. Usually the finish is in better shape than the 2 piece Fireside horns because of the nice black base coat.

Thanks that was my feeling as well. I'm going to keep this horn on it when I restore the machine.

[ColoradoPhonograf]

Great purchase on an early serial # machine. I'd sure keep it like it is. it came down the same path all these years, it's likely to be original to the machine. congrats, I've never seen an earlier # Fireside. very cool.

D.Edwards

[phonogfp]

When the Fireside was first announced in the June 1909 issue of The Edison Phonograph Monthly, the 2-piece "colored" horn was specified. Also, the images of the new machine (which needed to be prepared well ahead of time) showed the 2-piece horn:

I read somewhere in Edison literature that one advantage of the new Fireside was that the sectional horn would reduce shipping costs to the dealer. All this suggests that the 2-piece maroon horn was supplied with the Fireside from the first. Unless other very early examples have been found with black 1-piece Gem horns, I'd be reluctant to claim this example came from the factory this way.

Far more likely, in my opinion, would be that the original customer didn't like the maroon horn, and the dealer - to make the sale - substituted the black Gem horn.

In any event, congratulations on acquiring such an early example. This one will still feature the earlier style single pinstriped bed plate with "tufts of grass" in the corners.

George P.