who has the largest collection?

[phonogal]

The biggest phonograph collection (and so much more) ANYWHERE has to be that of Jasper Sanfilippo. He opens his house to the public for self-guided tours the same weekend as the swap meet in Union, Illinois. Trust me, no one is ever prepared for what they will see there - it defies adequate description. If you had a few hundred million to spend building a collection, this is what it would look like! It is the Mecca of phonographs (and all other forms of mechanical music) and everyone should make a pilgrimage to see it at least once.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Place_de_la_Musique

http://www.placedelamusique.org/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6s7lNXQ-Wo

This would make it very worth the 6hr ride.

I got to see The Sanfilippo collection this year for the first time. It was well worth the trip from Texas and I got to go to the Union show too! Hope I get to go again sometime as you can't take it all in with one trip.

[Kirkwood]

Well, don't I feel better now?! Thanks for putting up these great pics of (part of?) your fine collection. I get in a mood---every now and then---where I think that I really have too many machines, that I should simply concentrate on records and sell down the machines to a more reasonable count. Trouble is, I don't know how many machines constitutes "reasonable", but now I can tell myself "anything less than 308"! (So far my count is somewhere under 50). If you have more pics, I'd love to see them, and I think others on here would too.

So few of us have the space and financial resources to display a great collection the way that Mr Sanfilippo does with his many wonderful machines. I enjoy seeing what the everyman/everywoman collector does to display and access their treasures. As you did, adding some nice, collection-related artwork on the walls, some neat period lighting fixtures, and a few go-with items here and there, and you have a visually (and aurally) stimulating world away from the present century. It's something of a time-travel experience, but not in a creepy way.

[Valecnik]

I've been stuck at around fifty machines for a few years now and don't expect to go much higher than that for the obvious reasons, lack of square footage and cash. I buy one from time to time but try, "try" to send one out the door for every new one purchased. Record and cylinder collection has continued to grow though just because of no time to sort and sell duplicates etcetera...

[EFearing]

Well, don't I feel better now?! Thanks for putting up these great pics of (part of?) your fine collection. I get in a mood---every now and then---where I think that I really have too many machines, that I should simply concentrate on records and sell down the machines to a more reasonable count. Trouble is, I don't know how many machines constitutes "reasonable", but now I can tell myself "anything less than 308"! (So far my count is somewhere under 50). If you have more pics, I'd love to see them, and I think others on here would too.

So few of us have the space and financial resources to display a great collection the way that Mr Sanfilippo does with his many wonderful machines. I enjoy seeing what the everyman/everywoman collector does to display and access their treasures. As you did, adding some nice, collection-related artwork on the walls, some neat period lighting fixtures, and a few go-with items here and there, and you have a visually (and aurally) stimulating world away from the present century. It's something of a time-travel experience, but not in a creepy way.

I will try to up load more pics as I clean up and organize this mess. I have been in the process of photographing each one with at least 3 pics of each. Then inventoring each with specifics such as name, company, model #, cond, and if iI can remember price paid and from where it came. This is all done by me.. no help, so it might take me a while. The next task will be the untold thousands of records piled up in machines and cabinets. It's a good thing I'm retired, might be a long winter!!

[Tinkerbell]

May I show my ignorance by asking what a FROG is? Is that like a seavan, pole barn, or garage?

[Valecnik]

May I show my ignorance by asking what a FROG is? Is that like a seavan, pole barn, or garage?

Maybe I'll demonstrate my ignorance by guessing it's a small reptile of toadish proportions. I'll be interested to know what the right answer is too!

[Retrograde]

rented storage unit

[EFearing]

May I show my ignorance by asking what a FROG is? Is that like a seavan, pole barn, or garage?

Took me a few times with realtors to realize that a FROG stands for "finished room over garage". I guess that is something limited to the south. ED

[Tinkerbell]

May I show my ignorance by asking what a FROG is? Is that like a seavan, pole barn, or garage?

Took me a few times with realtors to realize that a FROG stands for "finished room over garage". I guess that is something limited to the south. ED

Thank you for clarifying that for me. I know I'm getting older, and for that reason, I generally try to stay up to date on current terminology. That one, however, was a new one for me; and I couldn't work the acronym out in my head to fit the situation... but I was having fun.

FROG = For Really Old Gramophones; For Ridiculously Obsessed Gramophiles, etc. You get the idea...

[EFearing]

As I attempt to clean, organize, catalog, and display the mass of machines in my collection I will post pictures. I always enjoy looking at other collections, so I hope you enjoy mine. More to come unless you all get tired of seeing them!