Edison Idelia Phonograph

[Dave]

eBay Item #251384092896

starts at $22,750.00

[Valecnik]

This same machine was offered for sale about 8 or 10 years ago at an auction in Germany. I'm sure it's all legit and I'd love to have it but… probably not in the cards.

[FloridaClay]

I know these are pretty rare and desirable, but do they really bring that kind of money?

Clay

[Valecnik]

When that one sold at auction in Europe it went for just over $30k. An even nicer one with the 11 panel sold for just over $40k a couple years later. I've seen at least one nice machine, no horn or crane that sold at Union for over$20. Based on that the starting price does not seem unreasonable but the market has softened a bit as we all know. For something this nice, this rare it's just hard to say.

[VintageTechnologies]

The Idealia phonographs do fetch high prices when sellers and buyers know the significance of that model. However, they can surface "out of nowhere". A old guy called me up in 1986 by referral, asking if I would repair his Edison phonograph. I asked, "what have you got?", and he didn't know; an old geezer friend had sold it to him for $100.00, but it did not run well. He brought it over and I dropped my teeth, an Idealia! I asked if he had any interest in selling it, but no, a local fledgling phonograph/record dealer (who would be embarrassed by this story and shall remain nameless) had already offered him $500.00 but this guy refused and kept searching for a repairman until he found me. I explained the significance of what he had, but even I did not foresee the prices these machines would come to sell for now. At the time I figured its value was equivalent or a bit higher than an Opera. Needless to say, I fixed the problem (governor) and relished the opportunity to fix a glorified Triumph in an Opera cabinet.

[Phonofreak]

This is a nice rare machine. The only negative issue is the Opera lid. Opera lids come by every so often. To find an original Idealia lid, will be next to impossible. I don't know if there are reproduction Idealia lids available. They would have to be custom made.
Harvey Kravitz