Subject: 1920 Amberola 30 Questions.. An Enigma.

[NEFaurora]

Subject: 1920 Amberola 30 Questions..An Enigma.


Got a few questions. About three years ago, I picked up a nice Amberola 30 from the Orlando phonograph show.

I've been doing some cleaning on it, and noticed the markings on the bedplate in the below pic. I'm trying to narrow down exactly what they are. Need some help on this from others that can verify what they are.

This phonograph also unusually came with a rare written history of this machine which I usually never get with the majority of machines that I come in contact with. I believe it to be all original. It even came with written documentation which I never get with a machine, but this one came with it. It was bought by a man for his daughter in September 1920 and had stayed with the same family ever since until it was sold to the dealer who in turn sold it to me.

Serial# of this Amberola machine: Serial# SM-167342

Markings on Bedplate (See Photo Below) are:

1. Metal "Scribed" stenciling of "134600" or "B4600" Even with a magnifier, It's hard to make out the first letters/numbers in upper left of photo.

2. Stamped with Number# 36711 on the middle right side and a huge "B" right below it on bedplate. - Usually, I would think that this was a Serial Number, but I am not so sure on this machine.


I need the advice of some Edison Pros that know for sure what the stamped numbers and the "B" on the bedplate mean. I also have no idea what the metal stenciled numbers in the upper right mean either.

Anyone got any ideas?

I'd like to know for sure.

Does anyone's Amberola 30 ID Dataplate Serial# number match up with what is stamped under their Amberola 30 Bedplate? I have another older Amberola 30 from about 1916-1917 that I will take apart next week. I am dying to know if the dataplate serial number on that one matches up with what is stamped underneath the bedplate. I guess that I will find out that one next week...lol...

Here's a link to the photo...The forum will not let me post a pic bigger than 800 pixels wide now... Is there a fix for that as well? Instead, I have to post the link below instead of just inserting the picture like I normally did in the past.. Also, Please download and explode the pic for higher resolution. Thanks.


http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj91 ... rkings.jpg


Thanks guys,

I can't wait to see the responses on this one.

All the best,

Tony K.
Melbourne, FL

[FloridaClay]

Here it is.

Clay

[Yamaphone]

I don't know what those numbers represent but I thought I might share something I discovered about Edison machines. In the photo, you can see a patch of black putty or some other material near the numbers being discussed. I believe that if you scrape this putty away, that the serial number of the machine will be stamped under it. I was working on a Edison Home once and thought that the black material was hardened grease. When I scraped the stuff away, I found the serial number that matched the one on the Phonograph stamped into the cast iron.
I think this was done for cases where ownership of Phonographs was disputed for some reason and someone tried to remove or alter the visible serial number.
Has anyone else experienced this?

Dan Z.

[NEFaurora]

Hmm, Interesting, I never would have thought that anything was even under there, though, I would not scrape it unless I knew for sure or if I was re-doing the bedplate which this bedplate is near mint so it does not to be re-done in this case. I always thought that the extra" goop mound on the back of the bedplates was just excess material from the jappaning process, I never would expect anything to be under there.

But who knows?

Does anyone have any beat-on Amberola 30 bedplates lying around so we can compare markings?

)

Tony K.

PS: I still need the answers to my original questions on the beginning of this thread though.

[Dave D]

It is probably a long shot, but I wonder if it is the mark of a repairer? Watch repairers routinely mark the case of a watch and record the work done in a logbook.
Just a thought.
Dave D

[NEFaurora]

Geez, Not much movement on this thread... It looks like everyone is asleep this week..lol.

Anyone?

)

Tony K.

[NEFaurora]

Wow, Noone will even take a stab at this question...I am shocked!

)

Tony K.

[FloridaClay]

Wow, No one will even take a stab at this question...I am shocked!

)

Tony K.

Alas Tony, nothing worthwhile to offer.

Clay