The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I never carry any cylinder machine by the lid. Consider the handle to be an ornament.

Any machine that is currently on display in my collection will not be wearing its lid. I own the machines because I like to look at them as well as use them, so I want them to be visible. I love to walk into the room and gaze around at the different machines on display.

Jim

lid on except my daily player

Lids are kept on except on my cygnet horn machines on display int the house. Although they are on they are unlocked for for easy showing to anyone who wishes to see them.

Rich Gordon

I keep the lids on my Edison and Columbia machines when not in use. Also, I never carry them by the lid. I have one hand on the bottom, and another one on the top. It keeps it steady when carrying them.
Harvey Kravitz

Grammar nazi question: Do I put lids on my Edison's what?

Regular answer: yes.

Bill

The lid is on the Standard D as I have no room to display it.

There is no lid on the Home B as I have never had a lid for it (it is stored in a box, at the moment). Now that it is working, I hope to get a decent case with a lid.

I store the lids in my walk-in closet - machines are displayed without the lids but each with a genuine Edison chip brush, grease, etc. just for an extra touch

I use one of those feather brushes I stole from my wife to wipe the dust off. Works great on the AJ's and Victor machines.

I used to leave the lids off of my Standards, but I began to notice a bit of wear to some of the more fragile bedplate decorations due to repeated cleaning. Now they all have their lids on between demonstrations and play time.

I confess that years ago I used to haul around my first Standard by the lid. I mended my ways after repeatedly seeing machines that seemed to be damaged by the lid "letting go". I was lucky that it never happened to me.

- Martin