The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I was in junior high when I heard my first phonograph, and in high school when I started collecting. Edison phonographs that is lol. Now I help operate a local Edison Phonograph museum and have a collection of about 30 machines including oak A250's and an Edison army/navy and I'm only 24! I've found people my age and younger can be interested and vinyl of all kinds is making a come back. I think there is prospect for the future of collecting and preserving this history.

Dustie89 wrote:I was in junior high when I heard my first phonograph, and in high school when I started collecting. Edison phonographs that is lol. Now I help operate a local Edison Phonograph museum and have a collection of about 30 machines including oak A250's and an Edison army/navy and I'm only 24! I've found people my age and younger can be interested and vinyl of all kinds is making a come back. I think there is prospect for the future of collecting and preserving this history.

Wow, you are doing great for only 24! My collection wasn't that big at that age. I'll tell you a story that might give clues to future happiness. While at that age I was engaged to be married, I bought three phonographs in quick succession to let her know what behavior I was capable of. It didn't scare her off, and I have been married over 30 years.

Context clues tell age lol. The phonographs do cause some tension in a relationship lol. Especially when u got to hide some out at a friends house, but I would know nothing about that. The collection I curate at the museum is pretty neat. Very fortunate to get to play with some rare machines and let people enjoy them. I'll attach some pics.

Our hobby is a niche, and not much more-either your in to it or not.
Most people view a wind up as a curiosity ,a throw back from a very distant time, and then forget about it.
Which on the bright side- it leaves more phonographs for us to explore.
I am also into Traditional black powder muzzleloading ( Daniel Boone style- no modern in-line for me!)
Modern hunters think I am a little askew.
That's just the way it is.
It is a hobby for people who enjoy things forgotten, faded with time.
It takes a real appreciation for these things to fully enjoy our small but very selective hobby.
Regards, Johnny

While in college (3 or 4 years ago). I did a presentation with my Victrola for my American Popular Music class. We did study 20's music, but with no mention of the machines that played it. When we got the the late 20-early 30's, they mentioned the microphone and such, which I thought was a shame. So, I brought in the Victrola, explained how it worked, passed around a record, and played a few. They were impressed.

In my Junior year I also brought my Edison Standard in for a project on Thomas Edison. This was much more mind blowing than the Victrola. Several people in the music class had lp's, and more had seen them, so to many it was similar to the lp. The Edison with it's cylinders was a completely different beast, and everyone was crowding around it.

I think if more young people knew about this stuff, there would be more of an interest.

Even the older generation can have some misconceptions about antique phonographs. On PawnStars a few years ago, a young man was trying to sell a suitcase Edison Home to the Old Man. As they were negotiating, the young man was trying to get another $50 or so saying, but this phonograph includes 35 cylinder records in excellent condition! So the Old Man said, "Son, people don't buy these old phonographs to listen to the music. They are strictly for display in someone's den!"

This may be true- however, Just because we are very interested in something does not mean that other people are. Regards, Johnny

Since the mueseum got started about a year ago I've got three people started in collecting, and I have met some people on the east cost who are in their mid twenties as well who are collecting. The secret is, I believe, is to bring the hobby more into the public eye. People can't be interested if they don't know. There is some good music, the old man is using sales talk lol. I have paid up for some good Edison cylinders and DD. Not to mention the historical recordings of Roosevelt and let us not forget records.They are oddities to people and that is what makes them great. Like I say in my presentations, it is a hobby that encompasses history, science, and social development of the late 19th and early 20th century. Just have fun with it

Here are some pics of the little museum we have put togehter. There is more plus our personal collections, not included in the exhibit. There is myself and two other collectors involved. It really excites me now when the city refers us to people from foreign countries and out of other states and they come to visit. There's been good feed back, and even been in a couple if magazines.

Awesome!
Would love too see it in person.
Regards, Johnny