The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

"I have only seen one other in 48 years of collecting. It belonged to Neumann Miller, and Freddy offered it to me in about 1987 for $4500, but I didn't pull the trigger. I don't know what ever became of it. Ever since then, I've preferred to find an 'E' than an oxidized version."

John,
Thanks for the reply. It would be great to find who has the one you saw years ago and compare it to this one.

Ken,
That is an assume find and yes, you hit the trifecta.

We are very jealous, nothing like this every shows up way down here in the south.

Anyway, couldn't have happened to a nicer guy, congratulations from:

David & Lerria Rosamond

The force has definitely been with you Ken! Congrats on a great find. I've been at this hobby a long time and this is the first I've ever seen!

VERY interesting. It's interesting to notice that the red paint is scraped off in the area just adjacent to the lid latch slot. Obviously from careless positioning of the lid as it was lowered onto the machine. Kind of tells me that this top works is legit. My question is more about the cabinet. Is it possible that it may be a reproduction? The corners in particular look very sharp & crisp, with no signs of 105 years of aging. How does the inside look?

Not nitpicking! Even with the questions raised here, this is a major find!

What a fantastic find. Wow.

I only know of two others with maroon topworks, one is about 100 numbers below, the other only 25 or so higher. Far rarer than the oxidized Idelias.

Congratulations!

TinfoilPhono wrote:What a fantastic find. Wow.

I only know of two others with maroon topworks, one is about 100 numbers below, the other only 25 or so higher. Far rarer than the oxidized Idelias.

Congratulations!

I would love to contact the owners of the other two you know of to compare the details of this phonograph. Is it possible?
Thanks,
Ken Brekke

Unfortunately I don't know where either one is today. My notes are from the mid-1990s.

Here are some additional requested photos. Notice the copper oxidation on the square nuts for the case handles and the lid support and mount. The nuts for the lid handle are different and not in the oxidized finish. The name under the lid is the previous owner, Howard St. Mary. Just the exterior of the case and lid were refinished. There are small holes on the inside of the case near the lid support and in the same place on the other side of the case. They don't go all the way through. I can't figure out what they would be for.

Thanks for the inside pictures. Like the basement or the attic of a house, they usually reveal more clues than the "main floor" view. Seeing those photos, I would say the case is original. It doesn't look "fresh" & clean inside, like a new construction might. It shows signs of age and remnants of old finish that, thankfully, were not stripped away.

Great find, thanks for sharing this rare and unusual machine.

Bruce