Reflecting on 2015

[winsleydale]

2015 has been outstanding for me. In 2014, I had only one phonograph - my Edison H-19. I have since acquired 12 more machines, some all set to go, some working but in need of cosmetic work, and some requiring complete overhauls. I was introduced to Orthophonic-era machines, and then got a few of my own. I got hundreds of records, and dozens of new friends from all over the continent. And of course, Union was a blast!

My favorite acquisitions for the year have got to be my VV 8-12, my damn-near-perfect C-150 in oak, and my little VV-X, which is far and away the cutest little talking machine I have ever laid eyes on!

[alang]

2015 was a good year for me as well. I was able to attend both Wayne shows and also Union for the first time. Both the Union show and Jasper's mansion left great and lasting memories (and over 400 pictures) with me. At Union I picked up the brass morning glory horn for my Zonophone Grand Opera from Jerry Blais. I also met Winsleydale and flashpanblue and several other members for the first time in person. I had a great time and hope to be able to repeat that trip if possible. I added four machines to my collection, a cute little Pathé Modele 0 cylinder phonograph, a table top VV-X, a Coronet children's phonograph and a Thorens Excelda. All four were projects, but fixing them is why I'm in the hobby anyway. Still have not figured out how to get more machines into the house with my wife's approval. Maybe next year

Happy collecting!
Andreas

[fran604g]

I had a fabulous year, the second in a row!

Several new machines, the Wayne show last April, and the most memorable event was going to my own personal Mecca: The Edison Laboratory at West Orange. Nearly all of which couldn't have been done without my pal George.

I'm a very grateful man for the opportunities that have been afforded me this past year...and I'm still married, despite my filling the house up with these old contraptions, to boot!

Best,
Fran

[tinovanderzwan]

its been a verry verry good year on the collecting front
i found quite a number of new goodies this year.. but first i have to explain something i'm a very low budged collector not that i'm stingy i just have a low budget the max i can spend (for hobby) is about $100,- a month so its a real challenge to get my phono goodies
but don't be sorry for me because there's still plenty to choose from
my absolute best buy of this year is a victor vv2-30 portable the price was a bottle of beer!!
the second best is the brunswick 105 i bought for just 25,- in perfect working order with just the reproducer being stuk
third runner up a french phenix cylinder phonograph with missing horn/reproducer
fourth.. a Pathé olophone portable with 2 arms and reproducers
fith a beka tabletop
six a triangular (english/german) lindstrom tabletop with celluloid plate saying licenced by the gramophone co
and a Pathé baby projector
gizmo's a linguaphone needle sharpner
parts my 7th exhibition reproducer

i also extended my internet presence with 2 facebook pages
search on google for : tino van der zwan facebook my main page and tino van der zwan phonograph facebookn with a photo archive featuring phonographs only phono's from A to Z (under construction curentlly at letter E) several thousend photo's to enjoy
as well as youtube (search) tino van der zwan phono cave

health wise it hasn't been a good year i was diagnosed at the end of last year with chronic gout witch is affecting all my joints and in sept i got severe bronchitis of witch im still healing

curently i found a watchtower portabe throug the social media connections i made so we'll se how that goes price wise

for 2016 i'm planning not to change very much my tino van der zwan phonograph facebook page will still need a lot of work and i hope to finnish that one at about the sept 2016 range it will then have 10,000+ photographs of all kinds of makes of phonographs for collectors to see

i hope you all have a good year of collecting in 2016 and happy holliday season for 2015

best of wishes
tino

oh yeah i forgot about this columbia witch was a donation from a youtube viewer

[emerson]

This is a really good idea! Besides Emerson and Emerson related records---- Talking Book, Mother Goose, and Kiddie Rekords, also picked up two Emerson phonographs models that were not in the collection---with one hopefully to be delivered from Pittsburgh soon. As far as I know there are only a couple of models left that I don't have--yet. Would really like to see someone open a museum, so the Emerson collection could be put on loan, Yeah I need room in the house too. Remember that cigarette commercial---show me your Lark pack, was it? Show me your Emerson phonograph. Enjoyed this---nice idea.

[Player-Tone]

2015 has been a good year. I didn't expand my collection, but I did thoroughly enjoy the machines I currently have. This includes attending several events were I brought a portable phonograph to share the enthusiasm.

At a vintage car show with the VV-50 in September. The cars are parked behind the camera.

Spinning 78s during a local antique store's open house in April.

Also many relaxing evenings enjoying 78s and cylinders at home.

[Starkton]

This year I turned 51 and took this date as an opportunity to slow down collecting considerably after 35 years of treasure hunting. Actually, I have accumulated enough and now it is time to get an overview and enjoy what I have. Furthermore, I want to give young collectors a chance to gain a foothold.

Reflecting on 2015: When I was still 50 I purchased the last phonograph I was really after: a Puck of late 1897/early 1898. It is missing the funnel, but I let me make one. Unhurriedly, of course.

[tinovanderzwan]

(quote)''i also extended my internet presence with 2 facebook pages
search on google for : tino van der zwan facebook my main page and tino van der zwan phonograph facebookn with a photo archive featuring phonographs only phono's from A to Z (under construction curentlly at letter E) several thousend photo's to enjoy
as well as youtube (search) tino van der zwan phono cave


for 2016 i'm planning not to change very much my tino van der zwan phonograph facebook page will still need a lot of work and i hope to finnish that one at about the sept 2016 range it will then have 10,000+ photographs of all kinds of makes of phonographs for collectors to see

i hope you all have a good year of collecting in 2016 and happy holliday season for 2015

best of wishes
tino''(end quote)



i took this thread to do an inventory of what i brought inn this year and i'm up to 14 new phono's
if there are any people on this forum who suported me on facebook and youtube i would like to thank you very very much the sites are there for you guys to enjoy and the more help i can get the more i can expand and improve
so again thank you sooo very very much!

tino

[Lucius1958]

Not too shabby a year: finally got the BF playing; had a Standard B dropped into my lap; an Edison shaver; a couple of new horns and a crane; and of course some good records.

Can't complain.

Bill

[edisonphonoworks]

This year was good. Did lots of advancements to the blank cylinders, and sold many blanks to mostly overseas customers, who had the decency to make nice videos of them in action. Spent time in Nashville, and introduced the cylinder phonograph record to United Record Pressing, and Mark Aartun former owner of the nickel plated Class M from Omaha Ne that is talked about on this forum works the disc recording division "Innerspeaker Rercords". Did a filming in North Carolina with Dan Pritzker for the Bolden film which is still in production we used the studio recording head. I also did a sesssion in L.A. with Thomas Negovan. Some blanks used for Martin Fisher for two recording sessions in Nashville. I just worked on a new blank with an exceedingly quiet surface,I don't think I have ever heard a surface so quiet. By the way I am only selling pre made blanks and cylinders. I do not take orders, as I am focusing on quality, not numbers. I follow some things that Chuck Richards has taught me, in regards to more careful manipulation of the hydated aluminum, heating the mold to 232C as well as the compound poured in at this temperature, lots of filtering, and purchased some new lab equipment for more accuracy.