Columbia AT Cylinder Phono Question

[startgroove]

Cliff, Some additional information: It appears your carriage assembly is cast iron. That makes it an earlier version. Later ones were made in white metal and many of them are found badly warped. The reproducer holder is also die cast in white metal on both the earlier and later version, and most are brittle and have become damaged through the ages. If you find one, it will likely be damaged. There is a guy in Canada (forgotten the contact info) who was making that part several years ago. I ordered one from him and successfully got my AT to work thanks to his remade part. Hopefully someone else here has his information.

[fran604g]

Cliff, Some additional information: It appears your carriage assembly is cast iron. That makes it an earlier version. Later ones were made in white metal and many of them are found badly warped. The reproducer holder is also die cast in white metal on both the earlier and later version, and most are brittle and have become damaged through the ages. If you find one, it will likely be damaged. There is a guy in Canada (forgotten the contact info) who was making that part several years ago. I ordered one from him and successfully got my AT to work thanks to his remade part. Hopefully someone else here has his information.

Jean-Paul Agnard? http://www3.sympatico.ca/jean-paul.agna ... uction.htm

Best,
Fran

[CDBPDX]

My AT's serial number is about 1000 earlier (214331).

Bill

Mine has a slotted crank. Does yours? Apparently, this is not common as most of the ones shown on the internet seem to use use a threaded crank. When did it switch to threaded crank?

Cliff

[Lucius1958]

My AT's serial number is about 1000 earlier (214331).

Bill

Mine has a slotted crank. Does yours? Apparently, this is not common as most of the ones shown on the internet seem to use use a threaded crank. When did it switch to threaded crank?

Cliff

Yes, the crank is 'slotted' in typical early style: if left on the shaft, it will tend to fall off while playing. The threaded crank apparently did not appear (at least on the AT) until at least 1903 (my approximate guess: if anyone has more detailed information, they are welcome to post it).

I would be interested if you could examine what remains of the wording on the front decal: does it have the "Broadway" addresses, or the "New York - Paris" notice? I would like to know approximately when the decal changed.

Bill

[fran604g]

I would be interested if you could examine what remains of the wording on the front decal: does it have the "Broadway" addresses, or the "New York - Paris" notice? I would like to know approximately when the decal changed.

Bill

Bill,

George Paul did a great article in The Antique Phonograph September 2016 issue, titled "Cylinder Graphophone Decals: Chronology and Variations".

Best,
Fran

[clevelander]

I can highly recommend Jean-Paul Agnard who has just replaced the pot-metal sleeve on my AT, No 269375.
Regards,
Alistair.

[CDBPDX]

I would be interested if you could examine what remains of the wording on the front decal: does it have the "Broadway" addresses, or the "New York - Paris" notice? I would like to know approximately when the decal changed.

Bill

The decal on mine has suffered greatly from the refinish job, however it appears to have several addresses on Broadway in New York. I see nothing about Paris. See photo. Cliff

[Lucius1958]

I would be interested if you could examine what remains of the wording on the front decal: does it have the "Broadway" addresses, or the "New York - Paris" notice? I would like to know approximately when the decal changed.

Bill

The decal on mine has suffered greatly from the refinish job, however it appears to have several addresses on Broadway in New York. I see nothing about Paris. See photo. Cliff

Thanks! That's the same decal I have on mine.

Bill

[CDBPDX]

Someone is parting out a model AT on eBay and it is serial number 235520. It has a threaded crank, so somewhere between 215383 and 235520, the switch was made from slotted crank to threaded crank.

[clevelander]

Someone is parting out a model AT on eBay and it is serial number 235520. It has a threaded crank, so somewhere between 215383 and 235520, the switch was made from slotted crank to threaded crank.

My AT at No 269375 has the slotted, drop-off crank.