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Re: Unusual Edison W250
Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2018 10:56 am
by phonogal
fran604g wrote:I should add another thought:
I know the Antique (so-called gun-metal) finish wasn't introduced until 1922, so is it possible there was a preceding finish that may have been used earlier?
We know the A-150 was (reportedly - Frow) the only DD Phonograph that came with an oxidized bronze finish, correct?
Is it possible that some few other machines may have had some short-lived different version of the oxidized bronze finish?
Best,
Fran
Interesting I'm hoping someone else has one that looks like this one. I like it regardless but would be interested to know. The serial number is pretty early on this one 5603. According to Frow from Sept 15 1917 until the end of the year 3500 machines were sold (first 4 months of production) I don't know how Edison numbered his machines. Did he start his serial numbers from 1? Frow says the finish on the metal parts was gold.
Re: Unusual Edison W250
Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2018 11:00 am
by phonogal
OrthoSean wrote:My W-250 has the same finish as yours, Phonogal. It also has the Duncan stop like yours appears to. Unfortunately my machine has been in storage for a few years now because of space issues, but I sure do love it, mine also originally came from Massachusetts where it lived until I got it ten or so years ago. They're BIG machines for a floor model and imposing. I hope someday soon to be able to have mine back out on display, the grill and different metal finish really do make it stand out.
Sean
Great! When you get a chance, could you let us know what the serial number is on your machine? Maybe it was as Fran was thinking, a transitional type finish?
Re: Unusual Edison W250
Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2018 11:01 am
by fran604g
OrthoSean wrote:My W-250 has the same finish as yours, Phonogal. It also has the Duncan stop like yours appears to. Unfortunately my machine has been in storage for a few years now because of space issues, but I sure do love it, mine also originally came from Massachusetts where it lived until I got it ten or so years ago. They're BIG machines for a floor model and imposing. I hope someday soon to be able to have mine back out on display, the grill and different metal finish really do make it stand out.
Sean
I'd love to see some more close-up shots of this unique finish.
Here's Bruce's W-250 from his earlier posted link (
http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... f=2&t=2609), though it's not showing the entire horn throat, a portion of the "bronze" component of the finish can clearly be seen:
Re: Unusual Edison W250
Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2018 11:09 am
by phonogfp
fran604g wrote:
I know the Antique (so-called gun-metal) finish wasn't introduced until 1922, so is it possible there was a preceding finish that may have been used earlier?
There's a photo on page 121 of
The Talking Machine Compendium that shows a W-250 with the gunmetal finish (I think!). The W-250 nomenclature would date that machine prior to April 1919, wouldn't it?
George P.
Re: Unusual Edison W250
Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2018 11:22 am
by phonogal
phonogfp wrote:fran604g wrote:
I know the Antique (so-called gun-metal) finish wasn't introduced until 1922, so is it possible there was a preceding finish that may have been used earlier?
There's a photo on page 121 of
The Talking Machine Compendium that shows a W-250 with the gunmetal finish (I think!). The W-250 nomenclature would date that machine prior to April 1919, wouldn't it?
George P.
Hey George. that is on page 221.
It looks to be a gun metal finish on that W-250. Frow says the model of renamed W19 in April 1919.No mention of the metal finish though.
Re: Unusual Edison W250
Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2018 11:29 am
by Valecnik
phonogal wrote:phonogfp wrote:fran604g wrote:
I know the Antique (so-called gun-metal) finish wasn't introduced until 1922, so is it possible there was a preceding finish that may have been used earlier?
There's a photo on page 121 of
The Talking Machine Compendium that shows a W-250 with the gunmetal finish (I think!). The W-250 nomenclature would date that machine prior to April 1919, wouldn't it?
George P.
Hey George. that is on page 221.
It looks to be a gun metal finish on that W-250. Frow says the model of renamed W19 in April 1919.No mention of the metal finish though.
Also, given that both Phonogal's and my W-250 had the Duncan stop that would I believe date both machines in the 1917-1918 range.
Re: Unusual Edison W250
Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2018 11:48 am
by fran604g
Valecnik wrote:
Also, given that both Phonogal's and my W-250 had the Duncan stop that would I believe date both machines in the 1917-1918 range.
I agree. The Edison "Electric Automatic Stop" (aka the "Duncan" stop) disappears from production by late 1918.
George, Phonogal is correct I think, the William and Mary on pg.221 of your
Compendium appears to have the late "gun-metal" finish.
Best,
Fran
Re: Unusual Edison W250
Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2018 12:05 pm
by Curt A
I believe that the question comes from comparing one machine to another... These finishes were done by hand (parts were copper plated and aged with something similar to gun bluing, then buffed in patterns to give the unique appearance) and it only makes sense that certain employees that were buffing the finishes had their own unique styles and patterns...
Re: Unusual Edison W250
Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2018 12:26 pm
by fran604g
Curt A wrote:I believe that the question comes from comparing one machine to another... These finishes were done by hand (parts were copper plated and aged with something similar to gun bluing, then buffed in patterns to give the unique appearance) and it only makes sense that certain employees that were buffing the finishes had their own unique styles and patterns...
Respectfully, I don't agree with that in regard to the post-1922 Antique (so-called gun-metal) finish. I've seen quite a lot of it, on the many different models it was used on, and it's very consistent.
I agree completely in regard to the earlier finishes, including gold plating. There was a lot of variation.
Best,
Fran
Re: Unusual Edison W250
Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2018 12:28 pm
by phonogfp
fran604g wrote:
George, Phonogal is correct I think, the William and Mary on pg.221 of your Compendium appears to have the late "gun-metal" finish.
Best,
Fran
Isn't that what I wrote? Of course I got the page number wrong, so who knows what else was screwed up...?
George P.