The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

That's right, as far as I know. My fumed oak C-250 has the drawers and fewer dividers as shown on the late A-250. The bottom drawer on it also can hold 12"discs.

hillndalefan wrote:That's right, as far as I know. My fumed oak C-250 has the drawers and fewer dividers as shown on the late A-250. The bottom drawer on it also can hold 12"discs.

Did you mean C250 or A250?

As to storage drawers in early Edison Disc Phonographs (before DD machines) the 12" drawer was for either 12" discs which weren't issued for many years or they could be used to store the attractive boxes which 80,82 and 83,000 Edison Disc Records came in from late 1912 through late 1913. By removing one divider slat, the box would fit perfectly. But only in the 12" drawer. The 10" drawer was not tall enough for 12" boxes. This system works well in my Edison Disc Phonograph serial #161. Edison Disc Phonograph serial numbers began with #100. The earliest one I've seen was #109.

Later on, the wooden record dividers allowed a perfect fit for heavy paper divider sheets furnished with the phonographs to protect the discs.

Ron Dethlefson wrote:As to storage drawers in early Edison Disc Phonographs (before DD machines) the 12" drawer was for either 12" discs which weren't issued for many years or they could be used to store the attractive boxes which 80,82 and 83,000 Edison Disc Records came in from late 1912 through late 1913. By removing one divider slat, the box would fit perfectly. But only in the 12" drawer. The 10" drawer was not tall enough for 12" boxes. This system works well in my Edison Disc Phonograph serial #161. Edison Disc Phonograph serial numbers began with #100. The earliest one I've seen was #109.

Later on, the wooden record dividers allowed a perfect fit for heavy paper divider sheets furnished with the phonographs to protect the discs.

I would never have guessed that. Those early disc record boxes are not exactly common.

Any other visible variation between the earliest A250s, nos. 109 and 161? I would assume they both retained the louvres in the sides at that point?