Questions about a find: Columbia AB with accessories

[JimN]

You found a machine in that condition in a barn? Seems like the barn would need a furnace and central air to preserve it so well. Are the brown wax cylinders moldy?

Jim Nichol

[FellowCollector]

I've always wondered why the AB Graphophone was released with plain governor weights versus nickel plated governor weights as with the Nickeled and Polished Columbia Eagle (see mine in attached picture). Most of the parts on the AB Graphophone were nickel plated but the governor weights were the standard plain weights (at least on all of the AB's I've seen including my own). It would have made for an even more stunning appearance.

It looks to me like the governor springs have been linked on this one by a wire presumably to limit governor weight rotation if the speed is too great. I've noticed that Columbia Eagle governors (the weights) commonly begin striking neighboring parts when set to even the slightest increase in normal rotational speed.

Anyway, good find here. I would have fun cleaning this one up and getting it playing properly again.

Doug

[edisonphonoworks]

That is a very nice machine, and the Mobley adds value, I bet when restored, that will be a very lovely sounding reproducer. Could I have dimensions of the fork on the recorder, length of the prongs, the width. I have a AG and I just need the length of the fork to make one for my machine. This is a pretty nice machine, would love to see the cylinders that came with it. I am wondering when Columbia changed the style of their blanks from the short, dainty ones, to the later ones with the thicker spiral and full 4.25" length.

[Zwebie]

Fantastic Find!

Fantastic Extras!

These are Great Machines!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu1ttQX ... zwebieebay

Bob S.

[Curt A]

"The belt appears to be brown leather with green stitching on it (see pics 5 & 6) -- a neat little detail; does anyone have a picture of one of these belts in nicer condition?"

Whatever you do, don't change that belt for a replacement... stitched belts are not readily available. It looks like if might need some cleaning with a good leather conditioner to keep it supple...

[ChuckA]

Curt,

Is this better?

Chuck

[Zenger]

That is a very nice machine, and the Mobley adds value, I bet when restored, that will be a very lovely sounding reproducer. Could I have dimensions of the fork on the recorder, length of the prongs, the width. I have a AG and I just need the length of the fork to make one for my machine. This is a pretty nice machine, would love to see the cylinders that came with it. I am wondering when Columbia changed the style of their blanks from the short, dainty ones, to the later ones with the thicker spiral and full 4.25" length.

PM sent

[Zenger]

Thanks, everyone, for all the great feedback and information. The phonograph works even better than I realized, and now that I know how to properly position the mandrel and affix the Mobley, I have played a bunch of cylinders, and those that are in good condition play loud and clearly. The adjustable speed lever is, surprisingly, spot-on. To answer Jim's question, I learned that the phonograph was not stored in the barn -- actually, the barn's loft, which is quite dry -- for the entire past century or so, but spent much of that time in various basements. I imagine they were also fairly dry, though some of the cylinders do have some mold.

I believe Russie's theory of the reproducer is correct -- the original owners probably "upgraded" to the #2 with the Mobley (which it seems is a 2-piece set -- weight and diaphragm), either as a dealer upsell when they first bought the machine, or perhaps a bit later if they were dissatisfied with the volume they were getting out of the original #4. None of the two dozen or so cylinders that I got with it were later than 1902, so I'm not sure how long they used this machine. There is no other reproducer to be found anywhere in the barn (I went back and looked), and I believe this is the only one they used with this machine.

The question remains: How did they raise and lower this reproducer onto the cylinder? And how can I?

I have looked online at pictures of #4 and #5 reproducers, and with the exception of one #5, none of them seem to have those lift "fingers" (or fork), so I don't know if they were standard on those reproducers or an upgrade. The #2 reproducer, of course, never had them. Is there any way to adjust the T-bar on the carriage so that it will raise and lower a reproducer that doesn't have those fingers? Does that little black thing on the carriage that looks like a figure 8 (picture 7) do anything? And if there isn't any way to adjust the carriage as it is, what's my best workaround? Since this was the original owners' setup, and since the reproducer does have the Mobley, my strong preference would be to keep it with the machine. I just need to solve that raise/lower issue.

I'd also be grateful for any tips anyone might have on cleaning up the bedplate and horn. And can anyone recommend a particular leather conditioner for the belt?

Finally, I'd be curious to know what the governor weights are made of -- if you look at picture 5, there appears to be some outer layer that has partially fallen off at least one of them. The whole thing makes quite a (kind of oddly charming) racket when it's spinning -- not sure if I should try to do anything about that or just leave it alone...

[JerryVan]

The governor weights are lead. Lead oxide is what's flaking off. That's fairly normal and not a concern. You should have the governor serviced. The tie-down on the weights is not correct and indicates a problem.

[ChuckA]

Here are pictures of the various reproducers used on Columbia Grand machines:

Chuck