The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

edisonplayer wrote: Wed Jul 13, 2022 9:55 am My late friend Arthur Pare had a similar oak record box for 7 inch records. edisonplayer

Do you know where it ended up? Still wondering if anybody knows who made them and when, found this image online:

http://www.myvintagetv.com/berliner.htm

Decided to do some digging this am, found this completed listing from April on a rather rough example that sold for $660: https://www.ebay.com/itm/374011980219?h ... 7675.l2557

Dischoard wrote: Thu Jul 14, 2022 12:16 pm Still wondering if anybody knows who made them and when...

These oak boxes - both with egg-and-dart bases and plain bases (as shown) were manufactured by Hawthorne & Sheble; supplied to Berliner and to Eldridge Johnson.

George P.

In my search I came upon your post from 2019 although it appears the pictures have been removed. You don't happen to have a picture of the page of the catalog that these boxes are shown in? Thanks for the information, getting that much closer!

Dischoard wrote: Fri Jul 15, 2022 11:01 am In my search I came upon your post from 2019 although it appears the pictures have been removed. You don't happen to have a picture of the page of the catalog that these boxes are shown in? Thanks for the information, getting that much closer!

I'm assuming that you're addressing me; if not - just ignore this response.

I have an image from a Hawthorne & Sheble catalog circa 1898-99 showing the "egg & dart" base record cabinet, but I cannot find it. It's either hiding in my digital files or in one of our books. Given the inconsistent nature of the images on this forum, I'm not inclined to invest too much time in digging.

However, here's a page from Berliner's late 1897 catalog showing the "egg & dart" cabinet. Of course, this doesn't help to identify the manufacturer, but it gives an image to the cabinet in question. The image I cannot find from an H&S catalog shows this same cabinet:
By mid/late 1900, Eldridge Johnson was marketing the "plain base" record cabinet. Sorry for the Moire pattern:
And here's a page from the Hawthorne & Sheble catalog from early 1901 showing the same cabinet:
I hope this helps.

George P.

I too was on the Antiques Roadshow in 2009. I showed up with one of my Hot-Air machines and was an instant hit. Unfortunately, the only "expert" was a man who specialized in musical instruments and guitars. Prior to going on air, he asked me my "expert" opinion about my machine and I had to "act" surprised when he gave his estimate.
It was a lot of fun.

As a fan of Antiques Roadshow, it' depressing to read how much is ignored by "experts". I get the same sinking feeling watching The American Pickers walk right past beautiful phonographs to get to an old oil can.

phonogfp wrote: Fri Jul 15, 2022 5:58 pm
I'm assuming that you're addressing me; if not - just ignore this response.

I hope this helps.

George P.

I certainly was, sorry for the confusion but thanks so much for that info! Ever thought of being an appraiser for Antiques Roadshow?


I hear those folks are all volunteers and pay their own airfare and such, not sure if that's the case but sometimes you get what you pay for...

Dischoard wrote: Sat Jul 16, 2022 11:51 am I certainly was, sorry for the confusion but thanks so much for that info! Ever thought of being an appraiser for Antiques Roadshow?

Ha! I'm not a dealer; just a humble student of history and a collector.

I lost much of my interest in Antiques Roadshow after a friend of mine told me that the show borrowed/rented a couple of items from his militaria collection and fabricated an entire scenario around them. Nonexistent people, events, sales, and situations... The items had been in his collection for decades. I was shocked at the time (about 20 years ago), but I've read enough since then to conclude that this (along with American Pickers) is primarily theater with the artifacts as mere props.

George P.

Found this image which is a little clearer. I find it funny, the box is for 30 discs but the ad says 50 though if you count the slats there are clearly only enough for 30 records. I also love their attempt to sway customers with how "neat" it would be to own one of these