Interesting Edison Home

[phonograph guy3435]

id say definitely worth restoring

[AmberolaAndy]

id say definitely worth restoring

I possibly might get a 4 latch suitcase and put the works in it BUT something is telling me this is a very early “new style” but made with parts they needed to get rid of. BUT the 1898 serial number is the super perplexing part. This is only a theory. Maybe somebody with a first month new style home can set me straight?

[TinfoilPhono]

I'm inclined to believe the theory you suggested previously -- "This could be a later 1898 to early 1901 machine that may have a forged serial number that was eventually housed in a new style case." As George pointed out last year, the font of the serial number doesn't look normal. It certainly doesn't look like any Home I have, or have owned in the past. Consequently I don't believe that was stamped at the factory. Compare the shape, spacing and size of the numbers in my pictures here against the one on yours, particularly the 4 and 8. They are very different.

It's entirely possible that the original number was filed off -- maybe it was a stolen machine -- and a bogus number stamped in its place to hide that fact.

Just a guess, but it makes the most sense.

[phonogfp]

As APS members can see in the current issue of the magazine, Home #5584 left the factory in March 1898. Yet, this machine carries a data plate with a May 31, 1898 date. Clearly, something is amiss.

Based on the unusual typeface of the serial number, I'm inclined toward the stolen/filed/re-stamped theory. Anyone who has read through The Edison Phonograph Monthly can attest that thievery was occasionally reported in its pages - including subject serial numbers. I suspect the machine had a colorful history.

George P.

[AmberolaAndy]

As APS members can see in the current issue of the magazine, Home #5584 left the factory in March 1898. Yet, this machine carries a data plate with a May 31, 1898 date. Clearly, something is amiss.

Based on the unusual typeface of the serial number, I'm inclined toward the stolen/filed/re-stamped theory. Anyone who has read through The Edison Phonograph Monthly can attest that thievery was occasionally reported in its pages - including subject serial numbers. I suspect the machine had a colorful history.

George P.

Yeah I think this is really a 1901 just when they started making new style cases and somebody was doing some funny business with this one they just chose some random number out of the blue and put it on this machine. What month in 1901 would something like this would had come out? September? October? November? And this would have a Automatic or Model B?

[AmberolaAndy]

Ok this just got extra confusing for me! Apparently some suitcase models already had that pinstripe swirl on the knife edge and I even saw one with a S/N embossed on there too.

I swear somebody needs to do a Martinola style spreadsheet about the Edison Home like he did for the Edison Standard machines! At least the model A homes. I swear I’m gonna obsess over this till the cows come home.

[AmberolaAndy]

Ok, I think I do actually have an original suitcase model where both serial numbers were filed off, I’m scouring photos of Suitcase homes online including looking at eBay posts of any, and I see two machines that might fit the same timeframe of what I have here…these are possibly the same timeframe of what I have here which I’m guesstimating late 1899 early 1900?

[AmberolaAndy]

Ok doing more research the badge was moved to the back in May 1899 and now with my APS membership renewed, I was able to determine the swirl was added in either November, December 1899 so in between that time period, (5/1899 to 12/1899) that’s when it was manufactured!

I will be purchasing an empty suitcase case to drop the works in and an automatic reproducer, and bring it back to its original 1899 roots!

[martinola]

I swear somebody needs to do a Martinola style spreadsheet about the Edison Home like he did for the Edison Standard machines! At least the model A homes. I swear I’m gonna obsess over this till the cows come home.

Actually, I did do one years ago. It wasn't quite as comprehensive, but I did have quite a few entries. Here's the last update I did in 2020:

Edison_Home_Data_10_21_20.xls

(389 KiB) Downloaded 41 times

One thing to consider is that this could be a factory repair/upgrade. I've seen a few of these in the early Standards with later features. In those cases, the factory would stamp the new bedplate with the old number. The machine in question could have been repaired/upgraded in the late Suitcase era with it receiving the Red Banner case when that was introduced a year or two later. It's neat when an old machine will tell you its own story. Will we ever know for sure? Well, maybe the factory record is buried somewhere in some collector's pile of stuff.

Martin

[AmberolaAndy]

I swear somebody needs to do a Martinola style spreadsheet about the Edison Home like he did for the Edison Standard machines! At least the model A homes. I swear I’m gonna obsess over this till the cows come home.

Actually, I did do one years ago. It wasn't quite as comprehensive, but I did have quite a few entries. Here's the last update I did in 2020:

Edison_Home_Data_10_21_20.xls

One thing to consider is that this could be a factory repair/upgrade. I've seen a few of these in the early Standards with later features. In those cases, the factory would stamp the new bedplate with the old number. The machine in question could have been repaired/upgraded in the late Suitcase era with it receiving the Red Banner case when that was introduced a year or two later. It's neat when an old machine will tell you its own story. Will we ever know for sure? Well, maybe the factory record is buried somewhere in some collector's pile of stuff.

Martin

it might possibly be true...Can't rule that one out either because I see one machine on that sheet has a May 31 1898 date but it's before it. But i think its more likely a theif or shady dealer did some monkey business to keep it from being tracked.