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My First Opera
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VanEpsFan1914
- Victor VI
- Posts: 3365
- Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2017 11:39 am
- Personal Text: I've got both kinds of music--classical & rag-time.
- Location: South Carolina
Re: My First Opera
That's nice! The grease and dust probably protected it. Love the styling on this model--I wouldn't do a thing to it other than mechanical servicing.
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Pathe Logical
- Victor II
- Posts: 432
- Joined: Sun Jul 21, 2013 7:50 pm
Re: My First Opera
ChuckA,
You mention "the mandrel of course has lost it's oxidized finish due to the plaster inner core of the blue amberols played". Your Opera's mandrel may not have had a copper and black, oxidized finish to begin with. After looking at your pictures, it looks to me like your Opera's mandrel has a pretty nice and original "gunmetal" finish. Here's a pic of one of mine (the gunmetal finish on my Opera's mandrel is actual darker grey than in the photo), and a pic of a page from an Edison machine catalog discussing the use of a gunmetal finish on some Operas (see page 11 --- "Finish"). You've got a machine to be very proud of!!!
You mention "the mandrel of course has lost it's oxidized finish due to the plaster inner core of the blue amberols played". Your Opera's mandrel may not have had a copper and black, oxidized finish to begin with. After looking at your pictures, it looks to me like your Opera's mandrel has a pretty nice and original "gunmetal" finish. Here's a pic of one of mine (the gunmetal finish on my Opera's mandrel is actual darker grey than in the photo), and a pic of a page from an Edison machine catalog discussing the use of a gunmetal finish on some Operas (see page 11 --- "Finish"). You've got a machine to be very proud of!!!
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pg1876
- Victor O
- Posts: 70
- Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2020 12:05 am
Re: My First Opera
Absolutely stunning! Congratulations!
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ChuckA
- Victor III
- Posts: 601
- Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 6:32 pm
- Personal Text: Learn from the mistakes of others - You can't live long enough to make them all yourself.
- Location: South Eastern PA
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Re: My First Opera
Pathé Logical wrote: Sat Jun 21, 2025 4:56 pm ChuckA,
You mention "the mandrel of course has lost it's oxidized finish due to the plaster inner core of the blue amberols played". Your Opera's mandrel may not have had a copper and black, oxidized finish to begin with. After looking at your pictures, it looks to me like your Opera's mandrel has a pretty nice and original "gunmetal" finish. Here's a pic of one of mine (the gunmetal finish on my Opera's mandrel is actual darker grey than in the photo), and a pic of a page from an Edison machine catalog discussing the use of a gunmetal finish on some Operas (see page 11 --- "Finish"). You've got a machine to be very proud of!!!
Looking at the mandrel closer, I'm sure you're right. I don't see any remnants of oxidized finish on the mandrel anywhere. I always thought only the gun metal finished oak units had that mandrel finish, the mahogany ones all had the metal parts oxidized.
Your Opera is in fantastic condition also.
Chuck
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Pathe Logical
- Victor II
- Posts: 432
- Joined: Sun Jul 21, 2013 7:50 pm
Re: My First Opera
Chuck,
Glad to be the bearer of good news for you! When I first obtained that Opera, I thought the finish on the mandrel was wrong. But after perusing the internet for other Operas with a gunmetal mandrel (and finding several examples), and finding the catalog page I posted here, I was relieved.
Bob
Glad to be the bearer of good news for you! When I first obtained that Opera, I thought the finish on the mandrel was wrong. But after perusing the internet for other Operas with a gunmetal mandrel (and finding several examples), and finding the catalog page I posted here, I was relieved.
Bob
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danohallaron
- Victor I
- Posts: 138
- Joined: Wed Aug 21, 2019 11:37 am
Re: My First Opera
Congrats! I have collected 3 from around the country, over the past couple of years. They are a nice piece of engineering.