help to identify a mystery phonograph cabinet

[gramophone78]

Based on the pics of the bottom, we can now see for certain the bottom molding is oak and not mahogany. Although, the other pics show the upper and lower moldings as added by the way the nails have been crudely filled. Not the way a case would leave the factory. I would say the top and side case walls are what was once an Idelia and the rest cobbled on at a later date. The bottom board appears to also be a later addition. Too bad that someone took the time and care to alter such a nice case to suit their own needs. However, as we all know.....that happened a lot.. .

[kirtley2012]

i really thought i was on to something, so the case is acctually worse then the seller said well because it is basically worthless i wont feel bad about using it for the shaver and drilling neccessary holes in it

[gramophone78]

Well, as much as it pains me to have to agree with your assessment on the value of whats left. It is still one of the nicest (part home made) shaver cases I have seen. Someone years ago went to a lot of trouble and care to put all this together. By the way.....the bottom oak molding may have come from a piece of oak furniture. I'm sure everyone on the forum would agree when I say there is no point to even begin to return this back to her original state.

[Uncle Vanya]

well at least we have established it is edison, i think the "0" is a number rather than a letter, perhapse it was a experimental case before he put them onto production, its a long shot but a possibility!
i doubt its opera, the opera didnt have the slots for the lid
this is defintately one of the higher machines in edisons production line, the first thing we can do is to find out what models had the side handles, then narrow down to what ones had the slots for the lid and the pins on the top! then what ones closest match this case!

In 1979, I found twenty-four of those "Opera/Idelia" handles installed as part of the woodwork in a formerly elegant home which at the time stood near the corner of Superior and Euclid avenues in East Cleveland, Ohio. The home had been built in 1908. These handles matched the other interior hardware on that house, which was all manufactured by Ives, as I recall. These handles were not unique to Edison. They were a standard pattern of rather upscale hardware of the day.

I was young then, and traded all but two away for a motor for a Victor III. The fellow who got them was, as I recall, building "Opera" machines, using the mechanisms from Amberolas, reproduction horn elbows, copied horn supports, and horn bells taken from early Magnavox Telemegaphone loud speakers (which were made by Sheip and Vandegrift to Edison specifications). He had someone make "Opera" name-plates for the mechanisms. I remember seeing at least five of these machines on his bench awaiting finishing touches. They were rather nice, quite convincing actually. I have since seen at least two turn up for sale, as "Restored Opera Phonographs".

I do wonder about your case. It is really nothing like an Idelia cabinet, molding is quite different, but WHAT IS IT? That I cannot say.

[gramophone78]

well at least we have established it is edison, i think the "0" is a number rather than a letter, perhapse it was a experimental case before he put them onto production, its a long shot but a possibility!
i doubt its opera, the opera didnt have the slots for the lid
this is defintately one of the higher machines in edisons production line, the first thing we can do is to find out what models had the side handles, then narrow down to what ones had the slots for the lid and the pins on the top! then what ones closest match this case!

In 1979, I found twenty-four of those "Opera/Idelia" handles installed as part of the woodwork in a formerly elegant home near the corner of Superior and Euclid avenues in East Cleveland, Ohio. They matched the other hardware, which was all manufactured by Ives, as I recall. I was young then, and traded all but two away for a motor for a Victor III. The fellow who got them was, as I recall, building "Opera" machines, using the mechanisms from Amberolas, reproduction horn elbows, copied horn supports, and horn bells taken from early Magnavox Telemegaphone loud speakers (which were made by Sheip and Vandegrift to Edison specifications). He had someone make "Opera" name-plates for the mechanisms. I remember seeing at least five of these machines on his bench awaiting finishing touches. They were rather nice, quite convincing actually. I have since seen at least two turn up for sale, as "Restored Opera Phonographs".

I do wonder about your case. It is really nothing like an Idelia cabinet, molding is quite different, but WHAT IS IT? That I cannot say.

Vanya, I believe the man you refer to lives by me (about 2 miles) up here in Canada. He did make a few of those Operas and some were gold plated.

[kirtley2012]

well hopefully someone can answer that, the hinged top is probably idelia as is the sides but it is the front, back, moldings and base that doesnt add up, maybes someone was bringing a idelia case back to life or making knock off idelias, i am really gutted that it is not a idelia case now!

[Uncle Vanya]

well at least we have established it is edison, i think the "0" is a number rather than a letter, perhapse it was a experimental case before he put them onto production, its a long shot but a possibility!
i doubt its opera, the opera didnt have the slots for the lid
this is defintately one of the higher machines in edisons production line, the first thing we can do is to find out what models had the side handles, then narrow down to what ones had the slots for the lid and the pins on the top! then what ones closest match this case!

In 1979, I found twenty-four of those "Opera/Idelia" handles installed as part of the woodwork in a formerly elegant home near the corner of Superior and Euclid avenues in East Cleveland, Ohio. They matched the other hardware, which was all manufactured by Ives, as I recall. I was young then, and traded all but two away for a motor for a Victor III. The fellow who got them was, as I recall, building "Opera" machines, using the mechanisms from Amberolas, reproduction horn elbows, copied horn supports, and horn bells taken from early Magnavox Telemegaphone loud speakers (which were made by Sheip and Vandegrift to Edison specifications). He had someone make "Opera" name-plates for the mechanisms. I remember seeing at least five of these machines on his bench awaiting finishing touches. They were rather nice, quite convincing actually. I have since seen at least two turn up for sale, as "Restored Opera Phonographs".

I do wonder about your case. It is really nothing like an Idelia cabinet, molding is quite different, but WHAT IS IT? That I cannot say.

Vanya, I believe the man you refer to lives by me (about 2 miles) up here in Canada. He did make a few of those Operas and some were gold plated.

No, this fellow was in Ohio.

Perhaps we now know why Telemegaphones and Amberola III's are so rare these days!

[kirtley2012]

Well, as much as it pains me to have to agree with your assessment on the value of whats left. It is still one of the nicest (part home made) shaver cases I have seen. Someone years ago went to a lot of trouble and care to put all this together. By the way.....the bottom oak molding may have come from a piece of oak furniture. I'm sure everyone on the forum would agree when I say there is no point to even begin to return this back to her original state.

well it is better than the original ugly metal case, strange how someone managed to find the sides and hinged lid of a idelia on there own! if (by some sort of miracle) i find a idelia bed plate at least i know it will fit in thie case! i will just find a ediphone motor or mount a sewing machine motor in it and it will be working, i was going to find opera handles and a lid stay but its not worth it for a bodged case