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One other nice piece of lineage is the family gave me a couple of pictures out of their family photo album showing their Father with the Idelia. They think they are from the late 60's or early 70's. They also said there are more pictures to go through and they will send any showing the Idelia.

It is a wonderful find and it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

I wonder if it passed through Tom Fretty's hands. He used to epoxy radio horn elbows on Edison's with that carriage to get a horn on them. I saw an Opera once he stuck and Atwater Kent horn on. And another Edison with a Magnavox horn on as well, I'm sure he wasn't the only one doing stuff like that though. Is it a radio horn bell? The radio horn uses a little different collar than the phonograph horn did, same bell though. Congratulations on the machine you found, it's really nice looking!
I know a guy that has an Idelia, I'll have to ask him if it's a late one, but I don't think it is. There was one on a tag sale down in Cedar Rapids last year and I told another collector about it that was closer to it than me and I couldn't go, but he forgot to go to the sale, so who knows where it went to.

Forgot to go to the sale?!?!?! I knew for sure that the elbow is from a radio and suspected the horn is also. I have confirmed the mahogany bell is also from a radio. The metal collar is too wide for an Edison elbow. It does present itself pretty well though.

I still give him crap about that. And it was CLEARLY an Ideal in the photo. It had the lid on it and the way the picture was taken only about half of the case was showing. There was an old typewriter that they were more proud of, but the Edison was listed in the sale bill and an "Edison roll player".
The radio bell is not a problem of course. Someone used to make reproduction collars for those and I would guess they still do. If you use burnt shellac to hold the collar on like they did originally, those tiny screws will hold it just fine. I used to see the large Music Master radio horns now and again and buy them for Operas, but I haven't seen one of those in the wild for 10-12 years now.

I have been asked what the motor chassis number is. The chassis is stamped 68814. I also noticed something peculiar when taking it all apart for cleaning. The Edison signature decal is on the backside of the upper casting. I have never seen this before. I have been able to get the motor running and just need to order a replacement mandrel bushing. There was one worn brass gear in the motor. Fortunately, I found one in my piles of parts. I am glad as Ron Sitko doesn't know of anyone making them.

Occasionally a Triumph will turn up with the Trade Mark decal on the rear of the casting. There's a thread somewhere on this forum with a photo, but after 20 minutes of searching I didn't find it.

George P.

Congratulations, Ken!! All your years and miles and perseverance have paid off very well indeed.

What a beautiful machine!

What a great acquisition story - the kind of which we dream! Thank you so much for sharing your joy and happiness with all of us, it's so up-lifting.

Wow!!

-Michael

Michael,
Thanks for the comments. I have the motor running now. It needed a replacement gear and the mandrel bushing replaced. The O reproducer is sent of to be rebuilt. And, I have a lead on the correct wood horn for it. Hopefully, it will be playing records soon. I actually received some calls from collectors over seas about it. It has been quite exciting to say the least.
Ken

I think I just found a bit of information that will shed some light on the red bedplate question. I was searching this morning for my copy of the 1910 Edison phonograph catalog to double check the pricing on the special order features to get a better idea what my Gold plated Model D Triumph originally cost (I initially checked the Frow book but as we know the information may not be entirely accurate!). Well, I was curious to see if the Idelia had any special upgrades and found that in October 1910 the Idelia was marketed WITH a "dark red and gilt enamel" bedplate! The list price was $100 and for $125 it came with an oxidized finish.

I don't have any earlier cataogs that feature the Idelia, or Ideal for that matter, so I am curious how the machine was initially offered to the public.

-Jake