The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

This is the early style box.

Rich Gordon

There are also 2 minute Edison Grand Opera cylinder boxes that appeared in England, and in Germany. I have one of each of these boxes. They differ, from their American counterparts, in that they are in the later style 4 minute flocked amberol style boxes. I have only ever seen a few of each. I have one English, and 3 German 2 minute Grand Opera boxes. I believe there was also a French Edison 2 Minute Grand Opera cylinder box, but I haven't found one yet. I would post some pictures, but don't have the boxes handy at the moment....

Mike Sorter
Riverside, CA

Here are a few more Grand Opera foreign boxes.

Rich Gordon

Rich,

That French Grand Opera box is the one I don't have! Thanks for posting the great pictures! Are these from a website, or are these yours?

Mike Sorter
Riverside, CA

The pictures are from Julien Anton‘s website. I sold him one of my Biglow & Main Cylinders. They are very rare and he didn’t have one.

https://www.phonorama.fr/

Rich Gordon

This is the Sarah Bernhardt Grand Opera Cylinder I sold in 2013. It had the Original box, top, and sleeve.

Rich Gordon

Hi Rich,

Thank you very much for the website and information! I too had a Bernhardt cylinder with a tight crack that was repaired by Michael Khanchalian. I just don't like to hold on to rare amberol cylinders. I am so afraid of breakage! I got my first 4M Grand Opera cylinder in Switzerland, nearly 20 years ago. Made the trip home just fine. It was a few years later when I took it out of its box, just to examine it, that I heard that awful "click," and it developed a hairline crack! John Robles and I found a Shackleton South Polar Expedition cylinder in a collection we bought together. I couldn't get that on ebay quick enough! I was so afraid it was going to just crack.