The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

How many are left? Well I don't know, but many people use the 10% rule as a rough guide in the old car hobby. So if a total of 180 A and B 375 machines were produced, using the 10% rule, only 18-20 would have survived! But this has such a nice cabinet, maybe we can double that to 20% survival rate. So maybe 35-45 have survived, most of which are already in the hands of collectors. It would be nice if all owners of these Louis the XV and Louis the XVI machines would start a database so we would know more accurately about the survival rate.

I’ve had 4 in the past 5 years, but have not kept records of the serial numbers.

Raphael

Working with different restorer's covering a number of different fields most of us think about 10% of items produced 100 years ago or so survive. Furniture has a higher rate percentage as it is often repurposed as time goes on and items that are in the 50-75 year range are in the 17-20% survival rate.

Just a rule of thumb.
Abe

If someone starts a database of the Edison Louis XV disc players, I would be happy to provide details of the two machines in my collection: A-375 SM-2633 and B-375 SM-32. One thing I've found interesting is that the serial numbers for the "A" machines must have been based off the motor serial number, which would have been used in multiple cabinet designs (IE: A-250's) That's the only possible reason for such a high cabinet serial number in my example. Regards, Bill Meyer

edisonphono wrote:One thing I've found interesting is that the serial numbers for the "A" machines must have been based off the motor serial number, which would have been used in multiple cabinet designs (IE: A-250's) That's the only possible reason for such a high cabinet serial number in my example. Regards, Bill Meyer

A few of us touched on this a few years ago here. I have A-275 #10931 and another member has #10930 and one is now FS in the Yankee Trader section here that's #10908, suggesting that these were blocked off in small numbers in conjunction with others like the A-250. Makes perfect sense that the other earlier A series machines would have been done that way also. Interesting to say the least!

Sean

OrthoSean wrote:

edisonphono wrote:One thing I've found interesting is that the serial numbers for the "A" machines must have been based off the motor serial number, which would have been used in multiple cabinet designs (IE: A-250's) That's the only possible reason for such a high cabinet serial number in my example. Regards, Bill Meyer

A few of us touched on this a few years ago here. I have A-275 #10931 and another member has #10930 and one is now FS in the Yankee Trader section here that's #10908, suggesting that these were blocked off in small numbers in conjunction with others like the A-250. Makes perfect sense that the other earlier A series machines would have been done that way also. Interesting to say the least!

Sean

I've been compiling a sort of "master list" of D.D. Phono serial numbers since I began collecting data on the C250/19, in an effort to extract some comprehensive manner to understand the serialization patterns of all the different D.D. models that were produced - and even now, after having 452 entries, I have no duplicate serial numbers across all the individual models I've entered into my spreadsheet, regardless of the model and series mechanism (A, B, C) used. It's my hope that over time whole blocks of serial numbers will arise to give insight as to specific time periods of manufacture. So far only the C250/19 has shown any meaningful pattern.

I would love some insight as to the company's record keeping on this matter.

Best,
Fran

Not to veer too far OT, but we've got 3 relatively close A-275 numbers that clearly seem to suggest numbers were blocked off for (at least) one model, no? I'd almost wonder if 10901-10950, for example, may have been set aside for A-275s. I know not many were produced, but I don't know that I ever knew just how few. Maybe I'm over-assuming here, but that wouldn't surprise me if my guess was correct, or close. Or something.

Sean

PS - Josh, let me add to the welcome and congrats, that is a stunning machine!