The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Understood. Absolutely for most times that
anyone would want to fire up their class M, a
DC power supply is the way to go.

However, for those very special times when one
just *might* want to take a real trip back in
the time machine...I think that firing up the
original cells to use to power up the machine would be a truly great thing.

I would be very interested to hear from anyone
out there who might like to try it sometime.
I will help anyone who wants to try it, as I
have worked on building some of my own primary
cells from scratch a few times, and am somewhat
familiar with the chemistry of them.

Again, your class M is an awesome machine!

Every night......and I mean...EVERY NIGHT, I am scanning through Edison's notebooks, accounting books, newspaper clippings, and through names and addresses. This is on the Rutgers University Edison Papers Project website. I found the the Class-M in Nebraska, and tonight I started looking into the Nebraska Phonograph Company (nearing the end of my list of possible research leads). Erastus Benson, who started the Nebraska Phonograph Co (who also had interests in Chicago), had a series of correspondences with Mr. A.O. Tate at the Edison Lab concerning Kinetoscopes. These two letters were in that series of correspondences, dated 1893. I'll let the letters do the talking. I invite your thoughts as always. And yes, the machine was found in Omaha!

Well, gee, Wyatt - - that's rather thought-provoking, isn't it? I wish Tate had thought to describe it a bit; after all, how is a guy supposed to connect these dots without a little help??

I don't know if this will be of any help, but at the Third Annual Convention of the National Phonograph Association of the United States, held in Chicago on June 13-15, 1892, there was a Special Committee appointed for revising constitution and by-laws. The committee members were Charles Swift (of the Michigan Phonograph Company), Granger Farwell (of the State Phonograph Company of Illinois), Charles Powers (of the New England Phonograph Company), and our friend Erastus A. Benson (of the Nebraska Phonograph Company. Benson also sat on the Boards of Directors of the Montana Phonograph Company, State Phonograph Company of Illinois, and the Chicago Central Phonograph Company.). Hmmm...

George P.

Perhaps the following leads to something:



Indeed, the lady at the Chicago World's Fair seems to operate a nickel-, or nickel and gold-plated machine:

phonogfp wrote:Well, gee, Wyatt - - that's rather thought-provoking, isn't it? I wish Tate had thought to describe it a bit; after all, how is a guy supposed to connect these dots without a little help??

I don't know if this will be of any help, but at the Third Annual Convention of the National Phonograph Association of the United States, held in Chicago on June 13-15, 1892, there was a Special Committee appointed for revising constitution and by-laws. The committee members were Charles Swift (of the Michigan Phonograph Company), Granger Farwell (of the State Phonograph Company of Illinois), Charles Powers (of the New England Phonograph Company), and our friend Erastus A. Benson (of the Nebraska Phonograph Company. Benson also sat on the Boards of Directors of the Montana Phonograph Company, State Phonograph Company of Illinois, and the Chicago Central Phonograph Company.). Hmmm...

George P.

Geo,

I have a transcript of one of those meetings compiled by Patrick Feaster. It is entitled, "PROCEEDINGS OF THE THIRD ANNUAL CONVENTION OF THE NATIONAL PHONOGRAPH ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES, HELD AT CHICAGO, JUNE 13, 14, 15, 1892.
REPORTED BY THE PHONOGRAPH.." Starts on page 165, of a 287 page document. I have not gotten that far in the read, though.

I'm working on it!

Starkton,

Leon Douglass (a contemporary of Erastus Benson), did in fact patent a coin-slot mechanism for the Class-M, as did Henry Hoeschen which allowed each listening tube to be activated individually for each customer via coin drop. On the Google Patents website, type in "LF DOUGLAS coin phonograph" to find these. The picture you posted of the lady listener..it isn't clear enough to see, but does that machine have a coin mechanism?

The trail is now luke warm, not as hot as it was. Leon Douglass moved to Chicago at the time of the Columbian Exposition, so I'm closing any connections to Douglass. Edison Historic Site archivist found a picture related to the Columbian Exposition, but it was a drawn illustration. Right now I'm looking for more info on Erastus Benson of the Nebraska Phonograph Company. Here's his house, from "back in the day!" I've contacted a historian in the town of Benson, NE, and we'll see what surfaces!

MicaMonster wrote:Right now I'm looking for more info on Erastus Benson of the Nebraska Phonograph Company.

Did you already check the order books of the Edison Phonograph Works for Benson's machine - or any other nickel-plated Class M for that matter? The analysis of this source should have priority. Ask the Edison archivists to get access.

Starkton wrote:

MicaMonster wrote:Right now I'm looking for more info on Erastus Benson of the Nebraska Phonograph Company.

Did you already check the order books of the Edison Phonograph Works for Benson's machine - or any other nickel-plated Class M for that matter? The analysis of this source should have priority. Ask the Edison archivists to get access.

What I've come up with:

"Document File Series -- 1893: (D-93-44) Phonograph -- North American Phonograph Co -- Reports [not selected]
[D9344]

This folder contains daily and weekly reports of the North American Phonograph Co. relating to sales, rentals, and returns of phonographs."

And after clicking SHOW DOCUMENTS................ NO DOCUMENTS FOUND.

They haven't been digitized yet.

MicaMonster wrote: And after clicking SHOW DOCUMENTS................ NO DOCUMENTS FOUND.

They haven't been digitized yet.

Only a selected part of the Thomas Edison Papers is digitized and therefore easily accessible via the internet. Routine business correspondence has not been considered, with the exception of a few samples. This is where research begins. It is essential that you visit the archive yourself.