My American Graphophone Model A 1896
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 10:22 am
Hello,
I just thought that I would post a few pictures of my American Graphophone Model A ( Washington D.C.) with original Gutta Purcha reproducer. I bought this machine a few months ago. I got it from a collector who owned it for over thirty years. It sat in his collection just as found. He never attempted to restore it or even get it running. When I got the motor running it had a load click in it and the gear would jam up as the spring ran down a little. Turned out that the small brass gear that engages the governor had split and expanded. As they made less than 4500 of these models I was doubtful whether I would be able to find a replacement gear cluster. To make things more difficult the gear cluster from a Graphophone AT model ( which is easier to find) will not work. After trying many sources I finally had a stroke of good luck. Would you believe that George Vollema ( Great lakes Antique Phonographs) actually had the correct gear cluster sitting in a drawer. Now the motor runs good. The top bed plate had a fair bit of rust on it and I had thought of getting it re nickeled, but I promised the fellow I bought it from that I would not ruin the original finish by doing that. I ended up using diluted Brasso with a tooth brush to work out most of the rust. I then polished it with 0000 steel wool. It doesn't look too bad. I put a new Mica ( should have really been glass) diaphragm and gasket in the reproducer, fitted a leather belt and got it going. For the first time in almost 100 years it played music. What a thrill!!
I am still working on it as it will only play through about two thirds of a cylinder. Here are a few pictures.
Pete
.
I just thought that I would post a few pictures of my American Graphophone Model A ( Washington D.C.) with original Gutta Purcha reproducer. I bought this machine a few months ago. I got it from a collector who owned it for over thirty years. It sat in his collection just as found. He never attempted to restore it or even get it running. When I got the motor running it had a load click in it and the gear would jam up as the spring ran down a little. Turned out that the small brass gear that engages the governor had split and expanded. As they made less than 4500 of these models I was doubtful whether I would be able to find a replacement gear cluster. To make things more difficult the gear cluster from a Graphophone AT model ( which is easier to find) will not work. After trying many sources I finally had a stroke of good luck. Would you believe that George Vollema ( Great lakes Antique Phonographs) actually had the correct gear cluster sitting in a drawer. Now the motor runs good. The top bed plate had a fair bit of rust on it and I had thought of getting it re nickeled, but I promised the fellow I bought it from that I would not ruin the original finish by doing that. I ended up using diluted Brasso with a tooth brush to work out most of the rust. I then polished it with 0000 steel wool. It doesn't look too bad. I put a new Mica ( should have really been glass) diaphragm and gasket in the reproducer, fitted a leather belt and got it going. For the first time in almost 100 years it played music. What a thrill!!
I am still working on it as it will only play through about two thirds of a cylinder. Here are a few pictures.
Pete
.
You lucky dog!
Sorry for the varying quality of the photos. I shot the Bettini-equipped example years ago for an article (and used it as my avatar) and so it's properly lighted and papered. Tonight I shot the other four as they sit... I must get to bed!