The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I picked up an Edison cylinder player and a lot of cylinders from a proxibid auction over the weekend.

Here's what arrived at my door today.


Broken Player


Broken Cylinders


Post office Ransom Note

If I am an auction house, selling antiques...I'm fairly sure i'd use a new item called bubble wrap when shipping... Unbelievable.

skere26,

Wow, what a complete mess! What auction house was it?

Were the cylinders in the same carton as the machine with no packing material and the carton improperly taped? Did you offer packing suggestions? Jerry

It was Carden Family Auction House. There were a lot of nice pieces auctioned off.

Here is the listening for hte "near mint" piece I bought.

https://www.proxibid.com/asp/LotDetail. ... rfpb=0#Top

I'm still in disbelief if the lack of shipping materials in each box.

Jerry,

They were in 2 separate boxes, with only a foam pad for shipping. They sold many cylinder players and other musical antiques, I guess I assumed they knew how to ship them.

Did you use their uShip with their "guarantee"?

I was told I would get an invoice, and today I looked and the item was already charged to my CC. They shipped everything via priority mail without contacting me once.

I don't like that their website says "we aren't responsible for items damaged during shipping". I'm fairly certain they are, in the event that they didn't properly package the items...thoughts?

I'll give you the same advice I just gave the guy with the broken pin punch - call your credit card company and ask about their loss and damage policy. Save all the pieces and packaging and take even more photos.

What a shame...

The cylinders appear to be a total loss. Could you post more detailed photos of the machine? Were the castings on the deck as well as the carriage broken? I'm sorry for your loss. Jerry

That is a real shame. I was thinking of going to that auction but am glad I decided not to. I was mostly interested in the Victor Schoolhouse and I figured it would receive lots of attention and I was right. Your experience reminds me of an auction about 20 years ago that featured a nice Amberola V that I wanted. I could not make the auction in person so I left an absentee bid. Surprise, surpise it sold for just one bid increment below my left bid. But, I was pleased to have won it and I called the auction house and provided detailed instructions regarding how I wanted it packaged and that I would pay them for any extra packaging costs incurred. It was sent UPS ground and very little of my packaging instructions were followed. The motor assembly had completely crashed out of the cabinet. I was sick to my stomach when I opened the box. I felt I could do nothing about it since I was at work when the UPS guy dropped it off on my front deck. Taught me a big lesson though. If you buy an item that can be broken in shipment, pick it up in person - just to be on the safe side.