The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

wondering how rare and valuable a average condition Edison Jacobean is?

The D-25/J-19 was not a popular machine, and remains unpopular with collectors today. It's about the same size as a Chippendale, but has only a single spring. There aren't a lot of collectors actively seeking one, so even though it's harder to find, the price is no different than any common Edison upright.

Personally I rather like the style of the machine I have. I saved what I could of the original finish and then stained it to a bit more of a accented look than the original. The one thing I don't like about it is the lid has almost no where to get a good grip on it an its the heaviest lid I have run into on a phonograph. The other problem with it is the location I have it in. I would have thought the sound would be enhanced from being in a corner, but something about the room seems to dampen the sound. Still its a good fit to the location and I rarely play it anyway. I think its a good example of a machine that is somewhat hard to find and was touted to be a rival of the chippendale, which obviously it wasn't. At least from the publics eye.

Larry

Larry,
That's one NICE machine does it have the large or small horn?
-Tom

Tom,

This model uses the 250 Horn like the other larger machines.

Larry

As larryh says, this was a luxury-priced machine but with an ordinary single spring motor and 250 horn.

George Frow in his book on diamond discs and machines reports that even Edison staff were referring to the Jacobean as "a lemon". Sales were sluggish to non-existant and this is one of those occaisons where rarity does not equal high value.

I don't know how many were ever imported into the UK but I suspect not many, mine carries the dealer plate from "Larg and Sons" who were Edison dealers in Dundee, Scotland.

That being said, I am very fond of it and play it quite frequently, larryh is right about the lid though, I live in dread of it falling on my fingers.

Tim W-W