The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I attended a local auction last Saturday featuring about a dozen Edison cylinder machines and hundreds of cylinders. The machines were all quite common external and internal horn machines. One guy, identified by the auctioneer as a dealer, and possibly from New York, was buying up the machines at extremely high prices, outbidding the collectors in the audience. Edison Standards, minus horn or crane, but complete and in decent (as found in an attic for example) condition for $500-600. The only justification I can imagine for this is that he intends to sell them for parts. If so this is extremely disgusting and a horrendous blot on our hobby. Unless, of course, anyone has an alternative explanation.
John

A possible alternative explanation is that the dealer may have customers waiting in countries where Edison machines are less commonly found. I fear, however, that yours is the more likely explanation.

Roger.

unless they were actually just his machines to begin with and he was trying to bid them up.

epigramophone wrote:A possible alternative explanation is that the dealer may have customers waiting in countries where Edison machines are less commonly found.

A lot of common model Edisons are going to China, according to a dealer I know. I never would have foreseen this years ago when the US began trading with the Chinese. Another reason to despise the Commies!

This also happened years ago when the Japanese economy was booming. They would show up at the Delaware phono show, pay the early buyer fee to get first crack at the show, and many of the rare machines would have "sold" tags on them before many of us even had a shot at them. When foreign buyers are after the more unusual pieces that are not as plentiful it is much more troubling to me.

If this guy were a shill bidder he did an awful job as he took at least 8 or 10 of the machines. This was an estate auction and I really doubt that this was shill bidding. Some of the enclosed-horn machines were missing grills, but the buyer price was inordinately high for these. I am afraid he was buying to break up for parts. Just horrible as these were restorable or usable as sold, just needing cleaning and love. I am most certain that this buyer was from New York state. He brought a trailer.
John