The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Another odd Edison phonograph has surfaced. The picture is bad but from what can be seen it look like an Edison Home mechanism in either a homemade or aftermarket cabinet. I'm quite sure it isn't a genuine Edison product but has anyone ever seen a cabinet like this? Once again I don't own this nor do I have any connection to it or anymore information about it.

I have never seen anything like it. It's very creative. Jerry Blais

Interesting.....but someone has some nice Handywork... )

The home looks like a "D" or "E" model with no endgate and a Cyget Horn Carriage.. It looks like they made use of an internal horn with it but kitbashing a Amberola 30 or Amberola 50 Model..

)

Tony K.

Edison Collector/Restorer

That sylized E on the front grill is a nice touch.
Too bad that they did not think to incorporate any recored storage, since that is the real benefit of having a cabinet like that.
Dave

It would be interesting to know the back story. Occasionally some prototype or experimental model that never made it into production does show up out of nowhere. I wonder if this might possible be one. There was a time when this kind of open-at-the-bottom cabinets were made, including a couple form Edison, although I gather they didn't go over very well. If it is homemade it is certainly very nice work.

Clay

I have seen this machine's near twin here in my hometown in the California desert. It is an Edison Standard D 2-4 in the same cabinet. I thought the stylized E on the grill might have meant it was from a machine manufacturer that started with an E. It has the tonearm fitting from what I thought was an Amberola VIII with a Diamond B. I thought it was a homemade Frankenphono so I have avoided it. Now, I wonder if some mail order firm or aftermarket supplier had these made up like Babson did with the little amberola 30s. It definetly has a professional look to it, and it sounds great.

It would not be impossible for some company (probably very small) to offer internal horn conversions of older cylinder machines after the popularity of internal-horn machines became strong.