The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

After a long dormant period in my fascination with antique phonographs, an Edison Fireside followed me home from the local swap meet/flea market a few days ago. It needed some work, but cleaned-up nicely and, with some minor repairs, it is now ready to go.
Except... I don't have a proper horn for it. I tested it with the Cygnet from my Home Model, and it works perfectly, but I really want a dedicated horn and crane. Although the Fireside is a combination type, and will accept the small crane and Morning Glory horn, the bracket for the Cygnet, if unused, becomes an unsightly distraction. Also, at least to me, the Cygnet has always been the premier Edison horn.
So... I need the Cygnet 10-panel horn and proper crane. Having been away from antique phonographs for some years, the current prices for these items (and limited availability) were a shock: up to $500 for an unfinished repro horn, alone!
A nicely-finished repro and crane are acceptable, if reasonably priced, but I'd like to have original parts, if available.
So, I'm soliciting assistance: what have you got, or can anyone point me in the right direction? Advice cheerfully accepted...

Thanks;

mhb - Mike Benton

Hi Mike, and welcome back to the insanity...

Speaking of insane, $500 for an unfinished reproduction No.10 Cygnet sounds pretty high to me. I bought a very nice original example about 3 years ago at the Wayne show for $400, and I've seen others in this price range as well. Here are photos: Having the Cygnet bracket saves you money. I've found that by checking through the parts bins of dealers at shows, you can put together a complete original crane for far less than buying the complete crane. I've typically paid $25-$30 each for separate upper and lower sections. You don't mention which carriage/reproducer you're using on the Fireside A. If the original carriage (holding the reproducer at a 45-degree angle), you will want the lower section with the shallower "step." The horizontal carriage requires a lower section with a deeper "step" (the difference is an inch or so).

If you don't have access to shows, you're doing the right thing by posting here and watching eBay. If you don't mind a good reproduction crane, Ron Sitko can provide you with one very reasonably. His contact info:

56 Church Hill Road.
Waterford NY 12188
Telephone (518) 371-8549 (no website or email)

Good luck!

George P.

PM sent.

Rich Gordon

phonogfp:
Thank you for the guidance! The Fireside has a type 'H' reproducer. I can easily make an adaptor for the difference in angle of the reproducer neck, if needed (indeed, I found that the 11-panel Cygnet and crane from my Home could be used with little difficulty beyond the use of a longer rubber connector).
I would be very happy to find a Cygnet as nice as yours at a similar price.
Sadly, I have been unable to locate any antique phonograph shows or dealers in this part of Arizona, so can't take advantage of those assets.
I do not do e-bay, so that, too, is not a good option.
That leaves this forum and its participants as my best available resource.
Your pictured phonograph looks very much like my Home Model.
If it's insanity, at least I'm among those with the same symptoms!

Best;
mhb - Mike

Search successfully concluded!
Thanks to Rich Gordon (rgordon939)!

mhb - Mike