The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

There's a round oak table in our belfry that serves a variety of purposes. I've used it as a platform for photos, and as a work station for stacking/spreading out papers, books, advertisements, etc. When I'm not working on a project, it typically holds two or three phonographs on display.

For several years there were three Zonophones on it, facing different directions. Around Christmastime, I moved a couple of the Zonophones and replaced them with an Eagle Graphophone and a record carrying case. Ho hum...

Well, I returned from the Wayne show last weekend with a Type C Graphophone. I had searched for the "right one" of these since 2007. Naturally I had no idea where I'd put it, but as you all know, such considerations are not a priority with us collectors... They always work themselves out. A few days later, after doing some work on the Type C, I carried it from the basement shop up to the third floor. It has been about 20 years since I owned a Type C, and I was reminded that these beasts weigh more than a Triumph!

The first place I deposited the C was purely temporary: on a cylinder record cabinet that I'm planning to sell. I walked around the belfry - catching my breath - looking for an appropriate spot for this new machine. Nothing was good. I came close to sticking it amongst some disc machines, but OCD prevented me from committing such a travesty. Finally, I thought I had a good spot but it required shifting the locations of three other machines. One of the changes was fine, but one machine wouldn't fit in the spot I had planned, so it still occupies the place where it has sat over the past decade.

Disappointed, I removed the Type C from its erstwhile new spot, and placed it on the round oak table. After I put the other machines in their usual places, I turned around and there was the 1897 Type C - - sitting on the table next to an 1897 Eagle and its matching record case. It struck me that all the table needed was an 1897 Type A, and the early A-B-C lineup would be complete. This was speedily accomplished, and after a little rearranging and fussing, I was so pleased with the result, I was encouraged to share it here. "It's nice to see a plan fall into place," but this wasn't the plan - - just dumb luck, I think.

Here's one angle, showing the Type A and the Type B:
Here's another angle showing the new Type C:
And here's what it looks like close up when you're on top of it. The Type B (Eagle) had its dataplate removed by the Indiana Graphophone Company and replaced with its own engraved nickled plate. The machine's serial number is ink stamped across the bottom of the wooden base. The cylinder record carrying case carries the same nickeled plate engraved, "Indiana Graphophone Company." The reproduced catalog bears the same imprint.

Well, the next time I need to use this table for something, it will be more of a chore to clear it than it used to be!

I hope someone finds this enjoyable, and perhaps might be inspired to do a little rearranging for fun.

Best to all,
George P.

George, you sure can set a table! What's for dessert?

Martin

Great setup. Of course ot helps if one has all these machines from the same year available.
Something more for us newbies to admire and strive for. Thanks for sharing.

Andreas

Wonderful serendipity!

TinfoilPhono wrote:Wonderful serendipity!

Indeed. Very tasteful George. Just try and pull this on your Wife's dinning table... .

Thanks, gentlemen. As I wrote, I can't take much credit for the arrangement since the Type C sits about 2 inches from the spot where I "temporarily" placed it. It's probably just my own laziness - - I don't want to carry this thing any more!

I very much like Graphophones, and all that light honey-colored oak and nickel plate is so appealing...

As for trying this downstairs on the dining room table, Barbie's been a good sport over the years. She's used to having new acquisitions being on display for around a week on the dining room table. She doesn't complain as long as it's clean and not in the way. I'm sure she'd draw the line at a permanent arrangement. Her general response to my collecting quirks is detached amusement.

I think I wrote on a relatively recent thread that I enjoy occasionally moving phonographs around (the light ones of course) so that they can be appreciated from different angles. I will occasionally bring one downstairs to admire it while I'm supposed to be watching something on TV. (I do this with pretty guitars and bicycles too.) Does anyone else exhibit this behavior?

George P.

phonogfp wrote:
As for trying this downstairs on the dining room table, Barbie's been a good sport over the years. She's used to having new acquisitions being on display for around a week on the dining room table. She doesn't complain as long as it's clean and not in the way.


I will occasionally bring one downstairs to admire it while I'm supposed to be watching something on TV. (I do this with pretty guitars and bicycles too.) Does anyone else exhibit this behavior?

George P.

George, my Wife read this and because it seems shockingly familiar...she wonders if we all need to see the same therapist. I tried to tell her this is my therapy.

Size permitting, I too will have a new acquisition sit on the kitchen island for about a week or until I see it is in great danger of being sliced & diced... .

You must know only too well hearing the Wife say....."are we watching this or what..??". I know I do.... .

phonogfp wrote:Thanks, gentlemen. As I wrote, I can't take much credit for the arrangement since the Type C sits about 2 inches from the spot where I "temporarily" placed it. It's probably just my own laziness - - I don't want to carry this thing any more!

I very much like Graphophones, and all that light honey-colored oak and nickel plate is so appealing...

As for trying this downstairs on the dining room table, Barbie's been a good sport over the years. She's used to having new acquisitions being on display for around a week on the dining room table. She doesn't complain as long as it's clean and not in the way. I'm sure she'd draw the line at a permanent arrangement. Her general response to my collecting quirks is detached amusement.

I think I wrote on a relatively recent thread that I enjoy occasionally moving phonographs around (the light ones of course) so that they can be appreciated from different angles. I will occasionally bring one downstairs to admire it while I'm supposed to be watching something on TV. (I do this with pretty guitars and bicycles too.) Does anyone else exhibit this behavior?

George P.

Yes I also do this. I will occasionally bring my Triumph out of the phonograph room and into my room so I can listen to it while doing homework. Or sometimes just to look at it. I also like Graphophones. Edison machines are great but there are so many more interesting models of Graphophones that were made. If I was alive during that era I would have bought a Graphophone.

Nice lineup George.
Sometimes the stars just align.

Great seeing you at the Wayne Show.
Gene

In haste, I excitedly opened this thread, expecting somehow to see something of interest about the great late lamented oceanic explorer, Jacques Cousteau.

But that would have been the Spontaneous Grouper thread.

And I saw graphophones instead. That was fine, because I like 'em, especially the shiny ones. So this was almost as good. Beautiful display, George. It's almost as fun arranging phonos as it is getting them to play properly.

Now here comes a question. It's probably fair to say that most folks active in our hobby for more than a few years have pretty good familiarity with the B (Eagle) and A (which evolved to the first style AT), and of course the Q. But what about those earlier ones, the N and the C...not as many of those around, so harder to get familiar with them. So my question is whether you'd mind giving us a bit of a primer on what each of those (N and C) is like to live with, perhaps highlighting their strong and weak points?

I know the N is alone amongst Columbias in having an end gate, and that it has a fiber gear that is troublesome. But when they're right, are they good runners? Quiet? Reliable?

As for the C, well, I've never even seen one in real life. Where do they slide in, perhaps in comparison to the A? And what was it about this particular one that was so right for you, having said that you had been waiting to find such an example for a long time?

I'm sure many of us will be interested to hear back in this when you have a little time.

Thanks.

(Sacre bleu, is that the Calypso's whistle I hear?)