The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hi All,
Since there were three models of reproducers for the 1-A Amberola were there ever reproducer holders or supports made to fit in Amberola phonographs like exist for long play Edison phonographs?
Allen

That's an interesting question. I've never seen any, but I've read that owners were encouraged to trade in their old models for newer ones. The long-play and dance reproducers were meant to co-exist with each other, hence, perhaps, why holders were made for them. Just a thought.
Bob

I agree with Bob.

The three reproducers commonly found with the Amberola 1A just happened to be developed in succession during the availability of the machine. The L was a stopgap reproducer designed to play 4 minute wax only. It was never meant to be the only reproducer used with the 1A, and is typically found with earlier examples. The M was introduced after the 1A had been on the market for nearly six months. As Bob wrote, owners of the L were encouraged to trade it in for an M, which did everything the L did, plus play 2-minute records. The Diamond A didn't appear until late 1912, by which time the 1B had been in production for over a year. Amberola 1As were sometimes retrofitted with Diamond A reproducers by their owners (or probably dealers trying to clear old stock) for optimal playing of Blue Amberols.

George P.

A Ford 1 wrote:Hi All,
Since there were three models of reproducers for the 1-A Amberola were there ever reproducer holders or supports made to fit in Amberola phonographs like exist for long play Edison phonographs?
Allen

Yes and no, here is a pic of it. I think it was storage for oil can, screw driver and reproducer. I don't know if it was actually for spare reproducers. Someone else here may have more insight on it.

I too would be interested in the definitive story behind these boxes.

I have a 1A and a III, both of which came with these boxes. The holes for an oiler, tube of spring grease, and screwdriver seem self-evident, but I have yet to figure out what the large space is for. An L/M/Diamond A reproducer does not really fit into it. I've never seen any original Edison literature describing or illustrating how these boxes were to be used.

??? ???

George P.

Here is a pic with an M reproducer in it. The other item is a bullet shaped oil can which was supplied by Edison with the machine. I wish I had an original screw driver.

Even though the reproducer will fit into the hole, I cannot believe that it was originally intended to be put there. It goes against every design ever used by Edison for securing a reproducer, aside from the questionable utility of putting it there in the first place. Why ever remove the reproducer on these Amberolas?

The reproducer certainly couldn't have been shipped that way!

I'm still puzzled...

??? ???

George P.

I don't understand what the rest of the space in the box would be used for? I would never store my M reproducer in that box unless the box was secured to the machine which it was not.

Andersun wrote:I don't understand what the rest of the space in the box would be used for? I would never store my M reproducer in that box unless the box was secured to the machine which it was not.

My thoughts exactly!

George P.

Could it be that a tin with grease was supposed to be stored in the larger space?

Andreas