The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Does anyone here know if you can still get the Regina birth certificates? I heard rumor that MBSI, through a Mr. Bob Yates, would offer this service for a small fee.

If someone can share if the service is still available, and how/ who I would engage to get this, I would really appreciate it.

Thank you

Shawn O'Rourke

Hi Shawn; This service is still available. You send $5.00 to Bob Yates, 901 Glenshaw Av. Glenshaw, PA. 15116. I had one done recently for the Hexaphone that you worked on for me.

Bill

You can find it near the bottom of this page on their website: http://mbsi.org/mart.php

Thanks to you both, for the information and quick response.

Shawn

Just out of curiosity, what's the purpose of these certificates?

Marco Gilardetti wrote:Just out of curiosity, what's the purpose of these certificates?

After sending the machine's serial number, an attractive little certificate is returned with the date the machine left the factory, according to original factory records.

If my scanner/printer would only operate after the (otherwise successful) Windows 10 conversion, I'd scan a certificate for you.

George P.

Here is one for my 15 ½" Style 11. It shows the model, the case wood, when it was shipped from the factory, and who it was shipped to. (Much to my surprise mine turned out to be very early.)

Clay

Clay,

That is early. 1894 is when The Regina Music Box Company was formed in the US. Your box was possibly made before they had their first factory here in the US. When first formed,The Regina Music Box Company imported their music boxes from Europe, However, they soon found a building and began manufacturing here in the US. It was not until 1902 that they changed their name to The Regina Company, signaling a broadening of their product offering.

Shawn

phonogfp wrote:After sending the machine's serial number, an attractive little certificate is returned with the date the machine left the factory, according to original factory records.

Ah, that's indeed a nice idea! Is that done by some heir of the owners of the Regina brand? Or perhaps by some historician/collector as an incentive, so that Regina machines collectors would be more inclined to communicate the S/N of their units?

Thanks, Clay, for scanning your certificate!

Yes, it is early. The first music box shipped from Regina's New Jersey factory was serial number 4001, shipped on October 15, 1894. It was also an oak style 11. Mine, serial number 4032, went out the door 9 days later. I am pretty confident that it is American cased, but it might have some imported Polyphon parts. The man who came to the US in 1892 to get Regina organized, Gustave Brachhausen, was from Polyphon. I am not certain when in the 1890s the switch was made to using totally US manufactured components.

It also has a matching original Regina disc cabinet. Unfortunately when I had it repaired, the repairman refinished the disc cabinet's case although I told him not to. But that is a bell that can't be unrung.

Clay