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I have a couple of questions regarding cabinet variations. When was the pattern design changed on the pieces behind the motor board? On my lyre grill 1A machines, the pattern is that of mission style fretwork. On my rococo urn grill 1A, the pattern is more decorative with scrolling.
Also, my later 1A w/ the rococo urn grill has "hoof" shaped feet/legs in the front. I have never seen this shape ever before on a 1A cabinet. I assume that they exist, but I had never seen this style of front legs before.

I'm not sure you can date the variations because Pooley and Herzog were both providing 1-A cabinets at the same time. Jerry B.

The "hoof" feet are early Pooley.

Jerry's right - cabinets were being supplied simultaneously by Herzog and Pooley, as well as the Saginaw Table and Cabinet Company. Even the Edison Phonograph Works was manufacturing complete cabinets in late 1909/early 1910, attempting to cover the shortages from Herzog. This situation is explained in detail in the September 2009 issue of The Sound Box (currently renamed The Antique Phonograph) in the final installment of a 3-part article titled, The Edison Amberola I (Part 3) Cabinets: Confusion and Calamity.

Your lyre grille IA cabinet was supplied by either Herzog or Saginaw. If you post a photo showing the louvers and corner columns, I can tell you which.

George P.

Thanks guys for your input. I will attempt, in my usual out-dated style, to post some photos later today. I am a huge fan of the Amberola 1A machines. From the classic cabinet construction to the mechanism, I firmly believe it was, and still remains, the absolute best phongraph product ever produced.

the absolute best phongraph product ever produced.

I can't disagree. My 1-A will be the last to go. It provides elegance, record storage, and versatility. The complete phonograph! Jerry Blais

You'll find this thread to be of interest. It also points to a copy of the article George was referencing:

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... la+cabinet

I too have a "cloven hoof" Amberola 1A, serial number 257. What is the serial number on yours? Does the number on the ID plate match the ID on the motor and cabinet parts too?

Jerry B. wrote:

the absolute best phongraph product ever produced.

I can't disagree. My 1-A will be the last to go. It provides elegance, record storage, and versatility. The complete phonograph! Jerry Blais

BUT, it still can't play discs...

52089 wrote:You'll find this thread to be of interest. It also points to a copy of the article George was referencing:

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... la+cabinet

I too have a "cloven hoof" Amberola 1A, serial number 257. What is the serial number on yours? Does the number on the ID plate match the ID on the motor and cabinet parts too?

The Ser. Number of my Amberola 1A w/ the "cloven hoof" front feet is 1905. All numbers match, as do the other 2 Amberola 1A's that I have. All machines in my collection were purchased directly from the original owners, or the descendents of the original owners.

Hailey wrote:

52089 wrote:You'll find this thread to be of interest. It also points to a copy of the article George was referencing:

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... la+cabinet

I too have a "cloven hoof" Amberola 1A, serial number 257. What is the serial number on yours? Does the number on the ID plate match the ID on the motor and cabinet parts too?

The Ser. Number of my Amberola 1A w/ the "cloven hoof" front feet is 1905. All numbers match, as do the other 2 Amberola 1A's that I have. All machines in my collection were purchased directly from the original owners, or the descendents of the original owners.

I remember seeing a cloven hoof Amberola 1A in oak with a gunmetal mechanism.

Per George's inquiry, I am finally getting around to posting a photo.
The Amberola 1A pictured to the left is serial number 1905, having the rococo grill, 3 louvers on each side, the more ornate scrolled grill behind the motor, metal clips in the drawers to secure the cylinders, and cloved hoof feet on the front. The Amberola 1A picturd on the right is serial number 66, having the lyre shaped grill, 3 louvers on each side, the straight lined grill behind the motor, wooden egg-crate like separators in the drawers, and carved front feet. I have a second lyre grill Amberola 1A with serial number 456 that is similar in every way to the pictured lyre grill 1A here, except it has 2 louvers on each side of the cabinet.

Thanks in advance , George, for your parting of knowledge regarding the origin of these cabinets.