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Edison Phonograph "Original and Aboriginal" lithograph
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2016 7:19 pm
by thatonejohn
Saw this print at a local auction, and it's way out of my league as far as knowing anything about it. Auction is over, so I'm looking at this purely as hindsight, and to learn something. Auctioneer said it measures 20"x30.5", unsure if that includes the frame. Printed by The Sackett & Wilhelms Co. N.Y.. Also, in general, how rare is a print like this? and what kind of ballpark value? Are there other prints similar in size to this that feature other machines?
Re: Edison Phonograph "Original and Aboriginal" lithograph
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2016 8:46 pm
by phonogfp
Wow - I've never seen that one, or even an ad for it. There were many Edison lithographed posters of the era; most of them quite striking. We show a number of them in Antique Phonograph Advertising as full-page illustrations.
You must know what it brought at auction. I would expect several thousand dollars.
George P.
Re: Edison Phonograph "Original and Aboriginal" lithograph
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2016 9:17 pm
by OrthoFan
phonogfp wrote:Wow - I've never seen that one, or even an ad for it. There were many Edison lithographed posters of the era; most of them quite striking. We show a number of them in Antique Phonograph Advertising as full-page illustrations.
You must know what it brought at auction. I would expect several thousand dollars.
George P.
This site has a repro for sale for $85.00 --
http://www.bygones.com/edisonb.html
Re: Edison Phonograph "Original and Aboriginal" lithograph
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2016 8:10 am
by JohnM
The reproduction print seemingly depicts a Model E 'Standard' Phonograph as evidenced by the blue flowered horn, but the carriage eye is the smaller diameter. The auction litho has a black horn on the same 'Standard'. Model D?
Re: Edison Phonograph "Original and Aboriginal" lithograph
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2016 8:13 am
by phonogfp
JohnM wrote:The reproduction print seemingly depicts a Model E 'Standard' Phonograph as evidenced by the blue flowered horn, but the carriage eye is the smaller diameter. The auction litho has a black horn on the same 'Standard'. Model D?
The machine in the original looks like a Home to me.
The repro has a reversed image of a Standard, although the "Edison" decal has been corrected. Lots of artistic license going on...

In addition, the record boxes appear to be those for wax Amberols, which would date the image to pre-October 1912. Babson sold decorated horns of different colors with Edison Phonographs, and I suspect the image of the machine (again, in the reproduction) may have originated with Babson.
George P.
Re: Edison Phonograph "Original and Aboriginal" lithograph
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2016 2:05 pm
by thatonejohn
phonogfp wrote:JohnM wrote:The reproduction print seemingly depicts a Model E 'Standard' Phonograph as evidenced by the blue flowered horn, but the carriage eye is the smaller diameter. The auction litho has a black horn on the same 'Standard'. Model D?
The machine in the original looks like a Home to me.
The repro has a reversed image of a Standard, although the "Edison" decal has been corrected. Lots of artistic license going on...

In addition, the record boxes appear to be those for wax Amberols, which would date the image to pre-October 1912. Babson sold decorated horns of different colors with Edison Phonographs, and I suspect the image of the machine (again, in the reproduction) may have originated with Babson.
George P.
I agree with the artistic license... I would even venture to guess the image the artist was copying was of poor quality and possibly even black and white, judging by how the colors are pretty boring/inaccurate in the repro. The machine may have not copied that well for the artist, so they may have just used another machine.
phonogfp wrote:Wow - I've never seen that one, or even an ad for it. There were many Edison lithographed posters of the era; most of them quite striking. We show a number of them in Antique Phonograph Advertising as full-page illustrations.
You must know what it brought at auction. I would expect several thousand dollars.
George P.
Thousands of dollars you say? I'm assuming it went to a collector, as the average person wouldn't pay what it sold for (enough, but not thousands of dollars). I'll have to find a copy of that book, as I don't think my dad has that one.
Re: Edison Phonograph "Original and Aboriginal" lithograph
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2016 4:41 pm
by phonogfp
thatonejohn wrote: I'll have to find a copy of that book, as I don't think my dad has that one.
I can help...
http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... ire#p91754
Christmas is coming!
George P.
Re: Edison Phonograph "Original and Aboriginal" lithograph
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2016 8:04 pm
by JohnM
phonogfp wrote:JohnM wrote:The reproduction print seemingly depicts a Model E 'Standard' Phonograph as evidenced by the blue flowered horn, but the carriage eye is the smaller diameter. The auction litho has a black horn on the same 'Standard'. Model D?
The machine in the original looks like a Home to me.
The repro has a reversed image of a Standard, although the "Edison" decal has been corrected. Lots of artistic license going on...

In addition, the record boxes appear to be those for wax Amberols, which would date the image to pre-October 1912. Babson sold decorated horns of different colors with Edison Phonographs, and I suspect the image of the machine (again, in the reproduction) may have originated with Babson.
George P.
You're right, George! I didn't look very closely.