The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Ok, I'm not going to suggest you can find a box of blues 78s very easily. But I am in constant state of surprise about what you still might find in a thrift store. In my area (Pennsylvania), as family members from the 78 generation pass on, their kids and grand-kids take the 78s to an antique dealer first, and from what i'm told, are told "nobody wants those", "I can't give them away", etc etc etc. So they call the Salvation Army and Good Will and they pick them up. There certainly are "pickers" among the staff at those places, but most are younger and don't know 78s well, but they all can spot a Sergeant Peppers Beatles album from a mile away. So the 78s come on the shelf. Most of them look like hell and tend to be common 50s stuff (Capitol mainstream stuff), but perhaps Grandma or Grandpa:
1. Were immigrants and bought "ethnic" records - I found a box of 46 Turkish 78s this year.
2. Liked early country - like Columbia 15000 series - always a thrill for me to find even one with that prefix
3. Bought "dime store" labels like Cameo, Lincoln, Regal, etc. - found a box of about 30 this year, and about 20 were salvageable - some with interesting alternative takes
4. Liked jazz - found a box of Duke Ellingtons (incl a few Victor scrolls) and Count Basies. And the jazz guys and gals usually treated their records gently.
So, are those who are still hunting finding stuff too?

This year my finds consisted of:
A record store that still deals in 78s and DDs. At reasonable prices too
A few interesting and funny vaudeville skits
An untouched Standard Talking Machine in a local shop (didn't buy, but serviced)
A full album (10 records) of Duke Ellington
An Edison S-19 that I bought from a friend of the original owner
A brass cylinder machine horn approximately 3-4 feet long (didn't buy)


There is still good stuff out there. I have found that small town shops tend to be the best versus an antique mall.

In the past year or so, I have found a Victrola XX, I just obtained a Lauzon William and Mary period phonograph (high end cabinet made in Grand Rapids, Mi) in excellent condition, a box of great 78 titles including 2 or 3 52000 series DDs all at reasonable prices (less than $1 each), so there are many opportunities still out there if you are in the right place at the right time...

I managed to buy this one family owned from new Excelsior machine recently, the day before the house clearance dealers were due to call. It is now waiting it's turn as a Winter restoration project :

There sure is. Last month I bought that Wondrola phonograph that Curt posted on the Forum for me. I bought it at the Seattle radio swap meet. You never know what you will find if you are at the right place, time, and Bucks. Thanks Curt
Harvey Kravitz

I found this VV-XVII in walnut on craiglist just last year. She was a bit rough when I found her http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... =7&t=27472

I have no doubt good things will continue to surface at shops and flea markets, despite eBay. But you have to burn a lot of shoe leather to find it first. My best find many years ago was 15 Lambert cylinders at a mall. Thirteen of them pink!