When did Various Columbia Cylinder Box Labels Appear?

[Rexophone]

Hi all,

I was reading some threads from several years ago about the age of various cylinder box labels as well as when Columbia and Edison began using labels on cylinder boxes. Particularly this one--

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... f=2&t=8070

I just wanted to ask for some clarification about Columbia. Based on that thread I believe that Columbia’s first label is the one on the left in photo below named COLUMBIA 1, followed shortly later by the one on the right in the same photo. Those labels have Columbia’s six original sales offices, followed by the one in Paris listed on the box on the right. In the earlier thread George Paul indicated that according to a Columbia annual report a few years later several of these locations including Paris were opened by Columbia in 1897, suggesting that both labels could not have been used before 1897.

So if this information is correct, does that mean that Columbia did not start using cylinder box labels until 1897, and that this was the first label?

I think the next label Columbia used is the one in the photo COLUMBIA 2 below. This is the gosh awful illustration of a Graphophone next to Lady Columbia that looks like something more out of a steam punk convention with the name of the product misspelled as Graphaphone. I have seen these labels with at least two different lists of cities. Columbia was rather fastidious about adding the cities of new sales offices to both their ads and labels. I have tried to correlate the lists found in advertisements (since advertisements can be tied to magazine dates in which they are found) to the list of cities on labels. Based on that my best shot is that this label was introduced about 1898 and used into 1900. Does that sound right based on information you all have seen?

The next label is in Photo COLUMBIA 3. I think this is the best art work found on any of the labels. These also appear with differing but growing numbers of cities as well as an identifiable Home Grand Graphophone. The print quality is good enough on some of these that you can read the name on the front of the machine although the illustration is a reversed image of the phono. Based on the introduction date of this machine as well as the initial list of cities, I am guessing this label was introduced around 1901 or may a little later. Does that sound correct?

The next label is in the photo COLUMBIA 4. This is a more coarse rendition of the earlier illustration. The number of cities continue to increase and the lines forming the illustration continue to thicken and simplify. I believe this is the last series of labels before introduction of Columbia’s Indestructible cylinder line with different labeling. From the list of cities on examples I have found as well as a somewhat limited pool of advertisements I am guessing this label was introduced around 1905?? When the quantity of cities passed 52 it looks like Columbia gave up on listing them on the product.

Of course this doesn’t address labels on 20th Century and Grand cylinder boxes.

Anyway does this sound right or does anyone have some additional sources which could provide better calibration? This may be boring to some folks but I love learning mundane details like this about our hobby.

Steve

[phonogfp]

Steve, I think you have the chronology right, and the dates, if not exact, can't be too far off. There is another variation quite similar to No.2 but with "Graphophone" spelled correctly.

I for one find this interesting!

George P.

[Andreas Gramophones]

Two more models of the Columbia box, where would they fit into the timeline?

[Stephen_Madara]

I have a French Columbia cylinder box that shows a disk machine. Steve

[Rexophone]

Those are great, guys.

Andreas-- The Columbia Indestructible would be the last. Columbia begin marketing Indestructible records after they stopped making wax cylinders. Since you can see the top of the high-speed cylinder box which you have in Stephen's picture, it appears to have intertwined British and American flags. If this is the correct top I would guess that this may be a British Columbia box so I would know little of exactly when it would fit in the timeline. However since it says high-speed I would guess that it is later rather than earlier.

Stephen-- I really like both of those. Yes, that French one is great with the disk phonograph. I have heard of those, but I have never seen either one. I would really enjoy finding someone's extra copy of both of those sometime.

Speaking of the French Columbia company, you should look up what they did with Miss Columbia on the decals of their machines in the book Discovering Antique Phonographs. The French turned her into something more resembling a lounge singer.

Thanks again for sharing those photographs.

Steve