The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I am going through a number of machines to get ready for the Union show. I am working on this Columbia AT. I always thought these were only 2-minute machines. This one seems to track across the record like it is a 4-minute machine. The reproducer had the regular 2-minute stylus. Did Columbia have 4-minute ATs? Am I missing anything on this model? Did Columbia make a 4-minute floating reproducer?
Thanks,
Ken Brekke

To the best of my knowledge, Columbia never made a 4 min AT. I don't know of a 4 min. floating reproducer, unless it was modified. Columbia started making 2/4 min. machines around 1908-09. when Edison came out with the 4 min. Amberols. These records played on the Columbia machines were indestructible types. The AT was made until 1905, 3 years before the 4 min. format. Unfortunately, your machine is a mix of parts. You have an early AT mechanism and lid on a late case bottom. The early AT had the low trunion, fancy lid like yours, and a fancy case bottom. These were made from 1898 until 1903. In 1903, the high trunion was used. Earlier AT's could be sent to the factory or a dealer to upgrade to the newer high trunion. The third version came out in 1904 until the last ones in 1905. These had a plain case like the AZ and the later BK. Your machine is easy to get back to the original configuration. All you need to do is swap the lid and mechanism into the early, fancy case bottom. These are fairly common. They can be found on ebay, or a Forum member might have one.
Harvey Kravitz

What puzzles me most on this machine is the gearing. I have a first style AT, and the proportion of those gears is just wrong. Besides, there is nothing for that smaller gear to engage.

Could someone have switched the gears from a later 2/4 minute machine onto an older chassis?

Bill