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Pictured below are 2 different styles of mandrel tags from my parts bin. Some of the cities are different. George Paul stated in another post that B's started getting mandrel tags after around 145000. What about Q's? I have a friend who needs a tag for a Q project but I want to make sure it's right or whether he even needs one. And why the different cities? Thanks in advance for the explanation. Joe Filer

The mandrel tag with "San Francisco" and "U.S.A." is the later design. I only wish I had included details of the mandrel tags on my Eagle Questionnaire years ago. As of now, I don't know when that later design was introduced.

I'm 99% sure that all Qs - even the very first ones - were equipped with mandrel tags. But when the early design was supplanted by a later design (how many designs were there?) is still an unanswered question.

George P.

George, thank you for the info. I guess my friend won't be getting a tag since I have to now install one on my Early Q that is tagless. My Q without a tag is serial number 337xxx. I have another early style Q serial 606xxx and it bears the San Fransisco tag. Can anyone out there with an early Q, less than 606xxx, reveal what tag they have, please.
I can only think of one B of mine that wears the "Atlantc City" tag and it's on my highly polished B which is serial 146xxx.
Thanks again, Joe

I never knew there were two types of tags. Now, I have to dig out my machines and check them. Great info.
Harvey Kravitz

For the purposes of clarity, I'm going to refer to the earlier Atlantic City mandrel tag as the "7 Cities" tag. I'll call the later "U.S.A." tag the "8 Cities" tag.

I looked at several Qs and Eagles here, and can report the following:

All the Qs here going back to No.376--- wear the later "8 Cities" tag.

As noted earlier, Eagles before approx. 145,700 had no mandrel tags. Unfortunately, most of the Eagles here are early examples which never had mandrel tags. No.155--- and No.157--- wear the earlier "7 Cities" tag. There's a very late BX here (No.429---) but unfortunately the mandrel tag is missing. It surely had a later tag, but whether it was an even later version than the "8 Cities" tag is unknown.

If owners of Eagles numbered above 157,000 would note mandrel tag type and the machine's serial number, we might get an approximate point where the new tag came into use.

George P.

Just for the record, my three Qs, Nos 104955, 344602, and 993693 all have San Fransisco on the tag.
Alistair.

I just found a photo of Q No.318734 which carries the early "7 Cities" mandrel tag. So somewhere in the 1st version Q production (probably during 1899), the mandrel tags changed from "7 Cities" to "8 Cities."

Based on Clevelander's post above, that change occurred between Q No.318734 and No.344602.

George P.

phonogfp wrote:I just found a photo of Q No.318734 which carries the early "7 Cities" mandrel tag. So somewhere in the 1st version Q production (probably during 1899), the mandrel tags changed from "7 Cities" to "8 Cities."

Based on Clevelander's post above, that change occurred between Q No.318734 and No.344602.

George P.

I wish I could help. My latest Q acquisition (No. 322,061), is unfortunately missing its mandrel "tag". Until more info is compiled, I won't know which tag it would've had. This is a very interesting study, to be sure!

Best,
Fran

I'm still checking out my Q's and my early caseless one has the 8 cities tag. I have the later Q's, the AP, AP Sears version, Busy Bee, and Languagephone, and they all have the 8 cities tag. I have the early 1901-2 Columbia AA model with the 8 cities tag. I like to make a hypothesis, that the 8 city tags were used after 1900? This is a very interesting thread, and really learned something from this.
Harvey Kravitz

Phonofreak wrote: I like to make a hypothesis, that the 8 city tags were used after 1900?
Harvey Kravitz

As I wrote above, I believe the "8 City" mandrel tag appeared in 1899. It would be great to narrow that down further. With some Eagle mandrel tag data, it might be possible.

George P.