The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Okay, I have a cylinder that is a Green Amberol made by Edison. Just like the blue ones.

Well... it is Irish after all

...But yesterday on the APS Facebook page [https://www.facebook.com/groups/phonograph/#] you wrote that:

"The cylinder is a blue amberol that was dyed green. I, inspected the cylinder closely. Where, the dye has worn away and you can see the blue, underneath."

Has something changed?

George P.

Why would you dye a cylinder green?? Is this from Edison or a home brew dying ??? Tom B

No, nothing has Changed George. Although, I did look at it more closely. After the original, posting.


You got me Tom?

It is just a dye variation I have a few blue amberols that are a greenish blue in color. Dying the celluloid at Edison was a very strange affair, the weather had to be just right. The good dye was made by
the Standard Chemical Works in the Tremley section of Linden, New Jersey. The plant was located in a marshy area on the Arthur Kill waterway. The
major product was sulfuric acid, used in large quantities by the emerging oil refineries in the metropolitan area. Acetic acid was added after 1900.The Grasselli Dyestuff Corporation, and later General Dyestuff Corporation when it was formed in July 1925 The dye was dissolved in acetone, and this is the good dye, it varied in color, from light to dark blue. The light blue celluloid cylinders, often found streaked and worn, were a water based dyes, and were not very good. The celluloid came in 72" tubes and caps put in the ends of the celluloid tubing, after it had been rolled on a steam die. The celluloid tubing, end caps to seal the inside off were added, and then dipped in the acetone, and blue dye, they were then seasoned for about 14 days before being used. Only very few days were time to dye the tubes, the person in charge, had enough practice to know when it felt right to dye the tubes, and would be up at midnight or some odd hour, totally by conditions to dye them. It had to be the right pressure, and low humidity, and still air to dye them or they would streak, or be odd colors.

It sounds more like severe sun damage to me....A BA cylinder that has been left in direct sunlight too long.

If you leave Blue in the sunlight, it usually turns green....No?

Tony K.

Edison Collector/Restorer