Edison Labs Museum - The Music Room

[Valecnik]

Another chapter in the virtual tour of the Edison Laboratory museum. This is the music room. Interestingly it was the only part of the facility where women worked. Although I assume it was in use into 1929, it almost looks more like it's frozen in time about 1920...

[Paal1994]

Bruce,

Another bunch of great photos!
I have seen a film clip where Edison is sitting in this room listening to both the C-250 and the piano. At the piano he used the horn standing infront of the phonograph.
Strange to see Columbia and Victor machines there, though. I wonder if The Old Man would allow steel needle machines in his laboratory? Or if they have been placed there in later years...

Paal.

[Sidewinder]

Hi Bruce

Thanks very much for the incredible photos. The "frozen in time" atmosphere makes it an absolutely incredible museum.

[Neophone]

Hi Bruce

Thanks very much for the incredible photos. The "frozen in time" atmosphere makes it an absolutely incredible museum.

Sidewinder,

I agree! I'm so glad they didn't repaint and polish the place up. It looks so much more "alive" this way.

Bruce, thank you for the wonderful photos!

Regards,
John

[estott]

Bruce,

Another bunch of great photos!
I have seen a film clip where Edison is sitting in this room listening to both the C-250 and the piano. At the piano he used the horn standing infront of the phonograph.
Strange to see Columbia and Victor machines there, though. I wonder if The Old Man would allow steel needle machines in his laboratory? Or if they have been placed there in later years...

Paal.

The Columbia and Victor machines were there for comparison purposes- dealers could play both for customers to demonstrate the Edison Superiority. It was advised that the dealer should use recordings by artists who recoded for both Edison and other companies (such as Billy Murray) and if possible the same selections. I suspect the machines were also used to audition recordings by artists whom Edison might wish to lure to his roster.

[Kirkwood]

Thanks for posting all of these super clear photos of the Edison Labs, I've enjoyed all of them immensely. As a phono-holic with a crossover interest in old buildings, it's really great to see things just as they were: straight forward industrial spaces with a sense of order and propriety to the place. Except for the absence of paperwork on the desks, it's just as if the ladies of the music room have left to go to lunch. They have sure put some effort into this place since my last visit in 1978, it all looks just great.

[Valecnik]

Thanks for posting all of these super clear photos of the Edison Labs, I've enjoyed all of them immensely. As a phono-holic with a crossover interest in old buildings, it's really great to see things just as they were: straight forward industrial spaces with a sense of order and propriety to the place. Except for the absence of paperwork on the desks, it's just as if the ladies of the music room have left to go to lunch. They have sure put some effort into this place since my last visit in 1978, it all looks just great.

I totally agree. It's really a great piece of luck that this place survived at all when so many like it probably fell victim to the wrecking ball a short time after closing. The Edison, or by the early 30s probably General Electric, seemed to have a sense of preservation. How amazing is it that Edison built these big concrete vaults for storage of the disc and cylinder masters and that the masters survive to this day?

[JohnM]

Imagine being paid to come and work there everyday (I don't mean the rangers, but that would be OK, too!)

[schweg]

Bruce, Thanks again for this set of pictures. They just keep getting better. My brother and I had planned to go up from S. NJ last summer only to realize that the opening wasn't until later on. However, seeing your pics has definitely made it the top priority if I am able to get to my parents house again in June or July. I just sent this link to my brother, who lives in VA, so he can begin making plans to head up and meet me so we can drive up to see the labs for ourselves.

Steve

[Lenoirstreetguy]

These are great! In the fourth pic I note they've blown up that image of the music room in its days of glory. They used it for the reconstruction or the reconstitution of the music room and there was in fact a Victrola and a Graphonola in the music room. The Graphonola had an electric motor too. Jerry Fabris of the Edison National Historic Site was asking collectors for a donation of one late last year I think. The room looked pretty spiffy in that photo: rugs, potted plants, the pianist at the Steinway, secretary typing away. Is that painting supposed to be Sergei Rachmaninoff? If it is, it would be the memorial to one of the biggest mess-ups of the Phonograph division. How they lost Rachmaninoff to Victor is one of the most amazing sagas in the entire history of the company.
And those long thin recording horns: I betcha those were the kind they used in the dubbing of the Blue Amberols. The only pic of the dubbing process dates from the lp period of the twenties (it's in the Frow book) and the set up used two very long and thin recording horns like these.
At any rate these pics are so cool: were I there I'd probably be genuflecting at the railing.

Jim