The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I found a few of these today. My first thought was that they are some sort of dictation cylinder, but they are announced and it is a musical selection. They are not in the best of shape, but I would like to clean them and see what they sound like.

Has anyone ever hear of this company? (Mich Electric Co, Detroit, MI) What is the best way to clean these? I admit to not being much of a record guy, so my knowledge in this area is really lacking. Any idea of the age? I included a shot of the interior, too, in case that tells you anything. No boxes with these.
Thanks!
Dave D

Dave, I did a google search and came up with the following.
It looks like your cylinder is circa 1897.
I'd say it is a very uncommon example.

James.

Thanks for the information. I wonder if they made the records themselves or just what the deal was. There was no phonograph found when the records were removed from an attic recently. That would have been a great find, too!
Dave

Probably just an early form of a dealer tag.

It's odd that you should find such a thing, as just yesterday, I bought a cylinder cabinet at an antique mall, that had several brown wax cylinders in it. The cylinder ends had various titles scratched into them, obviously by hand. They are very moldy. The couple that would play at all appear to be home recordings.

I found these on Sunday. They were in a cylinder record cabinet that was in such bad shape that even I did not want it.
Dave

Harry Macdonough recorded his first cylinders for the Michigan Electric Company, and he said that these cylinders, "Were not sold, but merely used in their phonograph parlor, on the slot machines in use at that time."

Dave D wrote:What is the best way to clean these?

If it has any mold issues and you want to kill those, isopropyl alcohol is the best solution for safe cleaning of wax. No need to rinse afterwards as it evaporates completely without any residue. Just go for 70% IPA (not higher) as the mold spores require a certain percentage of water. I usually wipe the cylinder from the inside first, let it dry and then put it on the mandrel and work from there with some soft cotton pads. Has never failed me once.

I sure do appreciate all the great information. I need to listen to some of Harry's cylinders on youtube and see what he sounds like.
Dave