The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I recently picked up a lot of 5 Columbia 2 min. cylinders from an eBay seller claiming that all were "dark brown" with one lighter brown.

What I got were four black wax cylinders and one brown one. The brown one has mold way worse than pictured/ described.

When I messaged the seller telling him these are common black wax cylinders, he countered that they are actually dark brown solely because they are "softer".

This sounds like malarkey to me. I've been collecting for nearly five decades now and never heard this bit about the softness of wax meaning it's dark brown rather than quite obviously black.

Is there something I'm not aware of? I just want to be sure I am correct before I take the next step.

Sounds like malarkey to me too. Determining the color of cylinders by "softness?" That's original!

George P.

phonogfp wrote:Sounds like malarkey to me too. Determining the color of cylinders by "softness?" That's original!

George P.

Here's the guy's exact response:

Those are indeed dark brown wax. Push your fingernail in on an edge. Black wax is not that soft. But send them back and I will refund your purchase price.

Columbia molded records are brown wax, with some lampblack thrown in for color, and they are softer than Edison's. So he is partially right. Of course if I say it I am sure that most of you will think it is malarkey!

Well, at least the seller is willing to refund your money.

George P.

edisonphonoworks wrote:Columbia molded records are brown wax, with some lampblack thrown in for color, and they are softer than Edison's. So he is partially right. Of course if I say it I am sure that most of you will think it is malarkey!

Well, Shawn, I totally agree with you on this, it's certainly not moonshine on the water.

edisonphonoworks wrote:Of course if I say it I am sure that most of you will think it is malarkey!

I think the only person who ever talks ill of you on here is yourself...stop being so dramatic.

phonogfp wrote:Well, at least the seller is willing to refund your money.

George P.

Sure, as long as I'm willing to pay to send it back. Incidentally, it came with $15 postage due because the post office doesn't think these are records.

So, is the listing misleading, or should I have known that black Columbia cylinders are kinda sorta dark brown but not really?

It is hard to say, I had a early Columbia 2 minute cylinder that when looking at it in the light was a very dark brown color. At least the seller is offering you a refund.

gramophone-georg wrote:Sure, as long as I'm willing to pay to send it back. Incidentally, it came with $15 postage due because the post office doesn't think these are records.

You should be able to get your money back from the Post Office. There was just some uninformed employee being over zealous that said it wasn't a record. They cannot decide a record is not a record even if they are unfamiliar with them. After all, it is "media" and the postage is for "media" not just records.