The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I recently acquired a new to me Edison Amberola 1A in mahogany. This has the early Herzog cabinet. During shipping, the brass casters worked their way down through the cardboard even though the cabinet was double boxed. I should have told the FedEx guy to support the belly of the cabinet with cardboard or foam so that when someone dropped the box, the shock would not go to the casters because they would be two or three inches up in the air. Someone did drop the box on a corner, which knocked out a caster. I have another Amberola 1A with the later Pooley cabinet, but it has Feltoid casters. The Herzog cabinet has brass casters and the wheel diameter appears to be about 1 3/16". So the Herzog Furniture Co. located in Saginaw, MI may have made their own casters or bought something locally. Does anyone know if Victrola or Columbia used this kind of brass metal caster on their floor models around the 1909-10 era? I've included some pics to make it easy to identify. Thanks, Marc.

Do you have all of the pieces of the broken one, including the rollers?

No, I don't have the other parts. Don't think it would salvageable anyway. I may have to find a caster that is close and make do with that. It's hard finding 109 year old hardware!!!

I doubt these would work but I thought I'd post them anyway in case they might be the right height, regardless of style difference. These came off an antique sofa that had been roughly handled by some morons. The other two broke apart.

Wheel diameter about 1 ⅜"
Plate diameter 1 15/32"
Shaft insert diameter 9/16"
Height from top of plate to bottom wheel 1 27/32"

I wonder if you couldn't get a replica made if you can't find any originals. I'm not sure, but that might be a potentially reasonable alternative.

Stephen

I doubt these would work but I thought I'd post them anyway in case they might be the right height, regardless of style difference.

Hey JWB! That might very well work! Yours don't have the roller bearing cage, and the wheel diameter is a bit bigger, but the height checks out the same as on mine! The thickness of the shaft looks about right too. Do the plates have holes in them for screwing the caster to the leg? Let me know if you would sell them, or one of them. Thanks, Marc C. from Temecula, CA.

Yes, they have three mounting holes, but they look spaced further apart, so you'll probably have to drill new holes. I'll gladly send one to you for $5 for postage. Or you can drive out to Riverside, but I don't think you'll save money that way Hopefully it will work! Probably put it in the back if it looks a little different than the others. I'll PM you.

Sounds good! PM sent.