The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I recently puchased several machines and a batch of cylinders at a local estate sale. one of the cylinders is a bit of an oddity to me. It's a common Edison Blue amberol #1743 "Trail of the Lonesome Pine" but the oddity is this: It has no plaster inside, instead it has metal rings on both ends and has a fiborous core much like you'd find on an Indestructible cylinder. The end appears to have been crimped over the metal end and the other end is short and doesn't seem to be stretched over the length of the cylinder like it should. I think it is odd and wanted to ask if any of you have seen anything like this before (?)

Any insights or speculations would be appreciated. It doesn't have any splits or tears in the celluloid, except the end doesn't wrap over the bottom.

?? Ideas, ??

Thanks,
ColoradoPhonograf

Very strange indeed. It's almost as if the plaster core has been removed, and the core of an indestructible has been inserted to keep it usable.
The metal ring seems to be the same design as an indestructible, but none of mine have the join in the cardboard like is visible in your picture.

I have the same exact cylinder in the same condition and didn't know what it was all about either. Maybe someone can help.

Ron Dethlefson would probably know. He dosen't belong to this board though.
Dave

It's interesting that two collectors have this record with the same substitution for the original plaster-of-Paris. My copy has the usual expected standard Edison treatment. I never thought Edison did this. It is the expected interior for an Albany, N.Y. made Indestructible.
I have a copy of another Blue Amberol, of Creatore's Band playing the Creatore's Band March which has the celluloid not reaching the back end and rolling over it as was the usual pattern. Apparently this happened once in a while and someone took advantage of it. Bob Ault

it sounds to me that being made like that they may be master recordings that copies were made from