The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

These are exceedingly uncommon. Condition is Near Mint.

These very late School Test Blue Amberol cylinders (some are also referred to as Ediphone Standard Practice Records) have a few unique characteristics. They were factory released in cotton padded late style Edison Blue Amberol boxes, the plaster core was solid, the core was dyed a bluish purple color (kind of pretty actually!), the cylinders play at a very low RPM (this one plays fine [for me anyway!] at approximately 100 rpm!). I'm reminded of many of my earliest brown wax cylinders that play well at a very low RPM.

This one is #10 and features "ALFRED THE GREAT" as presented by Edwin J. McNamara. There is no lid. Honestly, I have absolutely no clue how to price this cylinder since I've never seen any sold anywhere so I took a shot in the dark at $150. Maybe it's too high maybe it's too low but that's what feels about right to me.

Please send a PM with interest. USPS First Class shipping is extra and at cost.

Thanks!
Doug

Will it play on a conventional 4-minute machine or do you need an Ediphone to play it?

I'm presuming these cylinders were designed for play on an Ediphone. As a brief test I played the first 10 seconds or so of this one using one of my trowel weight (ie. lighter weight) model O reproducers with the 4 minute stylus in place mounted in my Triumph D-2. It played perfectly loud and clear for me at about 100 RPM for those few seconds of play. I was curious as to what it might sound like and my curiosity was satisfied after that brief test playing so I lifted the reproducer and put it back inside its box. The cylinder looks brand new and I'm reasonably confident that it was made for play on an Ediphone. During my brief test play, I could clearly hear Edwin McNamara begin the recording by providing a background of Alfred The Great. I'd be willing to bet that the remainder of the recorded content is incredibly boring unless you're interested in Alfred The Great.

Doug

Here's a picture of the unusual lid (information) that this particular cylinder would have had before someone lost it. This one here is for Edison School Test Record #14 and it's the only original lid I have like this. As with the one I have here for sale, the actual cylinder (#14) is near mint in its original padded Blue Amberol box. Anyway, if anyone here buys the cylinder I'll be happy to include a couple of color copies of this lid from my copier here. Just let me know before I package it. I'm thinking it'd be better than having no lid at all. And maybe a good digital copy of my original lid here could be fiddled with in Photoshop to look just like the original lid for this #10 cylinder! $1.50 each for these cylinders when new! Not cheap!

Doug