The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Can anyone shed any light on these posters as far as origin etc. I have two of differing size. one is 14 ¾ X 19 ½ the other is 17 ½ X 22. There are no pat dates or printing info on either.

I used to have one that I'm pretty sure I got from Alan Koenigsburg back in the 1970s, when I was in high school. It was on white slick (magazine cover style) paper, as I'm remembering things. I've often wondered what became of it; it disappeared sometime during one of my numerous moves between colleges, apartments, house, and whatnot since.

In general, with one color offset lithography, I would assume an original to have the text appear solid and and the images would be made of dots to create the illusion of continuous tone. Look with a strong magnifier.

I would think a reproduction would have dots on the text and possibly a slight moiré pattern in some of the phonograph images. There are was to mask the affect, but the images will start to get fuzzy looking.

It's been a long time since I was active in printing and I may be a bit fuzzy, too.

Also, the headline says more information is on the back. Is there?

James.

This isn't really an Edison product line poster, but rather an inducement for owners of earlier Edison Phonographs to buy Amberol Attachments to allow playing of Blue Amberol Records. Since Blue Amberols were announced in October 1912, this cannot date any earlier than that.

These have been reproduced more than once over the years but, as James points out, yours could possibly be an original.

George P.

Would say that...that Edison Cylinder Phonograph Identification page probably dates to 1912 during the introduction of the Blue Amberol Cylinders... if I had to take a guess...

...But George P. pretty much just posted that above and beat me to the punch...

)

Tony K.

Edison Collector/Restorer

Somewhere I've got/had one of these posters, probably from Koenigsburg.

Makes me wonder now, could all of these models really be converted to pay BAs? The Standard A square top and the Balmoral come to mind?

Years ago I purchased a DD machine. Inside the case, under the motor was the pictured booklet--It is printed on a slick, "oil" type paper-- Not sure what to call it. When I opened the booklet, the poster mentioned in these posts was folded up inside, with many stains (as shown)- There is also a small insert re: Instructions for Operating the 10"/12" locating device.
The machine was purchased at an onsite estate auction in the early 1980's. Later, I sold the poster on Ebay, but after receiving it, the purchaser was uncertain whether it was an original and asked to return it. No problem-- I want folks to be happy with their purchases, so I took it back and refunded his money.

Given where it was found, I am convinced it is an original. I have a repro made in the mid-80's that is on a little thicker paper, but is otherwise identical......

EXCEPT-- On the "IDELIA D2", the known repro has a little white circle on the base of the letter "A"-- the alleged original does not. Also-- the pictures on the known repro are a little darker and therefore not as detailed--And-- once again the little white circle shows up on the Opera (right side of case)and the Idelia D1 (near base to right of Edison script)

So-- Amateur detectives... Is there a definitive way to tell a repro from an original??? Does anyone else have those little circles on their repros or on a known original?

Brad Abell

I think I bought mine at the Edison Historical Site in West Orange in the 1970's. I sold it in the Donley Auction in March 2017 for $50.

Jim Nichol