The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Opinion/Advice needed

This Edison C19 is in a local antique shop. It has had a worthless mechanism installed in the cabinet; but, the only damage is a small hole where the modified crank goes.

It looks like a really nice cabinet and the woodgrain looks pretty awesome to me.

Question is, would the grain on this cabinet make it worth buying and putting the correct mechanism in it?

Just curious what others think.

thanks

I would have to agree that is a pretty attractive looking oak cabinet. I have an oak C-250 but it does not have a nice grain pattern like that. There have been a lot of C-250's and C-19's turning up on Facebook market place and Craigslist lately. Those in nice condition and complete are $400 or less. So it really depends on how much they are asking for that C-19 cabinet. If it is $100 or less I would grab it and keep an eye out for another one where the cabinet is wrecked but the mechanism is complete.

Pete Stratford wrote:I would have to agree that is a pretty attractive looking oak cabinet. I have an oak C-250 but it does not have a nice grain pattern like that. There have been a lot of C-250's and C-19's turning up on Facebook market place and Craigslist lately. Those in nice condition and complete are $400 or less. So it really depends on how much they are asking for that C-19 cabinet. If it is $100 or less I would grab it and keep an eye out for another one where the cabinet is wrecked but the mechanism is complete.

Agree. Depends on bargain price and availability of needed parts.

Somewhere I have a complete working DD guts. Not sure what model it came out of. I'll try to find it and photograph it, if you are interested. Cheers, Russie

After the "A" series, weren't all diamond disc phonographs fitted with the same mechanical workings, differing only in the size of the horn and the number of spring barrels? If so, probably any two-spring set of works, the likes of which seem to turn up quite regularly on eBay, would fit the cabinet properly, although you'd want one with the large no. 250 horn to avoid further retrofitting. Come to think of it, did any of the post-"A"-series machines with two springs come with a smaller horn? I don't think so, but someone can correct me if I'm wrong.

It's always worthwhile and satisfying to put something back into its proper form & condition. I have an Orthophonic Credenza that someone "modernized" by installing a Hi-Fi unit. Thankfully, the horn was unharmed in the process. In the long run, I spent a little too much on putting it "right", but the enjoyment I get out of using it, coupled with the satisfaction that I "saved" it, made it all well worthwhile.

For your possible project, consider that there seems to be an endless supply of cheap C19's on FB Marketplace or Craigslist that have completely destroyed cabinets.

to Drh, no, many Edison machines after the A models came with the small 100 or 150 size horns. The A 100, and the H-19, B-19, 1C, early Baby Console, and London models came with the small 100 horn. The C-150, C-200, Baby Console, and 2C Long Play came with the medium 150 horn.

marcapra wrote:to Drh, no, many Edison machines after the A models came with the small 100 or 150 size horns. The A 100, and the H-19, B-19, 1C, early Baby Console, and London models came with the small 100 horn. The C-150, C-200, Baby Console, and 2C Long Play came with the medium 150 horn.

But those all--except the long plays?--had single springs, right? I'm thinking all the "normal" two-spring models would have had the 250 horn (the Jacobean being the odd man out with a 250 horn but only a single spring), which would suggest any post-A-series two-spring set of works (except maybe from the low-end long play consoles) would fit the C-250 cabinet, be it originally from a William and Mary, a C-250 or C-19, or whatever--am I right? That's what I was trying to suggest, anyway.

So, what have you decided to do ????

I might make an offer but they want $450 for it which is about $300 too much.