The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

My cylinder collection is large but nothing special -- I just buy them in big lots and take what I get -- but I do have some cases, at least, that strike me as pretty unusual. I've noticed a particularly wide variety of styles for Edison 2-minute records. The overwhelming majority, at least of mine, are the common one pictured in the "Edison A" photo here (with a fair number of the "Edison B" style, too), but I have to admit I don't know when those were sold, and I know even less (which is to say, nothing) about the other types I have pictured here. If anyone can tell me a bit about any or all of these -- when they would date from, if any of them would have contained a special type of cylinder (some of the ones pictured, I suspect, don't contain their original records), relative rarity, etc. -- I would appreciate it.

One thing I have noticed is that inside, most are just empty with felt lining the wall, but some have a round cardboard dowel in the middle. I assume the latter style is earlier, but I'm not sure. Does anyone know when they stopped doing this insert? And how early did they stop stuffing the cases with cotton (or whatever it was) wadding? I have a few of those, too.

Also, is there a book out there that gives the histories of these and other types (Columbia, Oxford, Indestructible, etc.) of cylinders/cases, with dates and pictures? I would love to find cylinder equivalents of "The Collector's Guide to Victor Records" and "Note the Notes." I have the Frow and Sutton books already, but they're not very helpful in this regard. Thanks!

(Oh, and sorry for the sideways pictures. If anyone can tell me how to straighten them out, PM me and I will.)

This may help, ar at least get you started.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8097&hilit=boxes+standard

The post above is a good summary. I also put together this high level summary from various sources. From my experience, the one that seems to be somewhat rare is the “Edison Standard Record”. As far as books, there are three that I like…
- The one referred to in the post above, by “Edison Cylinder Records, 1889 - 1912” Allen Koenigsberg.
- Indestructible and U-S Everlasting Cylinders, An Illustrated History and Cylinderography by Kurt Nauck and Allan Sutton.
- The Ultimate Phonograph Cylinder Handbook by City of London Phonograph and Gramophone Society. You can purchase this one on their website - https://www.clpgs.org.uk/reference-series.html

That's very helpful, thank you! Any chance you did one for Columbia cylinders, too?

I posted an overview of Columbia cylinder labels here some years ago:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14947
Since then I found out that there were even more variations. So, I should do an update. And these are just the American releases ... there were several others in Europe too. I wasn't able yet to date those labels. I will have to do that for my book about cylinder record boxes ...

Yes, what you are looking for - a collectors guide to cylinder record boxes - is in work. It is a project that I started some years ago with the help of several other collectors. But you have to be patient, as it won't be ready soon. To not miss it and to get in touch with me in general just send me an email.

Meanwhile you may like to join my Facebook group for cylinder boxes collectors, where I post something of interest every month. For example I did post an overview of all American Edison 2 minute box variations (18 in total, without Grand Opera, Blanks, Concert size etc).

Cheers,
Helmut