The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I recently bought a job lot of 20 BA's on eBay. Only one was pictured and there was no list of the rest, so I took a risk and won them for just over £25 including postage.

They turned out to be mostly comic songs and recitations by the likes of Billy Golden, Monroe Silver, Jones & Hare etc. Not my thing at all, but the stand out cylinder was 23199 "The awakening of Scrooge" by Bransby Williams. Out of curiosity I went back into eBay to see what it might be worth. I got quite a shock, but a very pleasant one :

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EDISON-4m-CH ... Sw~4xetYvO

My goodness Roger, that is quite a result. Congratulations ! Mind you, you were always worth knowing...…...!

Do keep in mind that that is an asking price, with a "make offer" button. It is also in the USA where one assumes it is far less common than it would be in the UK.

1st one ever on Ebay though ! And the onl yBransby Williams cylinder made $34

Very nice, I got a copy myself in a job lot of records from SAS, it’s got that problem where it loses it’s dye, so it looks a lot more worn than it sounds

Whatever it may or may not be worth, BA23199 is a wonderful recording and I am keeping it. After all, it cost me less than £1.50.
Who knows what the job lot might have sold for if only the seller had bothered to list the cylinders, but I am not complaining!

I've had a few copies of that record which I've sold over the years --- sale prices vary of course , but anywhere between 15 and 50 GBP is what I have sold 'em for. Bransby Williams was a really great character actor , especially favoured for Dickensian roles. Apparently he was featured on an early " This is You Life " TV programme , so well was he known in the late 1950's , his career having spanned many decades Dulcetto