The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello,

Were all Edison Spring Motor machines sold with oak cabinets and all encasing covers? I've just bought one and I believe it has been refinished.
Somehow I don't believe the finish is genuine as it is very,very dark. The cover certainly looks like oak.

And I'd appreciate knowing how to restore the finish with the least invasive chemicals if it is oak.

Thank You !

Pictures???

Some cabinets are darker than others. Don't do anything to it until you get some feedback on the current finish.

Most talking machine companies, including Edison, would provide what the customer wanted in the form of varieties of wood, embellished of the deck, etc. Most Spring Motors were sold in oak cabinets.

If yours is very dark, it may be like mine. At first glance and even after some initial examination it looks like a mahogany machine. But it's oak. I've owned it for decades and believe the machine was "mahoganized" very early in the 20th Century. I believe there is value in finishes that were changed or embellished by original owners. Before I purchased mine I examined it very carefully. It has enough gentle wear to the finish that I was convinced it was a very old finish.

I would be very cautious about refinishing a machine that has been mahoganized. In my opinion the mahoganized finish is part of its provenance.

Included are photos of my Spring Motor as well as my mahoganized Victor III.

Jerry Blais

Hi Jerry,
Thank you for your pictures. I'm still trying to figure out how to post as I do have some pictures that Raphael Cole (Thank You, Raphael) took of it. They are a little lighter than the machine looks in real time.

It has had 2/4 minute gearing added to play 4 minute records. The Triton motor is still very quiet.

I recognize the upper works of a Class M on yours. Mine is missing the 2 bosses that held the 2 right angle pulleys and the bolted down straight edge.

It has the blades of grass in the corners on the upper casting and the scroll type corner edge transfers on the bed plate. Both nickeled plates read the same. "MANUFACTURED UNDER THE PATENTS OF THOMAS A. EDISON OF ORANGE N.J.U.S.A." Last patent date May 3, 1898.

The serial Number is missing from the usual spot on the upper casting.

The similarity in finish between your and my cabinet is so close that I'm pretty sure the finish is original. So it will stay as it is.

One other thing- there is a rubber stamp on the drawer and on the cabinet bottom that reads "FRED P. NAUCK Antique Phonographs Bought and Sold 43---- -----N.J." Illegible zip code- So post 1962? Any idea who he is or was ? Just curious if you or anyone would know.

Many Thanks !! Sorry to ramble on...

rubber stamp on the drawer and on the cabinet bottom that reads "FRED P. NAUCK Antique Phonographs Bought and Sold 43---- -----N.J." Illegible zip code

I'm guessing that's Kurt Nauch's grandfather. Kurt is a well known record dealer and occasionally a seller of machines and ephemera. I believe he used to attend Union with his grandfather.

Jerry B.

Jerry B. wrote:

rubber stamp on the drawer and on the cabinet bottom that reads "FRED P. NAUCK Antique Phonographs Bought and Sold 43---- -----N.J." Illegible zip code

I'm guessing that's Kurt Nauch's grandfather. Kurt is a well known record dealer and occasionally a seller of machines and ephemera. I believe he used to attend Union with his grandfather.

Jerry B.

O.K.!
I thought there might be s connection, but didn't want to complicate things. I've been bidding on Kurt's records for a long time. I'll let him know-maybe he'll get a kick out of it. I doubt he gets a kick out of much anymore considering what he deals in.

pallophotophone wrote:

Jerry B. wrote:

rubber stamp on the drawer and on the cabinet bottom that reads "FRED P. NAUCK Antique Phonographs Bought and Sold 43---- -----N.J." Illegible zip code

I'm guessing that's Kurt Nauch's grandfather. Kurt is a well known record dealer and occasionally a seller of machines and ephemera. I believe he used to attend Union with his grandfather.

Jerry B.

O.K.!
I thought there might be s connection, but didn't want to complicate things. I've been bidding on Kurt's records for a long time. I'll let him know-maybe he'll get a kick out of it. I doubt he gets a kick out of much anymore considering what he deals in.

I asked Kurt- He had never heard of Fred. Turns out it belonged to Fred Hauck. The rubber stamp in the wood was not very legible.

Here are the pictures of Bob's Spring Motor. I found the machine in exactly the condition he received it.

Raphael

Raphael wrote:Here are the pictures of Bob's Spring Motor. I found the machine in exactly the condition he received it.

Raphael

Thank You, Raphael Do these picture change anything? Or do you think I'm right leaving it as it came ?

I think it's fine the way it is.

Raphael