The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Every week, I see three people who inherit or bring an Edison cylinder machine out storage and wonder what to do with it? Has anyone ever made an educated guess of how many machines still exist of the 800,000+ that were originally sold?

I've seen discussions on this topic where a conservative estimate of approximate 10% survival has been suggested. That would indicate approximately 80,000 Edison Phonographs out there, and I wouldn't argue that figure. It's all supposition, of course.

George P.

This may mean (if we count in Edison disc models, Victor & Victrola, Silvertone, Cheney, Brunswick, Columbias of all types, and some of the smaller makes) that perhaps half a million or more hand-cranked machines like this are still kicking around.

I'm glad they are. Got "Old Comrades March" on now and it is four o'clock in the morning.

Well, I can say this.... In my part of the country, there is no shortage of Silvertones and Grafonolas...

These brands must have been heavily marketed and produced. Lately, if I see an advertisement for a "Victrola" or "Phonograph" for sale, sure enough, it is usually one one of these..... LOL.

[reference, Eastern NC, VA, ETC.]

phonogfp wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 9:41 pm I've seen discussions on this topic where a conservative estimate of approximate 10% survival has been suggested. That would indicate approximately 80,000 Edison Phonographs out there, and I wouldn't argue that figure. It's all supposition, of course.

George P.

On the Victor side, there are the VV-IX and VV-XI which, based on Craigslist, seem to have survived at the 120% rate due to their apparent ability to reproduce like amoebas.

52089 wrote: Thu Dec 02, 2021 9:47 am On the Victor side, there are the VV-IX and VV-XI which, based on Craigslist, seem to have survived at the 120% rate due to their apparent ability to reproduce like amoebas.

Wouldn't machines from premium names have a better chance of survival? Often better made, brand recognition would ensure that Edisons and HMVs weren't thrown away, but shoved into a corner. And collectors have long had a preference for rescuing those same examples. Today there seem too few off-brand machines.

Both Edison and HMV succeeded in selling a good quality and relatively expensive product to a mass market.
If UK eBay can be considered a reliable guide, the survival rate of HMV portables greatly exceeds that of any other make.
Columbia takes second place and Decca third, with the rest found in relatively small numbers.
Even when collectors think that there are no more significant finds left out there, EMG's, Experts and rare early machines still turn up.

Judging by the amount of cylinder records I see at auctions, I'm confident that every single one made still exists!

JerryVan wrote: Thu Dec 02, 2021 4:27 pm Judging by the amount of cylinder records I see at auctions, I'm confident that every single one made still exists!

...eaten through with mold and sold as "appears excellent condition, unable to test" or "needs cleaning, left to buyer" or, of course, the ever-popular "rare!"