The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hi George -

Do you have a left the factory date for this one?

Edison Gem G30911

Thank you - Mike

I’ll say about 1901? Or so.

Edison Gem #30911 left the factory in September 1901.

George P.

Gracias.

De nada.

George P.

Is this data available for later Edison models? I have an Edison Amberola 30 that has the last patent date being sometime in 1918 and I am curious if it was made near the time that Edison ceased making cylinder phonographs in 1929, or closer to 1920?

MATTROSE94 wrote: Fri May 27, 2022 12:41 pm Is this data available for later Edison models? I have an Edison Amberola 30 that has the last patent date being sometime in 1918 and I am curious if it was made near the time that Edison ceased making cylinder phonographs in 1929, or closer to 1920?

No, the known Edison monthly sales data ends after May 1908.

George P.

phonogfp wrote: Fri May 27, 2022 2:35 pm

MATTROSE94 wrote: Fri May 27, 2022 12:41 pm Is this data available for later Edison models? I have an Edison Amberola 30 that has the last patent date being sometime in 1918 and I am curious if it was made near the time that Edison ceased making cylinder phonographs in 1929, or closer to 1920?

No, the known Edison monthly sales data ends after May 1908.

George P.

That’s what I kind of figured. BTW, when did the last Edison Amberola 30s roll off the assembly line? I would guess 1929, but it is possible that they were discontinued a few years earlier once cylinder sales began to decline.

MATTROSE94 wrote: Sat May 28, 2022 12:55 am BTW, when did the last Edison Amberola 30s roll off the assembly line? I would guess 1929, but it is possible that they were discontinued a few years earlier once cylinder sales began to decline.

Frow cites wholesale movement of Amberola 30s at only one or two a week after 1926, but apparently they were available right up to October 1929. No doubt there were substantial numbers of these machines in West Orange inventory which sat for years before being sold.

George P.

phonogfp wrote: Sat May 28, 2022 9:44 am

MATTROSE94 wrote: Sat May 28, 2022 12:55 am BTW, when did the last Edison Amberola 30s roll off the assembly line? I would guess 1929, but it is possible that they were discontinued a few years earlier once cylinder sales began to decline.

Frow cites wholesale movement of Amberola 30s at only one or two a week after 1926, but apparently they were available right up to October 1929. No doubt there were substantial numbers of these machines in West Orange inventory which sat for years before being sold.

George P.

Thanks for the information! My Amberola 30 I suspect was purchased around 1920, as the last patent date on the label tag is 1918 and most of the cylinders that came with it were made between 1912 and 1923, with only two cylinders in the low 5,000 series included with it. BTW, what is the last patent date commonly found on the Amberola 30 label tags? I might be able to narrow down when it was made based on the label tag patent information.