The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I realize these were the latter cylinders produced, but does anyone have more information about them as well as their value? Thanks John

Yes:

- they exist, but generally in lesser quantities than earlier ones, because of the decline in popularity of the cylinder format.

- they are worth what someone is willing to pay for them, depending upon title and condition.

There isn't actually a "5000 series", it's just that around number 5000 is when production started rapidly declining. Most titles around 5000 were pressed in a quantity of just 1000 or so, but there were exceptions. By the time production ceased in late 1929, only 50-100 copies were made of each title, occasionally higher or lower. The last ones, 5700-5719, are all very rare and expensive. Edison also burned his stock of Blue Amberols not long after production stopped, so no one really knows how many copies of any cylinder were actually sold.

Thanks for the information. Always learning something new about them

In the years up to 1929, once the sales of DD's and particularly cylinders tarted to tank, Edison apparently remaindered alot of cylinder stock to Southeast dealers. I am basing this on finding late cylinders pretty much exclusively across Arkansas, TN, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Some included dealer stickers from those 5 states.

Thanks! I appreciate the information. John

I have some cylinders in the 5000 series. I paid between $3 and $100 for them depending on the recording, condition, and rarity.

I have a few hundred cylinders for sale on eBay ending today and tomorrow. Included are some 5000 numbered cylinders. Many more cylinders will be listed in the coming weeks.

Rich Gordon

Paul77 wrote: Tue Jul 19, 2022 1:38 pm In the years up to 1929, once the sales of DD's and particularly cylinders tarted to tank, Edison apparently remaindered alot of cylinder stock to Southeast dealers. I am basing this on finding late cylinders pretty much exclusively across Arkansas, TN, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Some included dealer stickers from those 5 states.

I don’t find many cylinders past the 4500 series out in the wild or at the phonograph shows. From what I have read, Edison started scaling back cylinder production in 1924 and mostly targeted cylinder sales after 1924 to the Appalachia and Ozark regions of the South, the Great Plains, and parts of the Midwest. Most later release cylinders that I’ve seen for sale came from Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Illinois, Indiana, Alabama, Mississippi, West Virginia, Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Florida. Perhaps Edison had a solid dealer network in those states up until the late 20s?