Impulse buy: Business Phonograph

USlakeside · Post by **USlakeside** » Tue Dec 28, 2010 3:23 pm

Found an Edison business machine. Need advice ASAP, on the road.$600 spring wound. crumbling fly wheel. Think its a deal? Thanks!

gramophoneshane · Post by **gramophoneshane** » Tue Dec 28, 2010 4:00 pm

One with an electric motor sold on ebay for $1500 back in November. If I remember correctly, either the reproducer or recorder was missing too.
I forgot to double check that when I looked for the thread link

I guess the electrics might be worth more, but I doubt it'd be worth 2.5 times more.
$600 sounds ok to me.
The ebay link is on the 2nd page & is still up if you want to compare the 2 machines.

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... f=2&t=5101

**I checked & it did have both the recorder & reproducer

If the lid is missing, it could be a good bargaining chip to get it cheaper.

USlakeside · Post by **USlakeside** » Tue Dec 28, 2010 5:02 pm

Ok, so I couldn't help it. Its been so long since I found a machine in the wild...

Its a Model D Business machine. I went with my gut feeling that the spring motor (no crank, but a standard crank works) was more uncommon. And at least I could safely use it when its pulled together. It does have the lid, just not attached in the picture. The lid has those back clamps so it "sits" open like a chest. The decal is a Edison signature, not the banner type. The motor needs work (frozen), but looks intact. The reproducer and recorder are all there, and with the styluses. The most obvious flaw is the crumbling fly wheel on the left. It looks like its going to fall off. That's what I need restored most.

USlakeside · Post by **USlakeside** » Tue Dec 28, 2010 5:36 pm

Some camera phone pics

Flvice · Post by **Flvice** » Tue Dec 28, 2010 6:10 pm

Looks like a nice machine.... The mandrel looks unlike any that I've ever seen on a business machine or other. Is it a replacement??? Also it looks like the lever that pushes the cylinder off the mandrel was removed. The mount is in front of the ON/OFF lever.

I wonder if the flywheel is interchangable and can be replaced with another .. like from a home machine... Or is it unique to the business?

USlakeside · Post by **USlakeside** » Tue Dec 28, 2010 6:22 pm

The Manuel seems right and is Edison. I just figured out that the bars depress to let the cylinder slide off. I am hoping to find a replacement wheel from a later ediphone???

gramophoneshane · Post by **gramophoneshane** » Tue Dec 28, 2010 6:33 pm

The mandrel looks the same as on my Ediphone. Ithink when you push the cylinder on all the way, 4 bits near the big button on the end of the mandrel spread to hold cylinder on the mandrel firmly, and to release them, you push the big button in.
It looks like it should clean up very nicely.
Congratulations!

antique1973 · Post by **antique1973** » Tue Dec 28, 2010 6:47 pm

That's a fairly uncommon find. It will look real nice when restored. Nice score!

Phototone · Post by **Phototone** » Tue Dec 28, 2010 7:35 pm

I notice the photo shows a common entertainment cylinder on the machine, perhaps an indestructable type (celluloid). I thought the Business machines had a thread pitch on the feed-screw in-between a 2 min., and 4 min. cylinder, so entertainment cylinders couldn't be played? Please correct me if I am wrong, I have very little Edison Ediphone experience.

phonogfp · Post by **phonogfp** » Tue Dec 28, 2010 7:57 pm

That's true - - the Business Phonograph has a 150 tpi pitch.

George P.