The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

As per suggestion in the Yankee Trader board, I have posted
some scans of the phonograph ads to aid in identification
purposes.

Thank you very much!
Andreas

Cool!

Got a question for you wise folks: what are Columbia P cylinders that they are selling with the cheap machine? They have to be hard wax moulded, don't they??
Inquiring minds want to know......

Jim

P cylinders were standard size wax cylinders (brown wax?), & XP are standard Gold Moulded cylinders.
G cylinders are Grand cylinders, and C cylinders were 6" long for use with office machines (C, CE & CI).
I'm not sure what letter designation they gave to pre-recorded 20th century cylinders though.

gramophoneshane wrote: I'm not sure what letter designation they gave to pre-recorded 20th century cylinders though.

The Twentieth Century 6" cylinders used the same nomenclature as the first Graphophone designed to play them - - BC. Kind of odd.

George P.

Any of you guys seen a Thompson Modifier? It's got to be pretty rare.

I wonder if it is a volume control or one of the many gimicks offered to "improve" the sound.

I would think that any pre-recorded cylinders sold in 1908 would be moulded records of the hard black wax variety. Jerry Blais

Jerry B. wrote:I would think that any pre-recorded cylinders sold in 1908 would be moulded records of the hard black wax variety. Jerry Blais

You would think so, although maybe it was a way to dispose of obsolete stock?
They were both still offered in the 1906 UK catalogue, with the "P" at 10d (10 pennies), and the "XP" at 1/- (12 pennies), even though the catalogue states that Columbia were the originators of Gold Moulded cylinders (1901-02?), so perhaps both types were being offered until the companies cylinder production ceased?

MTPhono wrote:Any of you guys seen a Thompson Modifier? It's got to be pretty rare.

I wonder if it is a volume control or one of the many gimicks offered to "improve" the sound.

I love phonograph gadgets, and the Thompson Modifier is near the top of my "Look For" list. I've never sencountered one, but they were heavily advertised in the Talking Machine World. I suspect the lower end of the gadget is rubber, which may account for why I've never seen one.

It functions as both a volume control and claimed improvements to the sound. You can read it all in the Sears blurb above.

George P.