The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello everyone,

I want to make plaques like the one shown below for all of my machines. I need help making sure that the dates I am putting on the plaque are actually correct, as I don't know most of them.

I know Brunswick Cortez's were made in the 1920's and production stopped in 1929. I also know that not much dating info is there for brunswick's, so I am OK just putting 1920's for this one if there is no approx date for it.

Here is the list of machines I need approximate dates for:

Edison Triumph #73365
Edison Home #136390
Edison B-250 #4594
Edison Amberola A-1 #857
Brunswick Cortez #158837 (1920's?)
Zonophone Concert (around 1907?)
Edison Bell Portable Phonograph (viewtopic.php?f=2&t=52376&hilit=edison+bell)
Columbia BI
Columbia BY
Victor Monarch #20707

Herzog and Half barrel cabinets were made approximately when?

I am not really happy with how the first two turned out. I think I will stain, grain fill, and finish all the pieces of wood and then burn them on the laser. This should make the words stand out much clearer. If I stain the pieces after they are lasered the stain will go down into the groove where the words are. I also think a less fancy font will be more readable

Anyways, any help is appreciated!

Cheers,
David

David,

Without pictures of some of your machines, dating will be basically reciting from secondary sources when certain models were introduced. For machines whose production spanned several years, running changes in production were common. Include some pictures if possible.

Meanwhile, I'll take a stab at the first four on your list.

Edison Triumph #73365: Based on my own research and that of others (described in detail in an article on the Edison Spring Motor/Triumph which appeared in the December 2019 issue of the APS magazine), this machine left the factory around the end of the third quarter of 1908. I assume it's Model B or C. If it's a Model D, it went on sale October 1 (and would constitute the earliest Model D in my database).

Edison Home #136390: This should be a Model A. According to original Edison sales data, this one left the factory in May 1905. A detailed article on the Edison Home models (including a serial number dating chart) will appear in the June 2024 issue of the APS magazine.

Edison B-250 #4594: Our friend Mr. Frow tells us that the B-250 was introduced after the factory fire of December 1914 and replaced by the C-250 in December 1915. Dating your B-250 to 1915 is a safe bet.

Edison Amberola A-1 #857: Here's where a picture would be very helpful, because Amberola IA serials can be confusing (as described in an article on the IAs and IBs in the September 2009 issue of the APS magazine). Cabinet and grille design would be helpful with dating this one, so post a picture.

George P.

Sorry bout that George! Here’s some photos

I believe the triumph is a Model B and yes the Edison Home is a model A. Let me know if you need anymore additional photos. The A1 is unfortunately missing the grill... but it should have the Lyre grill right?

I apologize for not including photos earlier... I was in a bit of a time crunch

David

David,

Your Triumph is a Model B.

Your Amberola IA is in the early Weber cabinet, with the early style interior grille, but with slightly later locks. I believe this is a Herzog or Saginaw-manufactured cabinet (3 louvers on each side) which originally had either the transitional grille or the "urn" grille common to the IB. (If the longest of the 3 louvers is 9", it's probably Saginaw. If 11", it's probably Herzog). This Amberola dates to 1910, but the Diamond A Reproducer is of course later.

George P.

Sorry, I do not know how to date machines, if you want to find out when the record was made, you can either ask me or look it up on 45worlds.com

Thank you George for the info regarding the Edison machines.

Anyone else got ideas on the rest of them?

David

dzavracky wrote: Tue Jan 09, 2024 8:58 pm Thank you George for the info regarding the Edison machines.

Happy to help, David - -

George P.