The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Here is a cute little photo I found years ago. Talk about a staged photo.... . It was taken at 12:55pm and if you look at the calendar on the wall.......What else can you see in this window of the past????.

wonder why they put a sheet over the mirror? I wouldnt mind having those brand new cylinders he has there or the Machine, nice pic

gramophone78 wrote: It was taken at 12:55pm and if you look at the calendar on the wall.......What else can you see in this window of the past????

That it was taken at 12:55pm if you look at the CLOCK on the table???

Edited to remove my foot from my mouth.

Victrolaman wrote:wonder why they put a sheet over the mirror? I wouldnt mind having those brand new cylinders he has there or the Machine, nice pic

I would guess to avoid the reflection from the rather large flash used...

It's called "flash burn". For those (like me) that are having trouble seeing the calendar. Here is a close up. So anyone want to guess the month and year?? .Also, study the boy. What can you see??.

gramophone78 wrote:It's called "flash burn". For those (like me) that are having trouble seeing the calendar. Here is a close up. So anyone want to guess the month and year?? .Also, study the boy. What can you see??.

Calendar.JPG

Since it "appears" to have 30 days, and it also looks like a short month name, I would venture a guess as to April or June. As for the year?? I'll have to look over those other items in the picture to hazard a guess at that as my eyes certainly cannot discern the year.

Purely from a speculative standpoint, it appears the year ends with the number 3.

The only 30 day months I could find which started on a Friday the 1st, appear to have been June and September 1923, or November 1913.

Unless the month is abbreviated on the calendar, I am voting for June 1923.

Perhaps someone with more phonograph education than me can pin a year on the machine?

That pic and the style of clothes he is wearing seems a little older than 23, could it be 1903 or 1913? maybe..
In 23 they had better pictur quality than this
I could be wrong. but i would have to say 1903 by the clothes and hair style.

The machine appears to be an Edison Standard model B (1905-1908), and the little boy's attire fits that period. Beginning in October 1907, Edison Standards came equipped with larger black flower horns, so this photo may predate that. All the cylinder record boxes are 2-minute, and the machine is not equipped to play anything else, so that also fits. The elaborate staging suggests that the machine was new, or relatively so. At any rate, it was treasured by the little boy.

As for the calendar, I can't make out enough to hazard a guess, although I seem to imagine the month to be "NOVEMBER."

George P.

George, I had a feeling you would try your hand in this mystery and your input is so valuable in solving it. Besides the year & month......What (if anything) can we learn about this family???. Is that the box and wrapping paper the records were shipped in that is being used to display the new records??. We need to study the boy for more answers........ . To be fair to all. Here is a cleaner pic for you to study. I hope that helps.