The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello everyone.
At the wayne show, one of the cylinders i was able to buy was this Amberol record. But, im confused. It has all of the qualities of a blue amberol, but is a dark purple. Definitely not a royal purple though, the pigment is off, & i believe they were their own series of matrix numbers. Is this just one of the many different shades blue amberol records come in?

But above that, there is a much more pressing issue. Putting it onto the mandrel reveals something very bad. It seems the "folded" part of the celluloid surface isn't folded enough, making the record fit only very loosely on the mandrel. Is there any way to fix this?
Thank you all for your help.

It's pretty common to find Blue Amberols that are a violet color - but the catalog numbers confirm they're not Royal Purples. I've heard a number of hypotheses on how this happens; sunlight, various environmental conditions, bad batches of dye.

As for the swelling, this is a VERY common characteristic of Blue Amberols. It can be fixed quickly and easily with a record reamer. These used to be readily available from several dealers, but I don't know who carries them now. Hopefully someone else will chime in with helpful information.

George P.

Not an expert by any means. Is this the device you meant available from Nauck’s?
https://78rpm.com/products/cylinder-reamer

phonogfp wrote: Wed Apr 30, 2025 7:34 pm
It can be fixed quickly and easily with a record reamer.

Thank you, but isn't the reamer just for the plaster? I don't mean the plaster is preventing it from fitting on, I mean that the folded end of the celluloid is acting like a tab that prevents the cylinder from going on.

mrvic2 wrote: Wed Apr 30, 2025 9:49 pm

phonogfp wrote: Wed Apr 30, 2025 7:34 pm
It can be fixed quickly and easily with a record reamer.

Thank you, but isn't the reamer just for the plaster? I don't mean the plaster is preventing it from fitting on, I mean that the folded end of the celluloid is acting like a tab that prevents the cylinder from going on.

The sandpaper will cut the celluloid too. Just be careful to concentrate the cutting action on the celluloid without touching the plaster.

As the celluloid shrinks, (which it does), it most likley shrinks in length as well as in diameter. Doing so can cause the "folded over" end to unfold a bit. Not uncommon.

As hoped, helpful collectors have stepped into the breach.

That $20 reamer will pay for itself many times over. Gently does it.

George P.

Thank you all for your help, George & Jerry! I will try to get the reamer once I am able to

A quick bit of advice about reamers: when you apply one, especially if you're reaming the plaster, hold the cylinder over a trash can. Otherwise, you'll have a powdery mess on your floor to clean up. Assuming you actually clean your floors...

One time I emptied my shaver outside, a huge gust of wind hit as I did, had to wash my eyes out.

drh wrote: Thu May 01, 2025 11:07 am A quick bit of advice about reamers: when you apply one, especially if you're reaming the plaster, hold the cylinder over a trash can. Otherwise, you'll have a powdery mess on your floor to clean up. Assuming you actually clean your floors...

I found out it’s better to do this task “outdoors”. That’s why the JuneAPS Phonograph show is so convenient. So I take my Amberola 30 out to the backyard patio to test out new acquisitions.