The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Please see the photo. It is the only jpeg I have.

It's advertised as an "Edison Standart" (sic). It surely is a Columbia, but I can't clearly identify which model. I've looked at a number of sources. The front trap-door suggests a Model C, but all those I've seen are in simpler cases. I don't know what it looks like under the lid--no picture. It looks like the decal is missing on the front panel.

John

Most likely a BC, (assuming there's something under the lid).

That's a BC cabinet, and the motor is the same as used in the BC. If it quacks like a duck (you BC owners will get this), it's a BC.

George P.

Ah . . . I see now.

It's an interesting machine. In th early days, Columbia made good machines. I guess at some point they decided not to compete for the higher end market where Victor dominated.

It's for sale at an auction in Texas. Very few pictures and none with the lid off.

Thanks for letting me know.

It’s like Schrödinger’s cat you just don’t know what it will be to you open the box! Frustrating when there are pictures that conceal critical details…..

A bit of a 'pig in a poke', unless they post more pictures.

- Bill

This is definitely a Columbia BC. And the lack of pictures of the upper works almost certainly suggests that the person who set up the phonograph for pictures had no clue how to unlock the lid for removal. A likely scenario was that they tried removing the lid and could not so they pulled on the front door knob which exposed the motor.

They probably noticed the ends of what we BC owners recognize as the sliding lid lock assembly on each upper corner of the lower cabinet and thought "What the heck are these for?" after sliding each in and out not realizing that both need to be pulled out to release the lid and expose the upper works.

This further suggests that anyone interested only needs to contact the auction house and inform them of how to unlock the lid and send pictures of the upper works. I'm nowhere near Texas and have no affiliation whatsoever with the auction house but this is what I would do if I were interested in it.

A gentle note: Always check the condition of the leather clad gear on Columbia BC's and Columbia type N's as sometimes it is pretty worn. And, of course, on BC's the vulcanized brake assembly is almost certainly dried up thereby producing / conducting no sound to the Higham reproducer when contacting the amber wheel.

Doug

Columbia had a very successful run with the BC's. The highest serial number I've seen was around 9000. Has anyone seen one with a serial number past 10,000?