What to do with moldy cylinders

[shopdoc]

I haven't thrown away any yet, but just came across some. Should I check the numbers or just chuck 'em?

[shopdoc]

My husband is voting for just chuck them, but I hate to throw away a piece of history that somebody would have really wanted.

[paradroid1793]

It depends. Certain songs are quite rare. Depends if they're brown wax, royal purple, etc... Would you mind with some photos and titles/numbers?

[shopdoc]

Most of the mold is on the brown wax, and we got titles for most of them. So I'll work on a list and pics.

Thanks

[paradroid1793]

Okay. While it is probable the Brown Wax cylinders are of fairly common titles, I have encountered scarcer or previously unknown cylinders before. One thing to look out for is that most Brown Wax cylinders are announced when played ex. "The Laughing Song, sung by George W. Johnson for the Columbia Phonograph Company of New York & Paris", something like that. Most Brown Wax cylinders are in the $40+ range even if they are common or worn simply because of their scarcity.

There are rarer Blue Amberol's, too. Mostly those issued in the 5700 number block, special teaching, Let Us Not Forget, Silver Threads Among Gold, etc...

[phonogfp]

There are rarer Blue Amberol's, too. Mostly those issued in the 5700 number block, special teaching, Let Us Not Forget, Silver Threads Among Gold, etc...

With respect, Silver Threads Among the Gold is a very common Blue Amberol. Teri shouldn't become excited if she finds copies of it.

On the other hand, 5700-series Blue Amberols are beyond rare. Teri has a better chance of winning the lottery than finding one. However, many Blue Amberols in the 5400- and onward numbers are well worth setting aside for great titles, and some are quite rare. There's a MUCH better chance of finding 5400-, 5500-, and 5600- Blue Amberols.

George P.

[paradroid1793]

I must have become confused. I thought Silver Threads Among Gold was quite rare. Someone in the International Phonograph Server had talked about paying a lot for a copy.

[OrthoFan]

I haven't thrown away any yet, but just came across some. Should I check the numbers or just chuck 'em?

If the mold damage isn't too bad on some of them, you might try the cleaning method described here -- viewtopic.php?t=47525

I've also heard that applying a thin coat of anti-fungal cream helps retard mold, but I don't know if this suggestion is "retarded."

OrthoFan

[shopdoc]

Teri has a better chance of winning the lottery than finding one. However, many Blue Amberols in the 5400- and onward numbers are well worth setting aside for great titles, and some are quite rare. There's a MUCH better chance of finding 5400-, 5500-, and 5600- Blue Amberols.

George P.

We've probably come up with 8 or 10 of the 5400, 5500, and 5600 Blue Amberols, I think mold free. It's the brown ones that were probably in bad shape when dad got them. He actually played a bunch of them because there's a card inside with the title in his handwriting. There are a bunch of unidentified moldy ones, though. We think we've found them all, and have 70, from pristine to disgusting.

[shopdoc]

I haven't thrown away any yet, but just came across some. Should I check the numbers or just chuck 'em?

If the mold damage isn't too bad on some of them, you might try the cleaning method described here -- viewtopic.php?t=47525

I've also heard that applying a thin coat of anti-fungal cream helps retard mold, but I don't know if this suggestion is "retarded."

OrthoFan

Thanks for the cleaning tip. On the silly side, some are in bad enough shape that it might be fun to see what happens with anti fungal cream