The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

From time to time I see early square top Edison Standard A's that are missing a serial number in the space meant for it on the bedplate. Would they have ever left Edison's factory in such a state? Perhaps filed off to be sold in the grey market out side the typical network of dealers? Thoughts?

I believe that’s the theory. The serial numbers were removed to disguise a stolen phonograph or perhaps more likely done by dealers to sell at a price lower than Edison allowed. The machine could not be traced back to anyone.

I know that the Edison company was very strict about how and at what price the Phonographs were sold for and that it was not uncommon for Phonographs to be stolen. I guess the practice of stamping the serial number into a raised part of the bedplate made it rather easy for someone to file off the serial number. Maybe stamping the number into the brass nameplate made the practice of effacing the serial number more difficult.
I have also discovered that on all of the Edison Home bedplates that I have had apart ( Just several of the later models) that there is a patch of some sort of hard black paste on the underside of the Phonograph bedplate which looks just like some rough part of the casting. But, if you scrape away that paste, you will find the serial number of the machine stamped in that spot. It is obvious that the serial number was "hidden" under that paste. Has anyone ever found this as well especially on other model of Phonographs? I have heard that automobiles have their serial numbers placed on hidden areas of the car, probably for the same reason that the Edison company did the same.

Yes, I've seen a few Standards with no number, as well as the hidden number on Homes. Piracy was a significant problem at the time. Edison began stamping Standard serials into the straight-edge, which made its removal (and subsequent operation of the machine) much more difficult.

George P.

Wouldn't the Edison company be able to account for unsold machines or a lower amount being returned back to them from the dealers? Or were dealers not required to sell certain amount of units?