The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I know that a lot of you have extensive libraries as well as years of experience and knowledge. I recently bought a Columbia Type B and am still totally fascinated by it but have been searching for and watching both Types Q & B listed & selling on eBay. I'm just trying to get a good idea of what kind of condition they tend to be in as well as how much they are currently selling for.

My question: It seems fairy typical for there to be 3 or more Type Q Columbias listed on eBay at any one time. To my surprise however Type B's are few and far between. I'd guesstimate a ratio of about one Type B for every 6 or 7 Q's listed. I have found production figures for the Type: B but does anyone outhere know the production figures for the Type Q's? I'm just wondering if the eBay listings reflect the actual scarcity.

Thanks for your help!

Type B was introduced in August 1897, still when comparatively few people bought phonographs, and was more expensive than Type Q. This explains why Type B must be scarcer.

According to the serial number data compiled by Howard Hazelcorn in his Guide to the Columbia Cylinder Graphophone, approximately 60,000 of the first model Q were manufactured. The second model was manufactured to the tune of approximately 200,000. That total for the Q (approx. 260,000) compares to approx. 150,000 total for the B, and does not correlate with what you're seeing on eBay. I would urge you to regard eBay as neither a scientific nor an accurate sample of what's out there. It's a world of its own, for better or worse. That pertains to condition as well as price.

I too have been watching Bs on eBay for serial numbers and data that I'm incorporating into an article I'm working on. I hope to have it published in the June 2012 issue of The Antique Phonograph. Like you, I've found comparatively few Bs on eBay over the past 7 months. I don't know why that is - they're certainly common enough.

George P.

I notice when a certain type of phonograph brings in some good money on Ebay, others who have the same type machine end up listing theirs in hope to get the same price. I think I have probably done that before too!

Steve