The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I recently bought a "EDISON FIRESIDE PHONOGRAPH RUBBER DRIVE BELT”, from a dealer on ebay. The belt was so small and tight as to make the machine not run.
I measured my old belt, which was approximately 11 ⅜" long. The dealer claimed that he was "absolutely stumped" "This is so weird--it's never happened before ". He had never come across a Fireside belt that long and had feedback that praised how good the belts were. Finally he thought that maybe my machine coming from the UK was perhaps different from US models.
So my question:
Is my machine abnormal? what size belt is normal? (I attach measurements of the pulleys size and spacing on my Edison Fireside).
Or am I, or the dealer, talking bull...?
Sam

I have always been skeptical about these so-called rubber belts on ebay. Leather belts will always be the best and they are authentic, too. See if you can get your money back. If not, the give the seller a neg. feedback.
Harvey Kravitz