The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Found some interesting stuff in recent purchase.

Wow someone really cherished that machine to keep all the documents. I wonder how the Ivory needles sound.

Interesting that the crank is actually called a crank on the packing slip.

Fascinating! I'd certainly like to see those needles put to the test...

I should think they would be slightly harder than bamboo or cactus; but as for record wear, I don't know. Did they require a special sharpener, or would a fiber needle cutter work on them? And was whale ivory considered superior to elephant or walrus ivory?

One might experiment with replicating them from old ivory knickknacks, or discarded piano ivories...

wow,what a find! ive never heard a ivory needle.but im guessing you will now.

If you can. I am sure a lot of us would like to see a youtube video of those suckers in action.

Fascinating! What nice little treasures to find.

Clay

AZ* wrote:Interesting that the crank is actually called a crank on the packing slip.

Oh, that must be a miss-print, it is most certainly called "winding key" in Victorese
Must have been an off day at the printers so long ago.

Time has not been good to these needles. They sound like a badly pointed bamboo needle, and disintegrate by the middle of the record. At least they look neat.

Oh man!
As someone who collects Victor ephemera, I'm GREEN with envy!

Awesome cache!