Greetings to all! My name is Bill, and I'm new to this forum, though I'm not new to the wonderful field of antique phonographs. I reside in God's Country(New Hampshire-heheh) and have been collecting these damn things for 35 yrs. It really is a sickness! As far as this Alva goes, I'm reminded of a "machine" that went on Ebay several years ago. The seller(who is still active, but has changed his name numerous times) placed what he purported as a "one of a kind" machine that he said "off the record" he believed it was a machine comprised of a number of parts that an Edison worker was allowed to bring home and put together. It was supposedly an Opera/Concert and had the early mahogany base with the oxidized handles. The upper works was a beautifully repainted, and from an A-1, and had a matching maroon cygnet horn. It even had a "Concert" ID tag!!! (I would have loved to have examined those rivets!) Needless to say, the bidding was made private. As far as a worker being allowed to bring parts home, I truely doubt that. If anyone could "make the indian ride the buffalo", it was old Tom. It "sold" for over $3.000, but oddly, there was never any feedback left for it. I always felt that the seller had been "stuck" with it himself, and was trying to unload it. W.C. Fields once said, "You can fool some of the people some of the time, and that's enough to make a decent living."
-------------- Original message -------------- From: "Robert Wright" <[email protected]> > I couldn't agree more, George. Personally, I think the line about Edison > making machines to let other companies sell is clear evidence of this guy's > intent to deceive in a big way (no one who knows enough about Edison to > distinguish between models that thoroughly would ever believe Edison sold > generic machines for other companies to market). And frankly, as strange as > it may sound (and as much as I hate generalizations), I've found that people > who list in all caps are worthy of a bit of healthy suspicion and > skepticism. > > Best to all, > Robert > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "George Glastris" > To: "Antique Phonograph List" > Sent: Tuesday, December 06, 2005 2:06 PM > Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Alva on eBay > > > > The whole piece looks suspicious to me. > > > > Firstly, the case is all wrong. > > Second, he states Edison let other companies sell his machines. Hardly! > > Edison rarely had anything to do with other companies. He didn't produce > > premium machines as did Columbia and Victor. He protected his trade mark > > more than he did his wife's honour. > > Thirdly, where is the on/off switch???? > > Fourth, the binding posts look wrong. > > > > This is the problem with Ebay. It's the blind leading the blind. I don't > > mean to say the seller is being intentionally deceitful, and seems to have > > done some homework, but perhaps that homework was done to fit the machine, > > not the other way around. > > > > Regards to all, > > George Glastris > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Steven Medved" > > To: ; > > Sent: Tuesday, December 06, 2005 11:01 AM > > Subject: [Phono-L] Alva on eBay > > > > > > > http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6585961775 > > > > > > http://tinyurl.com/9k66c > > > > > > I have questions. > > > > > > Did the Alva always have a raised lower bedplate like the opera and > > > idelia? > > > > > > Did the Alva ever have an ID plate that said Triumph? > > > > > > Were LEFT OVER MODEL "B's" WERE RECASED IN OAK CASES WITH NO LID OR THE > > > EDISON BANNER TO BE SOLD BY OTHER PHONOGRAPH COMPANIES. > > > > > > I know Edison made model B's and D's at the same time Ref page 345 & 346 > > > Frow book Chapter 29. This is why some home B's have decals like the > home > > > D. Edison never wasted, but I have never heard of this, and I notice > the > > > trademark is still on the upper and lower bedplate. > > > > > > Did Model B phonographs ever come from the Edison factory with the 2/4 > > > upgrade installed? > > > > > > The new oak case seems a convenient way to get rid of the crank hole. > > > > > > I do not know the seller, nor am I making fun of him as he probably got > > > the > > > phono this way and is relaying what he was told. I will not write > sellers > > > as some are incredibly rude and I want to learn and share info, not > argue. > > > The last time I wrote an Edison console seller telling him what phono he > > > had > > > since he did not know he was horrible so I no longer waste my time. > > > > > > Steve > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Phono-L mailing list > > > [email protected] > > > > > > Phono-L Archive > > > http://www.oldcrank.org/pipermail/phono-l/ > > > > > > > > > -- > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > > > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > > > Version: 7.1.371 / Virus Database: 267.13.12/192 - Release Date: > 12/5/2005 > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Phono-L mailing list > > [email protected] > > > > Phono-L Archive > > http://www.oldcrank.org/pipermail/phono-l/ > > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > [email protected] > > Phono-L Archive > http://www.oldcrank.org/pipermail/phono-l/ From [email protected] Fri Dec 9 05:03:13 2005 From: [email protected] ([email protected]) Date: Sun Dec 24 13:11:07 2006 Subject: [Phono-L] Alva on eBay Message-ID: <[email protected]> Welcome to the list, Bill. I enjoyed your post, and the other posts about the Alva machines. I have never had the opportunity to see an Alva, so it was fun to hear the arcane details about how to spot a fake from a real one. Randy
