Greetings Al, Thanks for the kind comment, I really appreciate it. The lowest iron and brass O I know of is 5083, if anyone has an O with an all brass top I would really appreciate the serial number. I only know of one, and unfortunately I lost the exact serial number due to computer problems. If you ever reproduce the yoke on the O let me know. It is really amazing the quality of these reproducers and how they made such tiny parts. Steve
> From: [email protected]> Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2007 03:41:45 -0400> To: > [email protected]> Subject: [Phono-L] Re: Serial Numbers on Reproducers & > Phonographs> > Greetings Ani:> > Always ask the serial of any Edison item. I > ask the serial of the reproducer > to see if it is all original. Many of the > O potmetal tops have been replaced > by reproductions with no serial on them. > When an eBay seller says "brass top > O" and answers that there is no serial > showing it is one of the reproductions > that have been made. Nothing wrong > with that but it should not go for the > same price as an original. Paul > Baker's excellent reproductions have his > initials flanking a number so > there is no attempt at passing a fake off.> > The serial on an Edison > phonograph will also tell you if a machine is a put > together job. Right now > on eBay is a Triumph A in a B cabinet with an O > reproducer that was on eBay > about a year ago. For a new collector who wants > authenticity and will pay > top dollar for it this might not be the machine for > him/her. The serial > will delineate models in many cases. Edison had so many > interchangeable > parts that a mix and match machine can be easily made. Some were > even done > during the period of production. But, most serious Edison fanatics > would > rather see all the parts match. The serial helps with that determination.> > > Steve is the king of Edison reproducer research. I am most impressed by his > > knowledge. He is quite correct about the nature of an Edison reproducer. > > They were made in the same vein as watches and clocks with similar tools. > Hence > they were assigned a serial number. I am currently attempting to > reverse > engineer them and find them fascinating with a lot more going into > them than one > might expect.> > Regards to All on the list,> > Al> > > > > > ************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at > > http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour> > _______________________________________________> Phono-L mailing list> > http://phono-l.oldcrank.org From [email protected] Mon Jul 23 15:12:35 2007 From: [email protected] ([email protected]) Date: Mon Jul 23 15:15:44 2007 Subject: [Phono-L] Re: Edison Reproducer Serial Numbers Message-ID: <[email protected]> Hi Ani: I have three variations of the D reproducer. They all have serials that appear to be from the C reproducer series. The first D has no name and no holes but the bent weight with a hole cut completely through for the limit loop. The second has "Model D" stamped on the weight but still no holes and the well for the limit loop is not cut through to the back. The third has "Model D" and holes on the weight still with a well not a hole for the limit loop. All D reproducers should have serial numbers. You may have a put together reproducer. The earliest C I have seen is around 29000. The B reproducers do seem to start with #1 and my earliest B is in the low 100's. This would make sense as the B reproducers were out for some time through 1901 before the C reproducers were announced in February of 1902. The earliest C I have is just under 30,000 and the earliest D I have is just over 30,000 both being separated by only a few hundred. What kind of diaphragm does your early C reproducer have? The C and D seem to have mica from the beginning with only the B continuing with the glass "crystal" diaphragm. Since Edison never threw anything out this was likely until stocks ran out. There are a great many Edison reproducers out that have mixed parts since almost everything is interchangeable and we have people putting things on eBay from odd parts they have around. Right now on eBay is an Edison Model H 4 minute reproducer with a Model C 2 minute stylus "original as found!" I am looking forward to Steve's comments and corrections to mine. Best Wishes to All, Al ************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour From [email protected] Mon Jul 23 16:45:11 2007 From: [email protected] (Steven Medved) Date: Mon Jul 23 16:46:46 2007 Subject: [Phono-L] Serial Numbers Message-ID: <[email protected]> Anil, I would guess a number is left off the end of the serial number, or an early B top was upgraded with a new weight. Does this have a notch for the centering pin on the carriage? The early B got the notch around 18000. Please note, a lot of early B's and automatic reproducers have the notch filed in them. May I have a photo of your early C? The most common thing I see is a serial number left off. 3016 should actually be an early B and these early B's look different. The plating is thinner and you can see the machine marks on the reproducer. The early dome top recorder was made at the same time and on the recorder 6209 has the early look, and 6809 has the later thicker nickel plating. Early B serial number 82 is like that and I used to own 547, but I thought it was a reproduction because the arm is shiny and the body of the reproducer having the thinner plating is not as shiny and the serial numbers are different. Once I see a photo I will be able to tell you more. If you missed a number on the serial number it would explain as 30000 is the range of the blank weight reproducers and the serial number are hand stamped and some a light and separated. The early B also has a more narrow limit loop that is longer. The early C has a narrow limit loop, but it is the same length as the later C, but Edison widened the limit loop on the later C's.I have seen early tops with no serial numbers or letters, I recently got one of these that looks like the later B with the pot metal weight, the compression ring has holes in it and the weight is different from the Edison B pot metal weight. I also know of other people who have these tops that have no letters or serial numbers. These tops look old and I wonder if they were business tops or were made by another company. With the C, Edison used what he had and from what I have seen he often found older parts laying around and used them. For example, 714398 is the highest serial number C I have seen with the arm, but there are many reproducers with lower serial numbers that do not have the arm. Also Edison repaired reproducer for people. Steve -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: ModelH factory repair.jpg Type: image/pjpeg Size: 40645 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.oldcrank.org/pipermail/phono-l/attachments/20070723/3df70c5d/ModelHfactoryrepair.bin From [email protected] Mon Jul 23 20:26:33 2007 From: [email protected] (wayne holznagel) Date: Mon Jul 23 20:28:11 2007 Subject: [Phono-L] Silvertone Catalog Message-ID: <[email protected]> Hi All, My apology for sending a note on list. It was obviously a personal note. I hope no one was offended. BTW, the Silvertone Catalog should be done shortly. I do not plan to keep this one on file so if anyone else is interested please send me an email with your name and address. I am not able to send the file via internet. The file will be a little too large. <:)> Wayne H My website is at http://www.phonomantiques.com/ From [email protected] Tue Jul 24 01:24:54 2007 From: [email protected] ([email protected]) Date: Tue Jul 24 01:26:32 2007 Subject: [Phono-L] Re: Serial Numbers missing on Edison repros Message-ID: <[email protected]> Dear Steve and Anil: I tend to believe the statement that reproducer tops without serial numbers may be from Edison Business Phonographs is true. I went to my business machines and looked for the serials. They were stamped on the weights but not on the tops on some of them. Steve thanks for all the great information. Your observations on things most collectors pay no attention to is invaluable. Such a serious devotion to detail is very helpful to collectors who strive for correctness and originality rather than having a phonomutt. Few car collectors would parade out to a concourse d'elegnace a 1923-25-26-29 "original" Packard! Yet with phonographs this seems to be OK. The worst case I have ever seen was a put together machine by a collector friend in Portland, Oregon. He saw an add in a local newspaper for an "Emerson Diamond Disk Victroler" and decided to make a phonomutt from parts he had. The cabinet was from a Columbia, the works was from an Amberola V, and the horn was a Magnavox radio horn. Together it looked great and played like a million dollars. I keep hoping to see it come up on eBay one of these days as "a fresh estate find that looks almost new." Regards to All, Al ************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour From [email protected] Tue Jul 24 05:26:45 2007 From: [email protected] (DeeDee Blais) Date: Tue Jul 24 05:28:21 2007 Subject: [Phono-L] Edison Reproducers Message-ID: <[email protected]> The recent discussion about serial numbers on Edison reproducers reminded me of a reproducer that came with an Amberola 1-A that I purchased about twelve years ago. The machine is a lyric grill 1-A, serial #1053, and it came with a reproducer marked "N" on the weight. The body of the reproducer is the same as an "L" with serial #9968 marked on the edge but the rounded weight is marked "N". I have read that Edison offered the "L" with early Amberolas and there was thought of a two minute reproducer that was possibly going to be marked "N" for this use. I have always wondered if my reproducer is an early two minute reproducer for the Amberola or a modification done by an early repairman for a customer. Any thoughts? Thanks, Jerry Blais ____________________________________________________________________________________ Building a website is a piece of cake. Yahoo! Small Business gives you all the tools to get online. http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/webhosting From [email protected] Tue Jul 24 11:43:11 2007 From: [email protected] (Michael F. Khanchalian) Date: Tue Jul 24 11:55:24 2007 Subject: [Phono-L] Re: Serial Numbers on Reproducers & Phonographs References: <[email protected]> Message-ID: <004b01c7ce22$7d267230$0202a...@dbwdzw31> Hey Steve, Michael Khanchalian here. What can you tell us about the serial numbers on Diamond B reproducers? I have an extremely early one that came on a Model F Home, and I would love to learn more. Kindest regards, Michael
