With the addition of serial number 11187 (the first A-250 in oak included in this documentation), we have some additional information. This machine also has a beautifully intact red paper label on the interior facia panel that details the correct speed and the adjustment and maintenance of the speed control. The owner has given permission for me to email photos of the label to anyone interested. Here's the updated summary:
Edison A-250 Search for differences in details, and study to determine approximate time of manufacture. Answers in same order as on questionnaire. If the motor board has a different serial number than the dataplate on the cabinet, results for specific motor and motor board details are listed under the motor board serial number (found under platter), while all other results are listed under the dataplate number. Motor board serial numbers are listed without their A1 suffix, and cabinet (dataplate) numbers are listed without their SM prefix. Please note that questions 14, 15,16 and 17 have been added to the previous inquiry list. Owner name (question 13) is optional. This compilation currently maintains the same question order as the original questionnaire, with added questions at the bottom, but may be updated in future to a better organized format. Note that we now have three different printing form dates from which we can narrow down the approximate production dates of the A-250: 11-20-12; 4-3-14; 8-20-14. Please let us know if you have one not shown here. To compare date results, based on the dataplate patent number and Form 631 printing form date, see items 10b and 11. Please consider adding your data to this study. Thank you, Andy Baron Santa Fe, NM 2) Start/stop levers style: EARLY: Serial #158, #161, #171, #1429 LATE: Serial #5751, #10248, #11187, #12080 3) Bedplate corner detail: EARLY: Serial #1429 MIDDLE (Similar to early but dots in different place): Serial #5751 LATE: Serial #10248, #11187, #12033 4) # of PIVOTING oil hole covers on bedplate: TWO: Serial #1429, #5751, #10248 ONE: Serial #11187, #12033 5) Tone modulator present?: NO: Serial #1429 YES: Serial #10248, #11187, #12033 (dataplate #13417), Serial #12080 (bedplate #5751) 6) Key escutheon style: FLUSH MOUNT EMBEDDED: Serial #1429, #10248, #11187, #12080 SURFACE MOUNT WITH GOLD TRIM NAILS: Serial #13417 7) Depth of upper grille groove: 1/4 INCH: Serial #1429, #10248, #12080 1/2 INCH: Serial #11187, #13417 7b) Grille fretwork thickness: 5/16 INCH: Serial #1429 1/4 INCH: Serial #10248, #11187, #12080 3/8 INCH: Serial #13417 7c) Overall height of grill frame: 13 3/4 INCH: Serial #10248, #12080 13 7/8 INCH: Serial #11187, #13417 8) Louvres on cabinet as per Amberola 1A? YES: #158, #161, #171, (unconfirmed) NO: Serial #1429, #10248, #12080, #13417 9) Side veneer number of sections per panel: ONE: Serial #1429, #10248, #12080 TWO: Serial #13417 THREE: Serial #11187 10) Form 632 present? NO: YES: Serial #1429, #10248, #11187, #12080, #13417 10a) Location of Form 632: INSIDE BACK DOOR (upside down when closed):Serial #1429, #10248, #11187, #12080 FLOOR OF HORN COMPARTMENT: Serial #13417 10b) Printer?s date at bottom of Form 632: 11-20-12: Serial #1429 4-3-14: Serial #10248, #11187, #12080 8-20-14: Serial #13417 11) Latest patent date on dataplate: 8-29-11: Serial #1429 3-11-13: Serial #10248, #11187, #12080, #13417 12) Other notes: Serial #13417: There?s a second paper measuring 2 1/2 x 1 1/8, printed with ?No: 13417, Disc Phonograph, Model A-250? affixed to the floor of horn compartment by two tacks. 13) Owner (optional): Serial #161: Ron Dethlefson Serial #1429: Andy Baron Serial #10248 Bruce R. Young Serial #11187 Private Serial #12080 (dataplate), #5751 A1: John D. Robles Serial #13417 (dataplate), #12033-A1: Jim Fox 14) Direction of winding gear teeth in relation to crank: STRAIGHT: Serial #1429 ANGLED: Serial #11187, #13417 15) Oil tubes present at winding stem bushings? (this is a tube pair from a single cup): NO: Serial #1429 YES: Serial #11187, #12033 16) Serial number (matching or otherwise) stamped in motor frame? NO: Serial #1429 YES: Serial #13417 17) Evidence of original grille cloth, and color? NO: Serial #11187 YES: Serial #13417 emerald green 18) Cabinet finish (may add more specifics later): Red mahogany: Serial #1429 Dark mahogany: Serial #13417 Oak: Serial #11187 19) Number of mainsprings (Frow indicates earliest production may have had single-spring motors). Spring barrels are visible if you remove the grille and peer into the motor compartment by looking in the upper r.h. corner. A flashlight helps. The spring closest to the winding crank will be more visible. One: Two: Serial #1429, 5751, 11187, 12033. From [email protected] Wed Aug 29 09:57:05 2007 From: [email protected] (michael funk) Date: Wed Aug 29 10:01:20 2007 Subject: [Phono-L] Amberola 30 Serial number difference Message-ID: <000001c7ea5d$a0cb88e0$6401a...@your4dacd0ea75> I recently bought an Amberola 30 that was not working very well. When dissembling the machine to send the motor to George Vollema I found a letter in the bottom of the case dated January 27, 1916. The letter was in reply to a complaint the original owner (J. D. Smith of Sheridan Wisconsin) had about the machine. Directions for things to try where described and at the end the letter states "I am ready and willing to send you all charges prepaid at my expense, a new top plate and motor for your machine that I know will illuminate this trouble, if after having followed out the instructions I have given desired results are not obtained." F. K. Babson MGR. I am beginning to wonder if this machine has always been troubled! A stamped number on the machine says "22162" while a top plate I found under the motor is "19165". I am assuming these numbers should match if they started out life together. The letter is a purple ditto and not an original typed letter. I wonder why they didn't send out the typed original and keep the ditto.
