I have seen NOS blanks on eBay so there are still some around. I have one of the celluloid practice dictation records and some of these recently sold on eBay.
I have only found one site that gives decent info on these and I finally have the early ones sorted out. I believe in 1917 the name of the business machine was changed to Ediphone. In 1906 they started out in a wooden case and I believe the model E went from wood to metal around 1911, I will have to access my info to double check. All my info comes from examples and the section in the Frow book. I appreciate the info, I have never seen a working shaver or the recorder from the latest one that has the compression ring on top. Steve > Ediphones in general exist in two models: the boss's machine (record & play), > and the secretary's machine (play only). Also necessary would be the high > speed shaver, and of course, dictation cylinders. Ediphones were produced in > many variations, sold, or, records supplied -- from at least the 1920's > through the 1960's. The were descended fom a long line of Edison products > beginning with the very first wax cylinder phonographs; and, much of > dictation machine history is also descended from and intertwined with the > earliest Bell-Tainter Graphophones that evolved into Ediphone's competitor, > Dictaphone. > > Black, metal-cased Ediphones almost certainly date from the 1920's. Earlier > models were wooden (i.e., the Edison 'Business Phonograph' -- the Ediphone's > immediate predecessor). Later models were 30's drab gray and more Art Deco in > styling. > > I'm not sure if factory records are accesible. Ediphone became McGraw-Edison > and then McGraw-Hill Publishing. I don't know the whole story well enough to > tell you any more. I know of at least one collector with a keen interest in > business machines who can probably dial production dates in more precisely > without factory archives. I will try to contact and ask what is known. > > John M > > > > > Date: Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:02:32 -0500 > > From: [email protected] > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: [Phono-L] Ediphone questions > > > > Hello! > > > > I recently bought an old Ediphone that I'm having trouble finding more > > information on. It is in a black metal box and uses wax cylinders. It has > > headphones with rubber tubing, but no mouthpiece. Were the recording and > > playing done on two different pieces of equipment. Also, I'm not certain of > > its age and wanted to know if anyone could tell by the serial number. The > > serial number 256299 with a T a couple of spaces in front of it.The motor > > has serial number 113402. > > > > If there is anything you can share with me, please let me know. > > > > Thanks, > > Loki > > _______________________________________________ > > Phono-L mailing list > > http://phono-l.oldcrank.org > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.oldcrank.org _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.oldcrank.org
