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MODEL: Columbia Washington Model A SERIAL #: 54727 YEARS MADE: Late 1890's COST: Graphophone $25, Grand Cabinet $50 CASE/CABINET SIZE: H & S Grand Roll Top Desk TURNTABLE: N/A REPRODUCER: No.2 MOTOR: Single Spring HORN DIMENSIONS: Various REPRODUCTION PARTS: None CURRENT VALUE: Empty cabinet needing some work recently sold at auction for $3500 INTERESTING FACTS : I purchased this cabinet many years ago and as a lot of them the phono was missing and the hole in the top was covered by a piece of heavy cardboard. It was advertised as a writing desk. The pegs were missing as was the normal thing to do on cylinder cabinets that was repurposed. It took a while to decide which model machine that would fit the cutout. The Model A turned out to be the best fit in the cutout as well as the alignment of the very long crank. When these cabinets were ordered the buyer specified what model machine was going to be installed in it so the factory could cut out the opening and any other holes that needed to be drilled out. I have seen these with Model C and Grand models as well as the smaller A sizes installed, the cabinets that were for Grand machines had pegs for the 5" records installed. This model was the top of the line cabinet at $50, more than the nonpareil cabinet with the glass top cover. It was available in oak or for a little more money in mahogany. (Some of you may recognize this from the other forum. I posted it a few years ago but as a lot of the pictures have disappeared I decided to re-post it here.) ChuckA

Thank you for posting this video. A lot of old familiar faces. A lot of familiar faces that were much younger than they are now. In fact, I am even in the video at 7:48. I believe I was about 22 years old at the time. ( I am now 61!) Great memories! Thanks again. Mike Wohl

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Thanks, everyone, for the nice compliments! I must say, moving all of that, emptying many of the cabinets, sometimes disassembling them, hauling everything up a lengthy flight of stairs, transporting it all three blocks, then reassembling and repositioning for the optimal setup, certainly proved that my dedication to the hobby remains steadfast! And to all of you visitors from the West Coast, or from anywhere else for that matter, you’re more than welcome to come see it!😀

A very seldom-seen Graphophone! That's an interesting 2/4-minute attachment too. Thanks for posting, Chuck! George P.

Oh, that's choice! That text narration is classic old-time radio announcer stuff. And the miraculous "Victrola attachment" has the marvelous ability to convert the Blue Danube waltz into a polka! Amazing! Many thanks for posting!

Hello Wayne, I along with a lot of collectors who engage in restorations of phonographs support do a little as possible. Starting with mild cleaning and slowly escalating to total restoration. The machine's condition and your willingness to take on a project will dictate how far you go. With your Amberola you could decide to leave it as is or as I read you think it is worth the effort to save and restore it. Meaning fix and prevent future rusting. If that is what you would like to do, a decision I support, I would recommend stripping off all of the original paint, sand down any rust and repaint and re-decal your Amberola. With my example I first stripped off the paint with paint stripper and then sanded as smooth as my patients would allow. Then I used regular hardware store black lacquer based spray paint, sanding between coats. If I recall I applied two coats and one touch up layer of paint. Then spray on lacquer ( gloss ) with the decal stripes added between lacquer coats. Including hand painting the small leaves in the corners as I did not have any decals like that handy, but they are available from phonodecal . com . Sorry the before and after are not the same machine but I wanted to show rust damaging the paint in my before photo. Good luck Bruce

MODEL: Columbia BM SERIAL #: ? (this unit) YEARS MADE: 1908 COST: $75 CASE/CABINET SIZE: Model BG cabinet REPRODUCER: 2 1/2" Higham MOTOR: 4 spring, same as BG HORN DIMENSIONS: 25" Nickel Plated Brass REPRODUCTION PARTS: None CURRENT VALUE: ? for a complete unit, one missing reproducer parts sold for approx $453. April 2026 in England. INTERESTING FACTS : The BM was a scaled down model BC, it used a simplified Higham style BC reproducer assembly (patent 876,350). The basic machine is built around the Model BG, it uses the same mahogany cabinet and motor but with a standard black painted chassis. Apparently it was produced as a smaller BC for home use at a much lower cost and would keep the increased volume. This probably didn't happen as the volume from the mechanical amplified reproducer isn't that much louder than a good Edison Model O reproducer. Only 13 BM's have surfaced so far, serial numbers range from 112 to 1755. Probably less than 2000 were produced. Like the Model BC, the BM has a special horn with a 3/4" end to fit the Higham reproducer. This machine has an after market 2/4 minute attachment and the stylus is the same as used on the late Columbia combination machines, making it not usable for any wax type records. Also with the combination attachment installed the serial number plate was removed.

This demonstration record is interesting and was meant for the general public to hear at a dealer's RCA Victor store. It introduces a new radio and more interesting to me the Victrola Attachment that could play records through the new radio.

1898 Edison Home Phonograph. Just a representation of an elderly man enjoying listening tubes.

At 4:27 and 14:41 you feature the Hokie Pokie Speed Wagon...In the 50's we did that on roller skates in the rink and "turned ourselves around". Strange humor, I know.

Hey! That's what it's all about.

Thanks for posting this, Rob and Joan! I saw your presentation and it was terrific.

I used to be addicted to the Hokie Pokie, but then I turned myself around.

We wanted to share the presentation we did at APS Midwest Music Expo called "Phonograph Toys in Action." The program featured many of the phonograph accessories or toys that were available to add visual entertainment to records played on disc phonographs. In the late 1910s and early 1920s, the phonograph was the home entertainment center. Today these phonograph toys have become highly sought after items to add to a phonograph collection. The APS show was outstanding and a special thankyou to Darren Stross for organizing the APS seminars. Robin & Joan

Thanks, James. I updated the info on my video.

That's a fun song ... not for them. A looney song like another I like by Peg Moreland, "He Never Came Back", Victor V-40101. https://www.slippery-hill.com/content/he-never-came-back It's on the flip side of "Ain't We Crazy" by Henry McClintock, also a good one. It states here that it's Frank Luther ... https://www.dramonline.org/albums/complete-hit-of-the-week-recordings-vol-2-1930-1931 Cal Carson [pseudonym of Frank Luther] James.

This silly little record is something I picked up at the recent APS Midwest Expo. I just couldn't resist such a cute tiny four inch Durium record. The song is ridiculous and very short. I thought some of you might be interested in this odd little thing.

I went to Larry Schlick's in the Milwaukee area in the early 1990's. The treadle machines/, and early Graphophone cylinder with the thick brown wax over it, was something I won't forget, also the early class M machines.

Jack....Pete told me to never mention the chewing gum....nice to hear the story from you!

This is the medium sized Diamond Disc horn as would be found in a C-150 and others. I would need this for a young collector attempting to complete his first phono. Thanks!

No worries about thread hijacking, the more the merrier. I appreciate being able to compare details. The paint and striping on yours is exceptional. I was also interested to note that your reproducer shows the same sort of metal porosity as mine does. Interestingly, the foot that replaces the AP adjusting screw is black on yours, and plain brass on mine. Yours also confirms my suspicion that Columbia used up old AP gear covers with KEEP LEVEL stamping on early AQs, before switching to unmarked ones.

Here are some pics of my AQ. Hopefully, I'm not hijacking your thread.

It's blank. I'll post pictures of it on the AQ thread.