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I replaced the grease and nothing changed. I took the governor out and it started spinning faster and faster. I held my finger on the platter to slow it down. So, it CAN play. Thoughts on what to do?

I neglected to mention that this is an uncased Eagle, which makes it that more interesting to me. The base has no markings. For some unknown reason, an previous (presumably the original) owner cut open the ends of the belt cover.

Thanks Nate! It has had good care over the past 25 years, but it needed a sympathetic cleanup. I wish they all came to me in this condition! George

Nope - I didn't have 80776. A pox on the former owner!😀 How many rubber feet on the bottom? Are there any letters stamped into the metal base plate? Thanks Rene! George

Mine is 776. You may well already have it noted under a previous owner, but perhaps this raises the survivors to 10 -- still just 1% of original production.

How cool! Congratulations George. I'm sure you're over the moon now that Eagle #40 is roosting in your belfry with the rest of the flock. It looks like it's in incredible condition as well.

Rene, I have 214 Eagles in my database, but I must admit that I haven't added any for awhile unless they add useful information, such as tightening a "cusp" during a transition period. However, I always add early examples. I have only 9 numbered below 1000. Yours is not there! George

For sure, I still consider it special. There can't be many survivors from that early in production. What have you found in your years of serial number research?

An Eagle under 1000 is pretty good, Rene! After all, there were only 1000 (or 999) ever manufactured! George

And to think I was excited to find an Eagle under 1,000.... Under 100 is next level!

Here's the earliest-known Eagle (as of today), #40, and the only one known to carry this early Broadway and 27th Street decal on its lid:

Thanks, friends. I'm grateful to Howard's friend, Rob Mallett, for remembering my interest and making it possible for me to add this one to my collection.

George, this literally could not be in better hands. Tho it took a lifetime, congratulations!

Wanted: Edison C-2 record album books C and D. (Already have A and B). Thanks. - David

Fantastic, george!

Wow. I am in awe. You are definitely the King of Eagles but I totally share that passion so this one is an absolute grail. Kudos on a fantastic and historic score.

MODEL: Type B ("Eagle") Graphophone SERIAL #: 80,040 (Serial numbering for this model began at 80,000 making this the 40th example manufactured.) YEARS MADE: 1897-1907 COST: $12.00 cased (as is this example). REPRODUCER: #2 MOTOR: Two tiny mainsprings HORN DIMENSIONS: 10" long conical black REPRODUCTION PARTS: None CURRENT VALUE: ? INTERESTING FACTS : Many years ago, while shooting pictures for our books, I became acquainted with this Eagle Graphophone in the collection of Howard Hazelcorn. I don't recall which detail seized my attention first; the lid decal or the serial number. Either one is pretty important in my world. I told Howard that if he ever decided to relinquish this primordial example of the Eagle Graphophone, I hoped he would remember me. Howard just chuckled. After Howard passed away in 2020, it eventually occurred to me that this Eagle might be among the many artifacts to go to auction. No, it was not. Rather, it had been sold to a close friend of Howard's. I told this close friend the same thing I had told Howard years earlier. The friend didn't chuckle, but told me that he would remember my interest. I expect most collectors have heard this before, and we all know how often that pans out. Much to my surprise, I heard from Howard's friend in September 2026. He was downsizing a bit, and offered me this Eagle - - the object of my 25-year yearning. I can't quite believe it's here. The earliest-known Eagle (#40 out of approximately 150,000 manufactured), and the only known Eagle whose lid bears a decal listing Broadway and 27th Street, New York. I included a picture of the lid in an article found in the June 2012 issue of the APS magazine, page 10. To the casual collector, this might look like a typical Eagle lid, but it's not! No other known Eagle decal carries this early address. This may also look like a typical Eagle mechanism, and it is...with one exception... The data plate for this Eagle shows it to have been assembled during the first day of production. The 40th Eagle off the line.

Yes! You're right- It really should have been a sure thing. But why the seller couldn't have at least met me half way in the "wanting the new buyer to pick it up" was just nuts. Talk about limiting the market to buyers in Ca. within driving distance.. And not that I'd want this machine to be junked out for parts because I still think it's a rare model and in very good condition, why hasn't a California collector picked it up? 75 dollars, that's a bargain for a machine that rarely turns up. I know rarity does not always equate desirability. I paid $130.00 for mine after a $100.00 refund and even if it didn't arrive in the same condition it left the seller, I was still glad to get it. The damaged part has already been replaced for less than the $100.00 refund.. I'll just save my money to purchase a new high efficiency furnace instead. $600.00 will go a long way towards that Cordially Yours, Bob

Wow thank you for the detailed response! I will consider all of these! 5. I got the term wrong. I actually meant reproducer not repeater. I'll post up with progress...

That’s a lot fun!

Hogan, another source for needles again in Europe: http://www.tonar.eu/

“Old Man Jazz” by the All Star Trio 1920 When I first played this record I immediately thought it sounded like a Halloween song. I don't think it really is, but it works well with the halloween theme so I played a bit and had some fun with it.

Thanks for these great leads! In Europe which is great!

Thanks for responding, Rene. My reasoning behind the sequence I've offered is that the "1st version" was illustrated in the late 1898/early 1898 Phonoscope as well as a late 1898 Polyphone catalog. I'm pretty confident that it must the the earliest design. The "2nd version" (fancy casting) is shown in a catalog from the Talking Machine Company of Chicago dating between late August and November 1, 1899. I suppose that what I'm calling the "3rd version" could have appeared briefly after the "1st version" and before the "2nd version," but - like you - I've seen no documentation of that simplified design. It's nicely finished and engraved, which could suggest that it's actually earlier than the fancier casting. I'm hoping to learn! Thanks again, George

Definitely an interesting question. I have never seen the first in real life. I'm curious what your thinking is in the production order of the other two. I've seen the catalog listing for the fancier one which you call number 2, but I haven't seen any literature on the last example. The only one I saw in person was in the Hazelcorn collection. I don't know where it later went. Its simplicity of design prompts me to think it likely came before the fancier one, but that's just a gut feeling. They could well have decided to simplify it further. I've only seen one original example of the second, fancy one. It was in the collection of the late Neil Maken, of Yesterday Once Again. (I know the current owner but he prefers to remain anonymous.) In the late 1990s Maken made 12 replicas which were very nicely done. Those are rarities in themselves today.