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Be very careful when cleaning Edison Diamond Discs. Wetting the edges can cause the fibrous cores to swell and crack the playing surfaces. Edison warned against using water on Diamond Discs (for good reason!), instead recommending a soft cloth moistened with alcohol. Alcohol will not harm the phenolic resin used for Diamond Disc playing surfaces, but it will do major damage to regular shellac pressings, so stick with the above recommendations for those.

That's wonderful -- thank you so much! What a great service to the collecting community.

We've recently updated all of the Mainspring Press online discographies and cylinderographies - Twenty titles, including Leeds & Catlin, International Record Co. (Excelsior, et al.), American Record Co., Keen-O-Phone / Imperial / Rex, Pathe / Perfect, Emerson, Olympic, Black Swan, Edison Two- and Four-Minute Cylinders, and Ragtime on Records 1894-1950. All are in PDF format and are free to download for personal, non-commercial use. Visit the Mainspring Press website (www.mainspringpress.org) and click the "Mainspring Press E-Book" link to get started. Enjoy!

I’m offering an interesting as-found Edison cylinder phonograph collection for sale. I’m hoping it will find its way to an Edison collector who will appreciate the history and originality of the group. Included: • Antique Edison cylinder phonograph with wooden cabinet and original lid • Large black metal Edison-style horn • Edison Model H reproducer • 20 cylinder records and original tubes/lids • Edison Gold Moulded Records • Edison Amberol 4-minute records • Oxford Indestructible Cylinder Records • Numerous original Edison cardboard tubes and labeled lids Some of the cylinders have identifiable titles/numbers, including: • Edison Amberol No. 415 – “Moonlight in Jungleland” – Collins & Harlan – 4 Min. • Edison Record No. 10389 – “Ogallala” – Billy Murray & Chorus • Edison cylinder No. 3890 (label is damaged but number/title information remains partially visible) The phonograph has an Edison Model H reproducer and appears to retain a substantial amount of its original mechanism. I have not restored, refinished, polished or modified it. Condition: As-found. The cabinet and metalwork show normal age, wear and dirt. The machine has not been professionally serviced or tested by me, and I have not played the cylinders. I am particularly interested in hearing from someone knowledgeable about Edison cylinder machines and records. I would welcome identification of the machine and any information collectors may have about the particular cylinders included. Location: Salem, New Hampshire Sale: Prefer to sell the phonograph, horn and cylinders as one collection. I have photographs available showing the machine, horn, Model H reproducer, patent plate/mechanism and individual cylinders/tubes. I can provide additional close-ups of serial numbers, labels and mechanisms to serious buyers. Private messages welcome. I’m not an Edison specialist, so if I have misidentified any part of the machine or records, I would genuinely appreciate being corrected.

Thanks, melvind. I don't want to switch to Chrome! . I got enough Google in my life already.

They show up fine in Chrome, but in Safai the error shows up. I'm not sure what that might be. I'll pass it on to the tech guys.

The sound files posted by Jeff238 don't open on my iMac. It just says "Error" on both tracks.

I will pay handsomely for a copy of Indian War Dance on Lambert #1019. Thanks! George P.

And not perfected. In this thread and the associated LINK for the 1928 radio broadcasts: https://forum.antiquephono.org/topic/2460-congressional-medal-of-honor-blue-amberol-ediphone-cylinders/ cylinder 1-2 has a snippet of a song from being played from the radio station, presumably, before they switched to the Congressional Award broadcast. They left the song-snippet on the BA.

Continuing with the theme of the dealer demonstration records, from May 4, 1929 here is the Brunswick radio broadcast tone test record. This record is interesting in that on Side 1 we have an actual direct line recording of a live radio broadcast. It only runs a little over four minutes but transcriptions of live broadcasts from this period are scarce. Side 2 of the record features the same broadcast as received by a Brunswick radio receiver. I would imagine that the Brunswick engineers would have adjusted and tuned this radio for its best performance, but the reproduction is not really comparable to the direct line recording on Side 1. The frequency response limitations are obvious as well as a few noise bursts and what sounds like a heterodyne whistle near the end of the recording. Perhaps when the dealer demonstrated this record the differences were not so obvious as it would have been played on a Brunswick Panatrope phonograph of 1929. As good as these machines were they are not up to modern equipment standards. Here is a YouTube video (not mine) of a restored Panatrope Model 31. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4GKK2PCwJs I hope you find this peek into 1929 technology interesting. Various Artists - XE29768 From radio reciever.mp3 Various Artists - Radio Tone Test No. 1 Direct.mp3

On October 20, 1928, Thomas Alva Edison was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. The ceremony took place at the Edison Laboratory in West Orange, New Jersey. Dignitaries who spoke that day included Secretary of the Treasury Andrew W. Mellon (who presented the medal), Charge d’Affaires of the British Embassy Ronald lan Campbell (who presented Edison with the original phonograph loaned since 1880 to the South Kensington Museum), (cylinder 3-2), Dr. John Grier Hibben (President of Princeton University) and Edison himself. (Source 78rpm.com) Seeking additional contributions. This LINK will render a “directory-tree-like-structure” allowing the viewer to “point-and-click” for review and / or download.

Excellent images! I'm convinced that they're by Parrish, alright.

As many of you know, I've been collaborating with Chuck Azzalina for several months trying to compile a list of Type AA serial numbers to see if we can find some meaningful information. We're up to 50 now, so it's slowly starting to take shape. I am attaching a summary of what we have so far and would be interested in your own insight. As can be seen, there are some anomalies, such as an award decal on 701222, long before any appear on others. This sort of thing might well just be an example of a case or other part being swapped out sometime in the past 125 years. I also still find it very peculiar that there is such a large gap between 709775 and 711975, when other numbers seem to be spread fairly evenly. Not a single machine in the 710000 range has turned up. If there is anyone reading this who has a Type AA and hasn't shared information, we would certainly appreciate hearing from you. The more data we can get, the better we can understand the evolution of this fascinating little machine.

I believe at least the radioton guy was based on Maxfield Parish art. Here are some images of what appear to be Maxfield Parish art done for RCA Radiotron. I don't own these ads and don't remember where I found them, but I sure do like them.

It would help to know where you're located. We don't exactly need your address, but maybe state, or city, or province?

My Rishell has not functioned since I bought it from a local farmer a few years ago. Where can I send the operational parts to be repaired?

Nice pieces! Took me a minute to get the play on words with "Bandy," as in "band," since he's obviously a drum major. Stupid me, and I played a band instrument, too. Mmm, maybe that's why.... They could very well be Maxfield Parrish. Something about the faces; see https://www.wikiart.org/en/maxfield-parrish/the-knave-of-hearts-1925-2 Also this one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxfield_Parrish#/media/File:LIFEMagazine30Aug1923.jpg Maxfield Parrish (1870-1966), Philadelphia native, Quaker, Haverford, PAFA, Drexel. Go Phillies! Fly Eagles Fly! and all that jazz.

Since my original post I've learned more about the Radiotron figure and last weekend found the GE radio guy as well. The radiotron figure is called The Selling Fool. The GE figure is named Bandy. Here they are together with a few other extras.

You and I both, Nate.😉

I'm wondering if there is something I can do with this Meltrope III soundbox. It doesn't really sound much better than the exhibition on an open horn HMV machine I use. To me it looks like everything is in order, no damage to the diaphragm, the ball bearings are in place and the rubber is supple enough. Am I missing something? I expected a notable difference to a 1913 exhibition... Greatful for thoughts! H

Nate, based upon your recent acquisitions, I'd say you're doing just fine! 😉 George P.

Wanted Pathe' center start records. Jerry

Congratulations George! I look forward to seeing what it looks like when you're done with it. Boy, maybe I need to get out more...

Thanks, friends. Had it appeared on our front porch I couldn't have been more surprised. Well...maybe a little... That is indeed a quick-release lever on the Exhibition. It's frozen up, as is the horn elbow clamp plate and screw. Looks like it spent many years in a barn or a cellar. George P.

That appears to be a quick-release lever on the Exhibition, too.