Most interesting/surprising finds inside of a phonograph cabinet

[JacobW]

I'm starting this because I think this will be a neat thread. For me it would be a funeral picture with a open casket(with somebody in it) that I found inside of a edison c150 

[phonogfp]

...And you aren't going to show it???

 

George P.

[JacobW]

3 minutes ago, phonogfp said:

...And you aren't going to show it???

 

George P.

I'll try to find it I think it's in my closet 

[JacobW]

I don't know why the pic got flipped sideways 

17 minutes ago, phonogfp said:

...And you aren't going to show it???

 

George P.

 

 

Edited February 1, 2023 by JacobW

[JacobW]

1 minute ago, JacobW said:

 

 

 

Edited February 1, 2023 by JacobW

[phonogfp]

I made some adjustments...

 

I'm not sure I can compete with your picture, but I'll see what I can "dig up..."

 

George P.

[JacobW]

12 minutes ago, phonogfp said:

I made some adjustments...

 

I'm not sure I can compete with your picture, but I'll see what I can "dig up..."

 

George P.

Thank you for fixing the photo. We got the c150 at a local online auction it came with diamond disc's and we taking them out to clean them and my brother noticed something behind the record storage area. The last owner of it may have placed it there. I heard that the guy was a part time clown and a doctor and his wife worked was a prison psychologist. 

[phonogfp]

I'm not sure I'd go to a doctor who was a part-time clown...  Although that might explain the doctor I briefly had 30 years ago!

 

George P.

[JacobW]

I'm surprised that other people haven't chimed in with what they found 

[Django]

My most pleasing discovery was the original box that still contained the original literature that came with the machine, the missing crank, four like new 12” albums and some period musical trade magazines.

 

The lock on the left door was locked and frozen, (none of my keys would unlock it).  The other locks worked fine.  
 

Using two curved two machinist scribes I successfully picked the lock and was very happy with the contents.  Not really unusual, but very much appreciated.  

 

 

Edited February 2, 2023 by Django

[JacobW]

17 minutes ago, Django said:

My most pleasing discovery was the original box that still contained the original literature that came with the machine, the missing crank, four like new 12” albums and some period musical trade magazines.

 

The lock on the left door was locked and frozen, (none of my keys would unlock it).  The other locks worked fine.  
 

Using two curved two machinist scribes I successfully picked the lock and was very happy with the contents.  Not really unusual, but very much appreciated.  

 

 

That is one of the nicest victrolas I have ever saw. Is it walnut I have seen pictures of walnut victrolas online but never in person

[Django]

2 hours ago, JacobW said:

That is one of the nicest victrolas I have ever saw. Is it walnut I have seen pictures of walnut victrolas online but never in person

Thank you.  It is Circassian Walnut and I agree that it is nice, (the credit goes to Victor and nature.  I was just lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time).

Edited February 2, 2023 by Django

[Fran604g]

I haven't experienced finding treasures in any of my acquisitions with but a single instance when I had my son go to a local to him estate sale in Buffalo. It was an Edison 1-C Long Playing Phonograph in fairly rough condition. Once he brought it to me, I began the process of assessing whether I would part it out to use the L-P mechanism for my favorite C 250, or determine a restoration. It seemed to be in pretty rough condition, the doors were pretty much destroyed and missing all but a single corner adornment and the crumpled up grille cloth.

 

 

As I began the disassembly by removing the mechanism and other parts, I found in the record storage compartment - behind the record dividers - a wonderful surprise! 

 

 

Sadly, no L-P records, someone had beaten my son to the sale and took whatever may have been in the cabinet. I kept the best 12" sleeve and the two best 10" sleeves. I gifted the others to a couple of dear friends, iirc. 

 

Everything, other than the doors was intact! 

 

The L-P and Edisonic Reproducers were there. The crank was there. The mechanism worked perfectly, and once I started cleaning the cabinet I became enamored of this little console. I'm very happy I decided to preserve my 1-C.

 

I subsequently found another dear friend had 2 doors with the ugliest grille cloth ever devised, but all the adornments were intact.

 

I disassembled the "new" doors completely, replaced the blue velvet(?) grille cloth with a print I designed and had fabricated and glued the adornments back in their original configuration. 

 

 

It looks better in person, I promise. 😎

Edited March 5, 2023 by Fran604g
Added image and text

[Tinfoilphono]

Nice save! I'm glad you saw the potential behind what seemed like a total wreck.

[Fran604g]

Thank you, Rene. 

[Roaring20s]

Original packing bits found in a Victor IV. 

The mystery block is 3.5" square with the 1" hole does not seem to fit with any motor part.

It's not for the winding stem.

 

James.

 

 

[Jerry]

On 2/1/2023 at 4:44 PM, phonogfp said:

I'm not sure I'd go to a doctor who was a part-time clown...  Although that might explain the doctor I briefly had 30 years ago!

 

George P.

I'm pretty sure there's no such thing as a "part-time" clown. 🙂

[Fran604g]

On 2/2/2023 at 12:37 PM, Django said:

My most pleasing discovery was the original box that still contained the original literature that came with the machine, the missing crank, four like new 12” albums and some period musical trade magazines.

 

The lock on the left door was locked and frozen, (none of my keys would unlock it).  The other locks worked fine.  
 

Using two curved two machinist scribes I successfully picked the lock and was very happy with the contents.  Not really unusual, but very much appreciated.  

 

 

That is just stunning! A real eye-popper!

[MisterJive47]

Just found this a few hours ago behind the left-hand-side record dividers in my Edison "Baby Console" that I had recently acquired. Only thing pertinent was the Phonograph care manual,  which is actually for the damaged Jewel aftermarket reproducer that I removed from the machine. The community songs booklet looks like it may be from the 20s or 30s. The RCA pamphlet is a surprise. No idea what the plastic thing is. Also, I highly doubt that a Compact disc can be played on this machine with that adapter. 😂

[phono-phan]

Years ago I found a small stack of old Valentine cards inside a phonograph cabinet.  They were all addressed to the same girl's name from a small town in Northern Wisconsin.  I actually did some research and found out what her married name was.  I also found out she was still in the area.  I mailed them to her with a note of where I found them.  She called me and thanked me over and over again.  They were from her then deceased husband.  They were sweethearts since high school.  She didn't remember hiding them in the phonograph.  She told me that her parents really didn't approve of him when they started dating. 

[CurtA]

I found what appears to be a Templar treasure map of an island in Nova Scotia inside a Victrola.  I'm sending it to the History Channel to see if they want to make a TV series about it...

[phono-phan]

I recently sold an Edison Amberola 30. I was getting it ready and noticed some papers in the case. There were five 5X7 flyers for the Hoot Gibson movie Mounted Stranger, his first 100% Talking Appearance. Also, it advertised Rudy Vallee in Vagabond Lover. I will have to do some looking into when these movies came out and when they played at the Grand Theater in Wausau WI. I will probably frame one of the flyers and see if the Grand Theater would want one. There was also an pre-addressed envelope to Thomas Edison Inc., Cylinder Phonograph Division. I don't think this would be tied to the flyers but maybe to register your Amberola?

 

 

 

 

Edited May 21, 2023 by RodPickett
rotate

[Inigo]

I was happy to find two Pathé sapphire ball needles in brass shanks, in perfect shape ready to use. This was when I bought the Aeolian Vocalion gramophone, and I found these inside when disassembling and restoring the machine cabinet. The discovery and serendipity purchase of the gramophone was also a surprising story full of happy coincidences... one of those "being on the spot at the right moment".

[Andersun]

This was found in the bottom of a C250 Diamond Disc.....

[CurtA]

Did you find his ashes in there too?