Square Case Edison Standard

[Guest]

After all the discussion about Edison Standards, over the weekend I fell over a square case standard that is in remarkable condition. Pinstriping, bedplate, and all looks superb. This makes Standard #4 for me and I am tickled to have found this. I need more space...

 

Edited June 28, 2020 by Mainspring

[Tinfoilphono]

Nice! I have a real weak spot for suitcase Standards. I've owned several over the years. It's not easy to find one with full pin-striping.

[phonogfp]

That is indeed a nice example - congratulations!

 

Suitcase Standards are appealing little guys.  I currently have three of them ("...But they're all different, honey!"). 

 

George P.

[AmberolaAndy]

One of the versions of the Edison standard that I still DON’T have. (Next to the C and F) Hopefully that will change one day.

[Neilvanstem]

I see the word nice used a few times here so will say very nice. I have never seen a square Standard case and phonograph. Thanks for showing us your new one. 

[Guest]

Thanks Neil! I am so pleased with it. Nice to buy a machine and not have to do anything to it.

[Tinfoilphono]

[phonogfp]

[Guest]

Thanks gents, great pictures.

 

[tomb]

Did this phonograph come with both a horn and ear phones???  That looks like a picture of them unpacking the phonograph.   Tom

[phonogfp]

8 hours ago, tomb said:

Did this phonograph come with both a horn and ear phones???  That looks like a picture of them unpacking the phonograph.   Tom

 

According to the Feb. 1, 1899 Edison catalog (pictured below), the Standard came with both "a 14-inch polished brass horn" and "a two-way hearing tube."  These are both shown in the image posted above by Rene. 

 

The image was not taken during the unpacking process, as Edison wooden shipping crates were much larger than what's shown.  Plus, there's no trace of excelsior on the floor - - and that stuff gets everywhere!

 

George P.

 

 

[Guest]

50 minutes ago, phonogfp said:

 

...Plus, there's no trace of excelsior on the floor - - and that stuff gets everywhere!

 

George P.

 

 

 

George, I know Stan Lee was old but not THAT old.

David

PS Hoping I don't need to explain that one ?

[phonogfp]

Well, it went right over my poor little head (I was never a Marvel Comics guy), but a few moments on Wikipedia explained everything.  "Excelsior" is also the motto of New York State.  Ironically.

 

George P.

[Valecnik]

51 minutes ago, phonogfp said:

Well, it went right over my poor little head (I was never a Marvel Comics guy), but a few moments on Wikipedia explained everything.  "Excelsior" is also the motto of New York State.  Ironically.

 

George P.

It seems even with a dozen of the same model there's always SOMETHING different or unusual compelling one to keep them all...

[tomb]

I got so enthused after this post that I pulled out a couple of my older standard suitcases and was exercising them.  My first is a complete standard Edison Bell with a Medvid rebuilt Edison Bell reproducer.  It worked great after a little oil.  My second is my oldest at s/n 2800 nd after oiling it up and adjusting the mandrel I found out it had a broken roller on the reproducer carriage. Since the carriage is hard to find I emailed Medid and he will drill it out and fix it.  I lucked out. His work is exceptional.  I will take a couple of pics tomorrow and post them here of the Edison Bell.   Tom B

[Fran604g]

Forgive me for submitting so many photos, but I couldn't resist showing off my "4-latch" Standard SN 20,335 which was sold by the Mackie Music Co., Rochester, NY. We have a family connection to the company, as my wife's grandparent's owned a violin sold by the same firm. Obviously I've become a little obsessed with other items pertaining to Mackie, and created a sub-collection within my larger antique phono collection. Although a period photo of the Mackie store 5-story building continues to elude me, I've compiled a few photo-copies of the Andrews St./State St. area that the storefront can be seen; and a relatively contemporary photo of the "strip" of buildings - before they were erased from history through so-called "urban renewal" (ugh) conducted in Rochester (and indeed across much of NY state) throughout the 1970's.

 

She's a real peach!

 

Cheers y'all,

Fran

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 19, 2020 by Fran604g

[phonogfp]

I've seen this Standard many times, and it is indeed a honey.

 

The Mackie building was the site of Rochester, NY's first exhibition of a Tinfoil Phonograph, as shown on this page from A World Of Antique Phonographs, by Fabrizio & Paul (All Rights Reserved):

 

 

Here's another Edison - this time a Home - that was originally sold through Mackie.  The rather bizarre modifications are unexplained, but pretty interesting!  (Also from A World of Antique Phonographs, by Fabrizio & Paul.  All Rights Reserved.)

 

[Fran604g]

1 hour ago, phonogfp said:

I've seen this Standard many times, and it is indeed a honey.

 

The Mackie building was the site of Rochester, NY's first exhibition of a Tinfoil Phonograph, as shown on this page from A World Of Antique Phonographs, by Fabrizio & Paul (All Rights Reserved):

 

 

Here's another Edison - this time a Home - that was originally sold through Mackie.  The rather bizarre modifications are unexplained, but pretty interesting!  (Also from A World of Antique Phonographs, by Fabrizio & Paul.  All Rights Reserved.)

 

I've seen the Home in person, and would covet it in a heartbeat (but it's doubtful he'd ever part with her). ?

[phonogfp]

1 hour ago, Fran604g said:

I've seen the Home in person, and would covet it in a heartbeat (but it's doubtful he'd ever part with her). ?

 

Well, no one lives forever...!?

[Valecnik]

Fran, your Standard looks fantastic.  The pen striping is almost like new.

 

George, that Home is just... well I'm not sure.  Perhaps it was purchased by a dapper fellow of the day who felt the need to bizarrely dress it up in the way that young people today raise up their cars and decorate them with chrome and LED lighting.

 

[Fran604g]

6 hours ago, Valecnik said:

Fran, your Standard looks fantastic.  The pen striping is almost like new.

 

Thank you, Bruce.

 

 

[Tinfoilphono]

I really need to take my early (#393) Standard down and shoot some new photos. Here's an old one that I set up to match the catalog drawing posted by George earlier in the thread. It's one of the early Standards with no gear cover, and a Standard Speaker. This machine has a nickel-plated dealer's plate from Murray Blanchard Young & Co. of Boston. I can't find a lot about them on Google, but there is one newspaper ad referencing them as agents for National Phonograph Co. Unfortunately I need to pay to access the actual page and read exactly what it says. The company shows up in more listings at an early address in Providence, RI but later moved to Boston according to another ad. I find ads for musical instruments but only the one reference to Phonographs.

 

 

Edited August 21, 2020 by Tinfoilphono

[Tinfoilphono]

Thanks to a friend with a newspapers.com membership, I was able to download the only ad I can find for Murray Blanchard Young & Co. of 165 Tremont, Boston. Interestingly they were only a few doors down from the much larger Eastern Talking Machine Co. at 176-177 Tremont.

 

[fonotone]

What a deal -- I'm going to lease one tonight!

 

-- Grant

[Neilvanstem]

Boy between Tremont and Boylston Boston just had a lot going for it even in 1922 when these ads appeared in a play bill about Tip Top with Fred Stone. Oh boy Orphans of the Storm was showing right next to the one record shop at the Tremont Theatre! Love those Gish sisters. Neil