Tinfoil Phonograph

[Lucky]

I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the correct category, as I'm a rookie.  Helping my dad value some of his machines as we prepare to sell them.  Can anyone help me value a Tinfoil Phonograph?  We have two reproduction machines.  Would appreciate any advice/education you all can provide.  Much thanks.  Lynne Luckey and Dale Lorang

[Tinfoilphono]

Those are, as you note, reproductions and not original phonographs. They represent the very first prototype phonograph made in December 1877, and commonly called the "Kruesi" by modern collectors. This is in reference to John Kruesi, the machinist in Edison's lab who made the original.

 

Edison had detailed blueprints made of the original Kruesi in 1930. These drawings were sold in the gift shop of the Edison National Historic Site in New Jersey for decades.  They were also reprinted in my own book on tinfoil phonographs, published in 2000. Consequently, anyone with a lathe, the instructions, and a modicum of skill could make replicas of their own. Untold numbers of people have done so in the last near-century. As a result, replica Kruesis are the most common of all tinfoil phonographs today.

 

With so many people making them, with varying skill levels, there's a lot of variation among them. Some were made in small production runs, say 25-50, by highly skilled machinists. Those can often look convincingly accurate, and work as well as the original. Others were made in smaller numbers (very often on-offs), less skillfully made, and are fine as display pieces but are not fully functional.

 

Your pictures aren't detailed enough to make clear judgments, but the one with black metal base appears, at least from the one picture, to be a pretty well-made example. Check the underside -- sometimes makers sign their work on the bottom. 

 

The one with wooden base is a different story. That was evidently made by someone who was able to machine the brass parts, but not to cast the iron base. As a result, he made a wooden base for it, with the correct shape. I confess that it looks very nice with a wooden base, but it is definitely not accurate as a replica. The brass plate was obviously hand-stamped and meant simply to identify it as a phonograph, something that wouldn't be obvious to non-collectors. 

 

As for value, that's tough to say. It all comes down to who is in the market for a replica at a given time. These are very much 'niche' machines, with limited interest. An excellent Kruesi, with accurate details and in functioning order, might get $1,500 - $2,500 on a good day. One of the known best-of-the-best replicas could reach over $3,000. The wood-based copy is anyone's guess. The lack of authenticity is a deep hit, but it might appeal to someone. The metal work looks quite good, at least what I can tell from a photo.

[Lucky]

Thank you, that is helpful.  Dad knows that the wooden base is not original to the reproduction.  That one belonged to a long-time friend of his.  Dad does know more about the machine, so I'll have to ask him about the rest of it.  I really appreciate your time and expertise in helping educate me.  🙂  Lynne