The Wonderful World of Columbia Grand Graphophones

[phonogfp]

Much has been written about Columbia's five-inch Grand Graphophones and records.  None of that will be repeated here, because this post is meant solely as a photographic appreciation of the genre.  For those who are interested in learning more about the Columbia Grand Graphophones (including models not shown here), I suggest the articles co-authored by Chuck Azzalina and myself in the September 2025 and March 2026 issues of the Antique Phonograph Society magazine.

 

 

To start off, here's something few collectors have ever seen, and it has never been shown in any book or article as far as I know.  Experienced collectors are familiar with the record boxes which housed Columbia's Grand Records (see magazine cover above).  Here's a close-up showing the conventional early-style box and lid instructions:

 

 

 

However, there was another contemporary container for Columbia Grand Records that is very seldom seen.  It was described in what was probably Columbia's first brochure and record list for the Graphophone Grand and its five-dollar Grand Records.  Look at the fifty-cent item in the Price-List of Parts and Supplies below:

 

 

The "Tin Single-Cylinder Case, with Felt Protection" evidently did not appeal to many customers in 1899, because I've been reliably informed that there are possibly two of these known.  Here's one of them:

 

 

 

 

For the balance of this post, I'll let the pictures do the talking, and hopefully they will inspire some to see beyond the nuts-and-bolts of these fascinating machines.  (Try not to draw comparisons with the Edison Concert Phonograph.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tinfoilphono]

Wonderful array of pictures and period advertisements!

 

I love Columbia Grands. From the cheapest AB to the lofty GG they all have great presence.

 

 

[phonogfp]

A beautiful AB, Rene, and some wonderful period ads too!

 

Here's period image of an AB:

 

[Tinfoilphono]

Wow -- what a wonderful image. I see the photographer was in Bridgeport. I'm guessing he took promotional photos for Columbia. I wonder how they used these?

 

Edit to add: that looks to be an Eagle reproducer. Perhaps a very early example for promotional purposes?

Edited January 27 by Tinfoilphono

[phonogfp]

Rene,

 

As you probably know, early-production ABs used a simpler lift mechanism than those of later production.  You can see it in the period image above.  Also, some ads show what appears to be a reproducer weight lying in front of the machine (the ad directly below your AB is one example).  I can't be completely sure, but I suspect that early ABs with that simple lift mechanism used an Eagle reproducer with a weight rather than the "Heavy Eagle."  

 

George P.

[chucka]

Here is another slight difference in the HG model. I believe the earliest ones had this odd decoration on the gear cover. Where most that are found have the "normal" 

flower decorations. This one is #491, and believe they started at # 401

Not sure what you would call these, "Birds" or "Leaves"

 

ChuckA

 

 

[Jerry]

1 hour ago, chucka said:

 

Not sure what you would call these, "Birds" or "Leaves"

 

ChuckA

 

 

 

 

 

Mosquitoes.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 27 by Jerry

[phonogfp]

Chuck, I've never seen that!  

 

I've sometimes wondered if the earliest Home Grands lacked the covers, as the earliest ads show exposed gears:

 

 

 

Thanks for sharing that unusual decoration!

 

George P.

[chucka]

The earliest HG listed is #450 so possible the very first ones had no gear cover.

 

From ones verified it looks like the "mosquitoes" were used up to #1000

 

ChuckA

[Jamie]

It took a bit to hunt this picture down. It originally was posted on a historic discussion board in regards to my hometown Lockport, NY. way too long ago. It is hard to imagine the investment in the machine and records shown. Those 5" recordings were cutting edge for such a short period of time...

[phonogfp]

Jamie,

 

I downloaded that image into my files years ago.  It just takes you back to that "sitting room" doesn't it?  There's a distinctive grain on the lid, so I had to compare it to mine...just in case...  I didn't know the image originated in Lockport, NY.  That would have tipped me off to the impossibility of it being the machine I have here, since it came from Lawrence, Mass.

 

Thanks for posting it.

 

George P.

[chucka]

I've had this picture for awhile also. Here is what the room might have looked like in circa 1899. 

There's a bit of damage to the original so some areas the color doesn't flow right.

 

ChuckA

 

[phonogfp]

Nice, Chuck!

 

George P.

[yamaphone]

Thanks to everyone who posted all those great photos and provided information about the Columbia Grand machines! The picture below is something I found in a book about railroads in general. It is captioned "New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad - Four men building catenary - Bridgeport Connecticut, 1914". The building to the left is identified as "THE SEWING MACHINE CABINET CO. " - "SPECIAL CABINET WORK". The building just beyond it I think might be the  American Graphophone factory and the water tower has something painted on it that might be the Columbia Record logo. 

I know that the North American Phonograph Co. did business with the Sewing Machine Cabinet Co. and that the Graphophone factory building had been previously used to manufacture sewing machines so I think that all those great Columbia cabinets might have been made right in this building. 

Unfortunately, the photo has been prepared for printing purposes and as such has lost some clarity. I'm sure the original photograph would show the writing on the water tower much more clearly.

Dan Zalewski