Matching/Pairing Dealer Markings: Machines and Records

[phonogfp]

I suspect that some (many?) of us have either deliberately or inadvertently acquired machines and records which carry advertisements for the same dealer.  Some retailers of the late 1800s and first decades of the 1900s were profuse in their self-promotion, and it's not particularly difficult to match certain records and machines from the same source.  This of course is not the case with short-lived vendors, and searching for certain specimens can be an exercise in patience.  Here are some examples, and I'm looking forward to seeing more from other collections.

 

George P.

 

Perhaps the most commonly-found markings of an early vendor are those of the mammoth Sears, Roebuck, & Company.  The firm stopped marking its Graphophones in late 1901.  The paper overlays were the usual treatment.  This is the only example I've seen of the ink-stamping, but surely there are others.  I'm not aware of additional variations of the cylinder box label.

 

   

 

The Eastern Talking Machine Company of Boston offered black ink-stamped record boxes, red ink-stamped record boxes, and even full paper-label versions.  The Eastern stamping on the front plate of this Eagle Graphophone is difficult to see in this shot, but the original Columbia plate was replaced by Eastern's own version.  

 

Hawthorne & Sheble (pronounced "SHEB-lee") applied this small art nouveaux-inspired decal on machines it sold until 1898.  This Edison Home dates from February of that year.  H&S sold its early cylinder records in these understated boxes featuring a crepe-like paper covering. 

 

Apparently, Hawthorne & Sheble decided that playing the wallflower was not really their style.  This machine decal and record label were much more in character.  The little hand cabinet was sold by H&S to house an uncased ($10 version) Eagle Graphophone.  The large decal seems to have appeared in late 1898/1899.

 

The Cleveland Graphophone Company evidently had a short life.  At least its marked wares are seldom seen.

 

As described elsewhere on this forum, this Type BS Graphophone and record box bear the markings of noted San Francisco retailer and jobber, Peter Bacigalupi.  Apparently, he dropped the Graphophone line in late 1898 or early 1899 to concentrate on Edison and (later), Victor.

 

By October 1905, Edison had dispensed with large banner decals on Phonograph cabinets.  Such aesthetic discretion had no effect on W. T. Cranes & Company's markings on its wares.  This Home dates from mid-1908. 

 

I hope others will contribute images of their "twins" as well.

[Tinfoilphono]

Those are terrific. I'm a nut for dealer tags and labels.

 

I'm afraid I have nothing to add. The only pairings I have duplicate yours -- Bacigalupi and Eastern Talking Machine. I have a Cleveland Graphophone dealer tag on an AN but I'd never seen one of their boxes until your picture. 

[phonogfp]

Thanks Rene.  

 

I don't have any pairings of DISC machines and records.  That's not intentional; just the luck of the draw.  I hope someone will contribute additional items.

 

George P.

[RodPickett]

 

Columbia Eagle w decal from Spear & Co., General Agents, Indianapolis, along with cylinder box and reproduction booklet.

 

Building photo courtesy of George.

 

 

[phonogfp]

I was hoping you'd post those, Rod.  Very nice grouping!

 

George P.

[Tinfoilphono]

Many years ago I had an AS Graphophone which had a metal Spear dealer tag. I'm sorry I let that one go.

 

 

[phono-phan]

Amazing!!!!  

[Fran604g]

I can offer up a couple of examples: 

 

An Edison Standard Model A sold by the Mackie Music Co. of Rochester, NY but I only have the empty boxes that once held records; and an Edisonic "Schubert" sold by the Levis Music Co., also of Rochester, NY, in which I have several records and a couple of (probably later) shopping bags.

 

I own many, many other artifacts of both companies.

Edited 5 hours ago by Fran604g
Added info

[phonogfp]

Great stuff, Fran!  I don't remember the Levis fans.  You must have one of the largest collections of Levis and Mackie artifacts!

 

George P.

[Henry]

As I previously posted on another thread here, Levis was the "go-to" place for generations of music students at the Eastman School, including yours truly. It's baffling to me how they could go out of business with ESM right across Main Street from their store, but then that's why I'm not a businessman! (Wish I had one of those fans! BTW, what's on the other side? They used to have fans like these in every southern church and funeral home; they were commonplace in my youth.)