Columbia Model A in H&S Desk

[chucka]

MODEL:  Columbia Washington Model A
SERIAL #:   54727
YEARS MADE:   Late 1890's
COST:   Graphophone $25, Grand Cabinet $50
CASE/CABINET SIZE:  H & S Grand Roll Top Desk
TURNTABLE:   N/A
REPRODUCER:  No.2 
MOTOR:   Single Spring
HORN DIMENSIONS:   Various
REPRODUCTION PARTS: None  
CURRENT VALUE:   Empty cabinet needing some work recently sold at auction for $3500 
INTERESTING FACTS :   

I purchased this cabinet many years ago and as a lot of them the phono was missing and the hole in the top was covered by a piece of heavy cardboard. It was advertised as a writing desk. The pegs were missing as was the normal thing to do on cylinder cabinets that was repurposed. It took a while to decide which model machine that would fit the cutout. The Model A turned out to be the best fit in the cutout as well as the alignment of the very long crank.

When these cabinets were ordered the buyer specified what model machine was going to be installed in it so the factory could cut out the opening and any other holes that needed to be drilled out. I have seen these with Model C and Grand models as well as the smaller A sizes installed, the cabinets that were for Grand machines had pegs for the 5" records installed.
This model was the top of the line cabinet at $50, more than the nonpareil cabinet with the glass top cover.  It was available in oak or for a little more money in mahogany.

 

(Some of you may recognize this from the other forum. I posted it a few years ago but as a lot of the pictures have disappeared  I decided to re-post it here.)

ChuckA

 

 

[Hogan]

What an absolutely amazing setup! 

I'd love to see/hear a video of it playing ...

Must have been the top of the line! 

Thanks for posting this!!! Marvellous!!!

[phonogfp]

Thanks for posting this, Chuck!  I've always admired the H&S "Grand" cabinets.  I drove to Baltimore for mine (a 10-hour round trip)!

 

That's a very nice Washington Type A too!  Beautiful combination - -

 

George P.

[chucka]

Thanks for the compliment George. I didn't have to go far for this one, it was in my own backyard at a local auction house, you remember those, right? I actually got there too late and a local furniture dealer bought it. I tracked him down before he even got it out of his truck. 

The Washington A was in a cabinet that was a total wreck but the inside was almost mint.

 

Chuck