Graphophone BI Sterling: How Did Columbia Number Their Machines?

[Aurea]

I have been trying to figure out how Columbia assigned serial numbers to its Graphophones, both disc and cylinder models, and I would love to hear your thoughts.

Did Columbia start a new serial number sequence for each model, or did they use a continuous numbering system across different models? Has anything been published on this subject in the APS? The research done on Edison serial numbers and models is amazing, so I was just hoping there might be something similar out there for Columbia. 😀

This question came up recently while I was trying to date this Graphophone BI Sterling, serial number 35xx. My impression is that it is a fairly early example, possibly from 1905 or 1906, but I would be very interested to hear what others think.

There is another curious detail: the decal has "Made in USA" stamped just below it, almost as an afterthought. Could this indicate that the machine was intended for the European market, where the country of origin might have needed to be specified? I know that some other decals have "Made in USA" incorporated into the design, but the fact that this one looks as though it was stamped on afterwards made me wonder.

One thing I have noticed while comparing different Sterling BIs is how inconsistent Columbia seems to have been with the placement of certain features. The "Graphophone" decal, the carrying handle, the crank, and even the award decals do not always appear in the same positions (front, left/right side, etc.) Some they don't even have the handle"
I find these little variations fascinating, and they are part of what makes studying Columbia machines so enjoyable.

In any case, I would love to hear anything you want to share about this particular model, its dating, serial numbers, or these curious variations. Every little detail helps piece together the history! Thanks
Áurea.

[phonogfp]

Hello Aurea,

Columbia/American Graphophone usually assigned specific serial blocks to each type of Graphophone.  If you have Hazelcorn's book on Cylinder Graphophones, you'll see this.  That said, there are exceptions, e.g.: the early Type A and Type C share a serial block.  And...when the Type A morphed into the Type AT, the numbering continued unbroken.  But most models, such as the Type B (Eagle) had their own serial blocks.  In this way, each Columbia machine regardless of model, will (or should) have its own unique serial number.  (Edison started at "1" with each style, so it's possible to have a Gem, Standard, Home, etc. with the same serial number!)

 

The BI was actually an AH with a back mount.  Since the cabinet and motor are the same, I'd be surprised if a new serial block was assigned.  You're not looking at the casting number (3503) on the motor frame, are you?  The serial number will be found on the governor stanchion.

 

George P. 

[Aurea]

15 hours ago, phonogfp said:

Hello Aurea,

Columbia/American Graphophone usually assigned specific serial blocks to each type of Graphophone.  If you have Hazelcorn's book on Cylinder Graphophones, you'll see this.  That said, there are exceptions, e.g.: the early Type A and Type C share a serial block.  And...when the Type A morphed into the Type AT, the numbering continued unbroken.  But most models, such as the Type B (Eagle) had their own serial blocks.  In this way, each Columbia machine regardless of model, will (or should) have its own unique serial number.  (Edison started at "1" with each style, so it's possible to have a Gem, Standard, Home, etc. with the same serial number!)

 

The BI was actually an AH with a back mount.  Since the cabinet and motor are the same, I'd be surprised if a new serial block was assigned.  You're not looking at the casting number (3503) on the motor frame, are you?  The serial number will be found on the governor stanchion.

 

George P. 

Hello George,

Thank you very much for your helpful reply. You are absolutely right, I was looking at the wrong number! After removing a layer of grease, I found the actual serial number of my BI: 192XXX, exactly where you indicated.

I also think your suggestion that Columbia may have continued the AH serial numbering when introducing the BI makes a lot of sense. With that in mind, I went back to your June 2016 article on the AH in the APS, where you wrote:

"Type 4 AH continued to at least No. 186326, and was curtailed in the late summer/fall of 1905."

The serial number you mention is quite close to mine (the real one this time), which seems to support my initial impression that my BI is a relatively early example, perhaps dating from around 1905 or 1906.

I also had another look at Hazelcorn's book, and indeed it provides useful serial number information, but only for cylinder Graphophones. I could not find anything equivalent in Baumbach's book.

This made me wonder whether the serial numbers you quoted in your article were taken from actual machines you have examined or documented, or whether you had access to some other source of information.

Many thanks again for your help and for sharing your knowledge!

Best regards,