Edison Record Boxes (U.S. Standard-size): Chronology

[Analogous]

14 hours ago, phonogfp said:

I like these oddball boxes, and I encourage more of them. 

 

However, keep in mind that the original post was intended to cover only the popular series entertainment cylinders, as stated in the introduction:

 

Special series such as the Grand Opera, Royal Purple, Concert, Special A-J, and the D-series boxes are not included here.

 

Keep the exceptions coming!

Excuses excuses. ?

[phonogfp]

?

[Valecnik]

What a great resource.  Thanks so much for posting George!  Now I have something to do this weekend, go through a gazillion cylinders and see if I can find one of each type of box!

 

[phonogfp]

Have fun, Bruce!  You may find one that isn't pictured here - - if so, please post it.

 

George P.

[Allen]

I was waiting to see any examples of the Edison "Square-type" cylinder box, quite sturdy, with interior spindles (top/bottom), which probably contained the (now rare) thread-lined 'brown wax' cylinders. I imagine they date to ca 1893-1894, but certainly could be earlier. It is hard to find contemporary (back then) pictures showing the boxes (these or any others)...

 

  But after all, there were also (even) cardboard containers for Tainter ozocerite cylinders (6" x 1-5/16"), with interior spindles.

 

  And there were 3rd party manufacturers, like Searle (patented), who made such boxes out of lathe-turned wood with a threaded cap!

 

[phonogfp]

Allen,

 

Well, as written in the original post, this chronology wasn't meant to be exhaustive, but focused on the commonly-seen Edison boxes.  I didn't even include an unlabeled pasteboard box typical of the pre-1898 period.  The square record boxes are unlikely to be encountered, but for those interested, here's an example:

 

 

George P.

[Allen]

A lovely (and collectible) box, George. I vaguely recall someone named "Sawyer" as being on the cylinder...

 

An earlier incarnation also had a short spindle in the lid and was of very sturdy construction.

 

Abner Seeley (Tube & Box Co), I have been told, supplied the usually-found felt-lined cylinders to Edison from Newark , NJ for 2 cents apiece,  not much different from the supposed cost  of the actual wax cylinder inside. But the License for the (liner) invention was actually with Charles Kintner (because of 691,779); Columbia had used felt before TAE, in 1904; however, for some reason, Columbia did not pay Kintner any such proceeds.

 

  PHP states: "Edison had filed for his own "Phonogram Box" as early as Nov. 26, 1887 (Serial No. 256,186), but this application was eventually abandoned and its exact details are not known."

 

  The felt liner, although somewhat comforting to gaze upon, is probably not very helpful to the cylinder, as it probably retained 'harmful' moisture. I would guess that a (bare) cardboard design with no felt at all, and only a little "space" inside is probably better for the record.

 

Best

Allen

 

 

 

[phonogfp]

15 hours ago, Allen said:

A lovely (and collectible) box, George. I vaguely recall someone named "Sawyer" as being on the cylinder...

 

An earlier incarnation also had a short spindle in the lid and was of very sturdy construction.

 

Thanks Allen.  I included a shot of this box and cylinder in an article that appeared in the December 2016 issue of The Antique Phonograph.  The original caption included this:

 

"Left, a vernacular recording of "The Coronation Hymn" by Ann Maria Sawyer, voice-dated May 4, 1894, with a box from the Sawyer cache."

 

The lid of this square box does in fact include a short spindle that aligns with the spindle in the box:

 

 

George P.

[shopdoc]

George, is there any chance you can publish a better picture of the lid that goes with each box style?  I'd like to match the lids I have with the right boxes.

 

Thanks, Teri

[phonogfp]

Teri,

 

I've never researched when the Edison box lid labels changed - or even if they changed simultaneously with the box label designs.  I don't know where I could find such information (it's not in The Edison Phonograph Monthly).  I could picture a number of different box lid labels, but that wouldn't answer your question.  I'm afraid I can't be of help - sorry.

 

George P. 

[shopdoc]

5 hours ago, phonogfp said:

Teri,

 

I've never researched when the Edison box lid labels changed - or even if they changed simultaneously with the box label designs.  I don't know where I could find such information (it's not in The Edison Phonograph Monthly).  I could picture a number of different box lid labels, but that wouldn't answer your question.  I'm afraid I can't be of help - sorry.

 

George P. 

 

If I estimate based on what I can tell from the lids in your pics, so far I've set aside Type 7 to Type 11 Lids and Type 8 to Type 12 boxes.  My hope is when I have matching lids paired with records, I'll at least have a shot at getting an appropriate box.  We'll see where the rest of inventorying takes me.

[phonogfp]

Good luck!

 

George P.