Jump to content

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


phonogfp

Recommended Posts

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. ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

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!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

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!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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:

 

Edisonsquarebox.thumb.JPG.0910df3484d25082818c785a151d2083.JPG

 

George P.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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:

 

Sawyer.thumb.JPG.f79e00d13a6a0c2c21e270f2ea81bde4.JPG

 

George P.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...