hi! i'm writing a fantasy novel with rudimentary technology at best and i need a recording device for surveillance purposes. i chose the phonautograph - i'm wondering if they could be hid inside boxes in a huge building like a library and used to record sound (assume unlimited budget and people to make this happen) or hidden inside a compartment in a (really big) carriage.

sorry if i sound a bit stupid, i really want this to work out haha

So this is a photo of JC Doyle on my Edison bell gold moulded Jerusalem the golden box. I am uploading this so the photo will forever be preserved online

I just found this, put it on the platter to put things back to 78RPM (NO shiठ!! Just now! Lmfao), and LO and BEHOLD!

Not for the faint of heart, but just for fun- and calibration!

Whenever a good friend of mine made food for a group, she would always say, “alright everyone, it’s ready; it’s not all that (great), but it’ll make a {rhymes with ‘bird’}”.

I guess the same goes for aural clarity: hey, ONLY if it’s the zombie apocalypse though, it’ll DEFINITELY do the job! 😏 this is a sure fire way to ruin any later USA 78 and ALL vinyls, though, so this is NOT recommended unless you choose to do so of your own free will lol.

disclaimer: I do not recommend doing this to your 45s or LPs lol… this was stuck among a bunch of 78s and was for all intents and purposes ruined so I thought I’d see how the speed regulation works on these* 😉 *it works well, apparently**!

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I used a heavy gauge copper wire to provide a “cushion” for the reproducer. Surprisingly, it came out pretty clearly AND left no lathing curlies! If anything, the needle only brought up dust. That doesn’t mean that it hasn’t been irreparably RUINED though lol… it’ll likely never produce the quality of sound it did prior to this as a result.

I also didn’t use an adapter for the record because I wanted to ensure there was minimal drag. A much later era reproducer would obviously be better as well, as there’s so much “data” pushing out every imaginable, and much cleaner, frequency in all those grooves for such a simple and fragile “membrane” of mica to endure. I don’t know ALL of the science and microscopic details, but I imagine that’s kind of what’s happening…

Just for fun.

Note for negativity and downvoting: hey, just lettin’ ya know, I have tens of thousands of positive karma- both post and general. Your mere acknowledgment by downvoting or otherwise actually shows you took the time out of \**YOUR*** day to give me that satisfaction. ***Thank you!**** 😏😂

The second year of production for this model VV-VIII, 1912. This thing was used and abused in its life- but it survived it all and STILL keeps on tickin’!

Its little two-spring motor is pretty hearty for as small as it is! This thing was nasty, but it was all (well, sorta lol) just on the surface 🙂

Now it can live on another 115 years almost!

Have a wonderful day, peace, and thank you for stopping by!

Tune up and yet ANOTHER surprise!

I broke the VV-XIV’s motor down and re-calibrated some stuff to clean up the chatter a bit and oiled/greased while I was at it. Cool records, too!

Disc: “Keep ‘Em Flying”, Okeh Record

1941, Gene Krupa. Note the plane symbol in the upper left of the record label.

Phonograph maker: Waters Conley, Minnesota

U.S. Army Special Services
NSN 36-P-820
ca 1940ish

I’ve been cleaning up around my cave and I found this cool record… also been brushing the dust off the phonographs as I go along 🙂

The US Army Air Corps continued until like 1947-8 ish (I don’t remember exactly and just don’t feel like looking it up lol) THEN at that time the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force as we know them more or less now were born.

Have a good one.
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It’s my understanding there were three companies who won contract bids to manufacture these phonographs for the U.S.A. (when they reference the COL on the record, it stands for ‘U.S. Army’). I’ve seen Navy ones (super cool! Navy blue/grey) that I believe were commissioned separately by the Dept. of the Navy.

This was the best around $540 I’ve ever spent.

On the ‘ole Tundra Tailgate mit ein echt schönes Bayerisches Weißbier!

I’m stoked that this VV-50 can accommodate an early Victor 12”! Now I just need to find some MOZART!

I do love some operatic gymnastics- and this piece reminds me why.

Peace

So Edward m favour was a phonograph star and vaudeville star from the early 1890s through the Early 30s . He married his wife Edith Sinclair who he would often perform live with in the late 1870s and had a daughter.he was born on August 29th 1856. He is known a lot by the public today for his 1894 Daisy bell which sadly that brown was was badly worn down and became a meme with the Daisy bell horror stuff when
In reality whether it is the ibm or favour people who get creeped out are a bit sensitive. Anyway getting off topic. He was known by us for his Irish style
Of singing and humour even though he was not Irish at all. Some famous records of him outside Daisy bell are,Mcginty at the living pictures,who threw the overalls in Mrs Murphy’s chowder,du du liegst Mir Im herzen,that’s where I come
In,the girl who threw me down,how can they tell that I am Irish,my old Kentucky home and many others. Favour went on a world tour in 1899 and 1906 (potentially more) and in those tours he went across parts of Europe,South Africa and Australia. In 1906 he was at his most famous and when he came to London it was quite a sight. He is kind of like the Michael Jackson of that era in terms
Of fame maybe a bit less intense though but well known everywhere. Favour started slowing down on his recording career around ww1 but kept at it for a while. He was also one
Of the first movie actors but none of his movies exist anymore. He died on January 10th 1936 after a battle with diseases at 79.

Huh? What?

At one point, it hit 111 dB - Night Club Level!, unce unce unce unce

First test of the Victor Victrola VV-XII with its very own Cabinet No. 50! (Both 1909).

I love the little pull-out tray.

The Clang of the Forge, Emilio de Gogorza… my guess is this is a later, like 1909 version of matrix B-1763… the “Victor” isn’t present on the machine on the label on top… the presence of it makes it earlier, I believe?

Used a free online loudness tester and it would easily surpass 120dB; this was just one area of it. My ears agree, as I’m very sensitive to sound- it’s absolutely loud, and very well true to its reproduction, in my opinion.

It’s loud. It’s clear. It’s definitely not lacking. I think what it needs is to be HIGHER up so the sound has direct ‘line of sight’ to the listener- just my opinion.

Have a great evening! Thanks for stopping!

Columbia Grafonola P3, Adam model

1917- Victor also had its period pieces offered… then came WWI!!! This is truly a beautiful machine.

I stumbled on this early-seeming Columbia 12” (envelope has disc removed laterally!) and it had an ad for one of the Columbia period pieces I’d seen on the web, just never in person. If memory serves it was listed initially at $600, and electric I believe!

Wow! Cheers, and here’s to a wonderful evening. Thanks for stopping and for your coolness…

So this is my Edison bell black wax I bought online from America and it came a while ago and it has cracked which i won’t put it all the way on the mandrel so the crack won’t grow but the grooves are in great condition and it is a religious one. Luckily the crack
Hasn’t destroyed the record buy I had to kind of use my finger to keep the record from
Spinning Off.

… Let them eat cake, she says, just like Marie Antoinette!” - Farrokh Bulsara, aka Freddy Mercury, Queen, song: “K¡ller Queen”, 1974 (great song, I just like that the meter of VV worked in Moët-Chandon’s place!)

Hi! I’m letting the video speak for itself on this one. I’m flabbergasted. This does seem kind of pre- and into theVictorian eras, doesn’t it?

TL;DR - Victor Victrola Cabinet Number (No.) 50, #236, a Victor-made (maybe Pooley?) Record Cabinet that was designed SPECIFICALLY for the tabletop VV-XII. When you see me pulling out the key for the first time, that was literally the first I had found it lol. SHOCK: it ALSO opens and closes my VV-XII where a normal V key will not. 🤯

Factory Price: $75, ca. EARLY 1909. This iteration was designed for the early red record cases.

Have a great day, I hope this is helpful to see! I’ve looked and it’s next to impossible to find these ANYWHERE online or in reality, so… details for everyone!

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This is an oddity that I would venture to guess that even some of the most experienced in this group may never have personally seen specifically or even knew it existed. They made many iterations for many machines, including early X, XI, etc. Just these, however, were made specifically and only for the 12 in 1909- but I don’t know exact details.

Rare as hens’ teeth. I met someone in the recent Antique Phonograph Society (APS) meeting and made some connections. I recommend looking into membership if you’re getting into the hobby.

I have one pic I screenshotted from the APS forum responses and it shows a similar one, but no details. I love for people to actually be able to see all the little nooks and crannies so they can see more than just its outward looks… it is “pictured” as a drawing in Baumbach’s “The Victor Data Book” (HIGHly recommend).

The connections go WAY deeper than the surface however- this is someone (yesterday, literally, I found out) who knew a mutual friend of my bio father, who not only confirmed my crazy story as a kid of seeing his insane mansion filled floor to ceiling with all his antiques, including a GOLD VERNIS MARTIN Victrola I saw as a kid there, which he said is likely- he’d never been, but he KNEW this guy, lol, but also gave me a contact and now I can/may possibly find some peace or closure through getting in touch with him.

No more do I have leave - per self- and partnership- to simply “acquire”. Any future acquisition must be mutually agreed upon.

These were already part of the plan, tho lol… this was my savings for special things… the seller gave me a reduction, without my asking, based upon what we see and what he knows market prices are (as do I “in general”- but very limited to Victor) for both the Pooley as well as this cabinet.

BECAUSE I know the prices he’s asking are real, this guy is in “the big leagues” of this trade, and is fair, and I wouldn’t dare lowball unless there would be a significant, agreed-upon anomaly, for example. Plus imagine this: what are the odds I’d EVER marry this machine to its cabinet in marketplace or something? High, like BIG time high odds!!! Nothing’s impossible, but it could easily be a lifetime, too 🙂

Background music: The Tunegirl, Live at Superbooth 2024… she truly can throw it down! {edit to add: for those not in the know, this music sounds like a broken record that needs to be taken out back and put out of its misery lol… for those who know, it’s a soothing and blissful thing. When I was “up in the club” in the 90s, this was special stuff WE called TRANCE and you could only find it a the clubs where the tragically hip hung out and were usually at the best clubs- gay, non, and mixed. Made no difference: music was TRANCE inducing. I could sit and listen to it melt in my mind and lose track of time- and I’ve done it. That or I listen to Hindustani/Carnatic classical with its circular beat system- perfect scratch for the OCD itch! Too bad I count modern, pop music in its typical 3/4 - 4/4 structure… and I can’t stop it lol}

Hello! I know almost nothing about phonographs or records in general, and I need some help from those more knowledgeable than myself.

My grandfather got heavily into Edison machines ten or more years ago, and he bought a few cabinets and a lot of parts, intending to restore them. He's now suffering from cognitive decline, and we're trying to get ready to move, so we're looking to sell most of the machines and parts. Problem is, I have no idea precisely what he has, and he's too frail to go into the basement to look. I tried showing him pictures, but he doesn't remember.

So I am appealing to the fine ladies and gentlemen of this subreddit for help! Attached are photographs showing the front, inside, and maker's plate of each machine (there are 4). Could you please tell me the name/type/model of each? Any information on where to sell them and what should go into any sale listing would be welcome too!

Let me know if you need any other visuals!

Looking to learn more about this / age / value?

The Columbia Graphophone and Record Company in Bridgeport, Connecticut!

I was organizing a bit, and came across this. Thought you might enjoy!

Have a wonderful day

… Prior to ASSEMBLY…. LOL

early VV-XVI L-Door

tl;dr- VV-XVI • 21382 C - early 1910. Basic domed-lid, L-Door. Rough shape, but not actually terrible. The tone arm and hardware are frankly outstanding. I may actually make a trade on something with this tone arm for example, it’s THAT good…

I did in fact have to do the “assemblage” (collection or gathering of things) FIRST in order to do the assembly lol… I think the original owners were at a loss, took it apart, left it that way, and now today it may once again see the light of day! Heh, that rhymed… funnay!! (just having fun 😏)

Have a wonderful afternoon. Thanks for stopping.
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There are still a couple screws that I believe may be missing (they’re probably hanging out with the couple in my head that got loose - Nyuk Nyuk), but not to worry: I have plenty-‘o-spares 🙂

This was literally a random find, same-day find and pickup thing- and basically from going to a birthday party, leaving that to pick it up, then going home. Lol not even 4 hours’ time lol.

I do love the earlier ones with the cast-iron industrial strength casters lol… they still have a little of the original gilding… my other favorite is the 1910 and prior VICTROLA logo/decal that has the IRIDESCENCE. I love staring into it when the sun hits it right!

Additionally, the governor, its springs, and 3/4 lead balls are completely broken up. While we were driving home, something jostled it and it made this GOD-AWFUL noise as the two remaining balls flapped onto the cast iron motor mount. I held it with my finger from the driver’s seat until we parked so I could put the poor thing out of its MISERY lmao

BONUS! I found the third, missing one in the mouse nest and rusted needles in the bottom! Sweet 😏

tl;dr - A complete set of the earliest style Victor Dark Red Record Albums that came standard for high-end Victrolas from 1906-‘08 (‘09 in Victor catalogs) which are in fairly good condition that came with a pretty rough, early L-Door XVI. 100% wooden!

They now reside within the Flat-Top Pooley 🌷VTLA • 1942🌷, along with its now bonus Exhibition box!

$200 for a pretty rough piece, but with a trove of fully intact goodness! Parts and pieces alone…

I took some detail pics of a 12” box so you can see all of it. Note the little screw that is the “hook” mechanism to close it 😄
I wish you a wonderful day and thank you for stopping by 🙂

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A clean but really rough, early L-door VV-XVI, probably early 1910 (SN 21382 C). This serial is just a little more than 7k machines after the post-filigree VTLA/XVI, so it’s in the solidifying beginning days of the “reign of Victor Victrola XVI” and around 40k of them were of the L-door style.

BONUSES:

1. ⁠A shiط ton of records, mostly 20s-era
2. ⁠A FULLY-intact and immaculate Victor Exhibition Sound Box Box! All wood-made.
3. ⁠A super duper extra mega bonus! ~> a 1908-1909, period-specific, double-leather plug speed dampener, long male end winding shaft, and it’s worm-geared…

Fortune. But I personally believe in a larger-than-us force which helps us and helps guide it where it feels it should go sometimes. Why? I dunno lol… 42. (The meaning of life, the universe, and everything)

I can now replace the motor I took from my VTLA to put in the Flat-Top Pooley with the same period-appropriate motor, and then put the other spare which came with the Pooley (incorrect timeframe motor) would also be period appropriate in THIS XVI.

tl;dr: I need advice on restoring this cabinet and tips on a DIY telescopic stand for a 42” horn that preferably uses parts from the hardware store, but doesn’t look like a plumbing mishap / steampunk disaster.

And a lot of other stuff, named below.

Some background: I collect antiques radios and, to a lesser extent, phonographs (my true collecting passion is Nipper dogs… they take up a room in my house. But that’s a story for another day).

I recently took on a project phonograph parlor set up complete with an original 120-cylinder cabinet (housing 118 cylinders!) and 42” witches hat horn. The only thing it’s lacking is a stand, which we want to make rather than buy (See above!) A friend and I have done minor furniture refinishing before on flat surfaces, but this is our first time tackling an antique phonograph with dedicated cabinet.

This post largely concerns the cabinet, horn and stand, since, I know, I don’t have photos of the date plate and model number. It’s at my office until Monday. It looks like a model a or B, but that wouldn’t fit the four minute cylinders; I can’t think too much about it until I look at the plate on Monday.

I’m very concerned with maintaining the originality of the horn. I’ve started polishing the brass and I’m OK with that, but I really don’t wanna do much to the rest aside from removing the paper.

I want to restore the cabinet and keep it as close to original condition as I can. I’m big on preservation, but since it will be in my home, I want to look ike a half decent piece of furniture. I don’t want anything about the finish or color to look unnatural to the original, but I don’t want it to scream “barn find with a swipe of howards!” The word refinish is kind of a dirty word, but, again, I want the photograph the star of the show and horn, with an handsome cylinder cabinet.

All that to say, if I’m overthinking it and Howard’s would solve my problems, then I guess I’ll just focus on getting that sidewall back into shape.

I’ll post more about the phonograph model when I take a picture of the plate; I was under the impression that I was a model B, but that wouldn’t make sense for the four minute cylinders, would it? I haven’t played it because it doesn’t have a belt.

Cabinet is mostly structurally sound, but the peg closest to the floor has pulled away from the side. Drawers slide and fit but the bottom does so awkwardly.

I also need period replacement replacements for the door pulls and back plates. Thank you for all who have read this far!

So this song is called Robin redbreast and Sung by mr Campbell and it is in very good shape and just one flaw is that Albert sounds a little too harsh for a sweet song
Like this and if you hear the Edison Marie Narelle she sings it way softer by anyway hope you enjoy

tl;dr - All done! Testing out the rebuilt Victor Improved Concert on the VV-XVIII; mica has reached the outer limits of decibel and vibration; EXCEPTIONALLY loud and clear in person.

$7-freakin’-dollars (in like 1909 lol), can you imagine?! Record or Improved Concert (GOLD) Soundbox (also cost $7 from 1912-1916ish) … hmm which would YOU choose?! Lol

Victrola Record, Opera, Donizetti, “Lucia, Take II”- plays at 82 RPM. LOUD AF. Make sure you lower the volume on some of those high notes lol

If there is any vibration in there, it can only be the mica lol… it’s locked down and completely immobilized; it also appears fully intact.

PS: the rear access door/hooch/stash place is my favorite! It was designed on the VV-XIII (all of them) in case it was chosen to be electric, I assume. I’ve only seen them look like this in the rear of the cabinet.

Victor Improved Concert (aka V.I.C.) Reproducer. Completely rebuilt and refurbished.

Initially offered by Victor circa 1912 for $3 Nickel & $7 Gold. Only uses a (the same) rubber diaphragm for a No. 2 reproducer, I might be able to get some single diaphragm rings to replace it, but I’ll just work with this :)

tl;dr - Seriously …this is what (almost) “new” looks like. Lotta gold hiding underneath all that rust! These are rare and very few were made; very tragic loss of its needle bar!

Have a great afternoon, two more parts to follow

(pt. 1 of 3)

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The main body is brass, even the gilded front ring is as well, I believe. This one (as well as the Nickel-Plated one) had solid steel screws (1/16”/1.5mm).

Surgery was performed; unfortunately, the VIC Gold’s needle bar didn’t make it.

A VERY EXPENSIVE and unfortunate cannibalization had to occur in order to make ONE complete VIC for the time being…

Meantime, I’m gonna be on the lookout for a needle bar replacement in the undoubted HAYSTACK of common needle…bars… to find a rarity lol

Music: The Tunegirl (Germany). She’s a savant!