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VINTAGE PHONOGRAPHS
TO VIEW A PHONOGRAPH, CLICK ON THE MODEL.
EDISON AMBEROLA IN A WINDSOR CABINET THIS IS A ONE OF A KIND PLAYER! IT HAS A GREAT HISTORY BEHIND IT. I PURCHASED THE PLAYER AT A LOCAL ESTATE SALE. I BOUGHT IT SIGHT UNSEEN. I JUST SENT MY WIFE TO THE SALE WITH A CHECK AND TOLD HER TO HAND IT TO THE MAN CONDUCTING THE SALE AS SOON AS SHE WALKED IN THE DOOR. I HAD A MEETING THAT MORNING AND COULDN'T GO. THAT AFTERNOON I WENT TO PICK UP THE PLAYER AND AFTER I HAD IT IN THE TRUCK AND WAS GETTING READY TO LEAVE, THE OLD GENTLEMAN WHO HAD BEEN THE OWNER, CAME UP TO ME AND STRUCK UP A CONVERSATION. BELOW IS HIS STORY. CERTAIN FACTS ARE VERIFIABLE, OTHERS ARE NOT. I SEE NO REASON THAT THE MAN HAD TO LIE. AFTER ALL, THE PLAYER WAS ALREADY SOLD. ANYWAY, IT IS A FACINATING STORY...ENJOY.
HIS NAME WAS TED, (LAST NAME OMMITED FOR PRIVACY.) HE AND HIS WIFE MOVED TO SOUTH CAROLINA MANY YEARS AGO FROM NEW JERSEY. HE RAN A SMALL AUTO PARTS BUSINESS OUT OF A METAL BUILDING BEHIND HIS HOME. HIS FATHER AND GRANDFATHER AND MANY OTHER RELATIVES WORKED AT THE EDISON FACTORY FROM AROUND THE TURN OF THE CENTURY UNTIL THE FACTORY CLOSED (CONFIRMED). HIS GRANDFATHER, CHARLES ******* WAS A SUPERVISOR ON THE PRODUCTION LINE. ( THIS HAS BEEN CONFIRMED TOO) OTHER MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY WORKED ON THE LINE, IN MAINTENANCE, AND AS WATCHMEN AT THE PLANT. MR. ****** (TED'S GRANDFATHER) AND HIS FAMILY BECAME CLOSE PERSONAL FRIENDS WITH THE EDISONS AND HAD THEM OVER FOR DINNER, EXCHANGED CHRISTMAS GIFTS ETC.
ON A CERTAIN CHRISTMAS (HE SAID AROUND 1912 WAS THE YEAR TO THE BEST OF HIS RECOLLECTION) EDISON OFFERED CHARLES THE PLAYER OF HIS CHOICE FOR A CHRISTMAS GIFT. THE NEW AMBEROLAS WERE COMING OUT AND HE CHOOSE THE 1A. (ARGUABLY ONE OF THE BEST PLAYING EDISONS MADE.) FOR A CABINET, HE CHOSE A CABINET WHICH HAD NORMALLY BEEN USED AS A COIN-OP MACHINE CABINET...."THE WINDSOR". (ARGUABLY THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OF ANY CABINET THAT AN EDISON PLAYER WAS EVER INSTALLED IN) IT SEEMS AS THOUGH EDISON HAD A SURPLUS OF THE WINDSOR CABINETS. THE SALES OF COIN-OP MACHINES HAD VIRTUALLY STOPPED. THE COIN VAULT WAS REMOVED AND THE AMBEROLA WAS CUSTOM FITTED TO THE CASE. A CUSTOM TRUNNION WAS USED, TO TURN UP, INSTEAD OF DOWN. (NOTE: ON THE CABINET THERE IS STILL A GHOST OF THE VAULT. BUT, NO COIN SLOT, OR LOCKING MECHANISM WAS EVER INSTALLED ON THE CABINET. THERE ARE OTHER EXAMPLES OF THE WINDSOR CABINET THAT LEFT THE EDISON FACTORY WITHOUT THE COIN-OP MECHANISM.) HE ALSO GAVE CHARLES 4 UNOPENED BOXES OF "BULK" CYLINDERS. THESE CYLINDERS CAME IN A CARDBOARD BOX WITH FELT LINED DIVIDERS. THE CYLINDERS THEMSELVES DID NOT HAVE THE CONVENTIONAL WELL KNOWN SLEEVES. THEY CAME WITH THE PLAYER! THREE OF THEM ARE STILL INTACT. ONE WAS STILL UNOPENED! HE ALSO GAVE HIM A 10 PANEL WOODGRAINED CYGNET HORN AND THE STANDARD BLACK AND BRASS SMALL HORN WITH A 45 DEGREE ADAPTER. ALSO INCLUDED WERE A SET OF LISTENING TUBES, ADAPTED FOR TWO PEOPLE. THE PLAYER BECAME KNOWN IN THE FAMILY, SIMPLY AS "THE AMBEROLA". ACCORDING TO CHARLES, THOMAS EDISON AND HIS WIFE WERE GUESTS AT HIS GRANDFATHERS HOME ON A REGULAR BASIS AND LISTENED TO CYLINDERS ON THIS VERY MACHINE! BY NOW I GUESS TED COULD SEE I WAS A LITTLE LEERY OF HIS STORY. HE ASKED ME TO COME INSIDE, HE HAD SOMETHING TO SHOW ME. WE WENT TO A ROOM THAT HAD BEEN CLOSED OFF DURING THE SALE. HE OPENED A SHOE BOX AND SHOWED ME A CHRISTMAS CARD. TO MY SURPRIZE IT SAID "MERRY CHRISTMAS, T. EDISON". MY EYES ABOUT POPPED OUT OF MY HEAD. HE ALSO HAD A FEW PICTURES OF PEOPLE (FAMILY MEMBERS, I PRESUMED) WITH EDISON. HE SAID THAT THE PAPERWORK PERTAINING TO THE AMBEROLA, ALONG WITH A LETTER FROM EDISON WERE SOLD AT THE SALE EARLIER IN THE DAY.....SO, IF YOU WERE THE ONE WHO BOUGHT THIS STUFF, PLEASE CONTACT ME. TED AND I TALKED FOR A LONG TIME. THE PLAYER NOW MEANT SOMETHING MORE TO ME THAN JUST A VALUABLE EDISON PLAYER. I FELT AS THOUGH I WAS THE KEEPER OF A FAMILY HEIRLOOM. NOT MY FAMILY, BUT SOMEONE ELSES. I THINK TED FELT GOOD THAT HIS FAMILY TREASURE HAD FALLEN INTO MY HANDS, NOT IN THE HANDS OF A DEALER, LOOKING TO MAKE A BUCK. SINCE PURCHASING THE MACHINE, I HAVE BEEN OFFERED 10 TIMES WHAT I PAID FOR IT. IT'S BEEN EASY TO SAY "NO". ALL I HAVE TO DO IS THINK OF TED AND WONDER IF HE WOULD BE HAPPY WITH THE PERSON WHO IS WANTING THE MACHINE. I TALKED TO A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY THE OTHER DAY AND THEY SAID TED WASN'T LONG FOR THIS WORLD. OF ALL THINGS, HE ASKED IF EDDIE STILL HAS "THE AMBEROLA". YES TED, I STILL HAVE IT. IT'S NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE "BULK" CYLINDERS IN THEIR ORIGINAL BOX, CLICK HERE
EDISON STANDARD-EARLY BANNER FRONT MODEL A... HAS ORIGINAL LARGE BRASS AND BLACK 18" HORN. ORIGINAL FINISH ON PLAYER AND HORN. MINT CONDITION GREEN OAK FINISH.
EDISON HOME MODEL "B" ALL ORIGINAL MINT FINISH. ORIGINAL HORN CRANE. ORIGINAL HORN THAT HAS BEEN REPAINTED BY YOURS TRUELY. (FLOWERS TOO!) PLAYS 2 MINUTE CYLINDERS
