AARON & THEA CRAMER PHONOGRAPH COLLECTION

Times Viewed since April 4, 1999

This is part of our collection of Phonographs and related items we have put together since 1971. We have toured the country trying to assemble what we thought were the best examples of what  could be found. Our goal has always been to get the finest examples that were available. Our first priority was,"did we like the item" we knew if it didn't appeal to us, we didn't want to own it. But we always tried to find something that was unique, in great condition, had historical importance, as original as possible, and had eye appeal. What you see here is the result of years of upgrading. All done with some degree of luck, and a lot of good friends who helped our search.   You can scroll through the photos and click on the picture to see the details of each item, or you can  go to the Index and click on the name. After seeing the item when you click on "back" you will return to this page. 

Edison Windsor Coin-Slot. Electric motor, operates with a two volt power pack or a battery. The phonograph is an Edison Class "M" with a Model "B" reproducer. the Windsor sold for $80.00 in 1904, and was made until 1906. this unit uses hearing tubes, but was also available with a horn. It is equipped with a repeating device, so when the play of the cylinder is done, the carriage moves back to the start position, awaiting the next one cent coin. the case is Oak, with glass  ball and claw feet. The cover has beveled glass, and there is a mirrored back behind the phonograph, so the listener could see the rear of the machine in operation. The display card is original.

Frank Lambert 1851 - 1937. Inventor who holds over 60 patents. He invented the Typewriter that changed the name of the Gramophone Company to The Gramophone and Typewriter Company. The typewriter was dropped in 1904, but the name remained until 1908. He is also the maker & the voice on "The Worlds Oldest Playable Recording." The machine and recording were made by Frank Lambert under a contract between the Ansonia Clock Company and Thomas A Edison. This contract dated January 7, 1878 called for the making of a permanent record that could be put into Talking Clocks. To make this record Mr. Lambert had to first make a phonograph for recording and playback. Lambert is standing in front of his home in Brooklyn in 1926. The home located on the corner of Southwest Prospect Park was torn down a few years later for expansion of the park. Letters from Ansonia Clock to Edison indicate this phonograph & record was made in February 1878. We know there was difficulty in getting sufficient volume from early recordings, so it's safe to assume the project was abandoned, as it was poor competition for the bells and chimes that were available. However had Edison followed up on Lamberts lead sleeve idea the world would have had a durable record 10 years earlier. It may have changed to whole industry. Ten years is a long time in the life of an infant, and that what the phonograph industry was, in 1878, an infant. Mr. Lambert spent 17 years perfecting his typewriter, he worked on it from 1883 until 1900. His Typewriter is one of the most desired by collectors of business machines. To see his phonograph and typewriter, click on his picture. Note the SATURN trademark on the typewriter case. Lambert used this on his water meters until the company was sold in 1926.

Regina Corona Model 35, 15 1/2"Automatic Changer. It stores twelve 15 1/2"  metal discs. It will play all twelve in order, repeat a single selection, or play one  single selection and then stop.  The discs are stored in a lower rack &  automatically lifted into the play position, when the play is finished the disc is  lowered back into the rack. Made from solid Mahogany with carved columns &  decoration a truly beautiful example of Regina craftsmanship. This Music  machine was shipped December 31, 1901.

There were only 92 of the Reginaphones Model 140  made. They use the 15 1/2" metal discs, and can also be used to play 78 rpm records. It has a short bedplate and a piano type sounding board to provide some of the best sound you can achieve from a music box of this size. When the turntable is put in place you can play records with the sound coming out of the Mahogany horn. The cabinet and horn are both Mahogany, when you click on the picture you will be able to see close ups of the mechanism., The cabinet is decorated with pinstripping. There are 8 drawers in the lower part for disc storage. The finish of this cabinet is all original. Shipping date of this machine was April 30th 1903.

The Edison Idelia D2 is the Holy Grail among phonograph collectors. The Ideal was introduced in 1907 and cost $125.00. the name was changed to Idelia when it was found the name Ideal was in conflict with another manufacturer. The Ideal was a 2 minute machine. In 1908 with the change of the name the machine was made to accommodate 2 & 4 minute cylinders, this is when the new 4 minute Amberols came out. The outstanding feature to the Idelia was the anodized metal parts. This was the luxury phonograph of the Edison line until the Opera came out in 1911. The Cabinet & Horn were made of Mahogany and was geared to the affluent market. With the Triton motor it is equipped for heavy duty play. My best guess as to how many were made would be less than 500 in all, and probably less than 100 of the D2, as the Opera was coming out shortly after the D2 model was made. Most likely Edison didn't think there was room for two luxury phonographs. There were over 4000 Operas made so the Idelia is much rarer than the Opera.

The Amet Phonograph was the first Spring Motor in America. It was made by The Chicago Talking Machine Company in 1896. The inventor was Edward Amet. It made use of the Edison Class "M" top. There are two powerful springs in the brass spring barrels. the Amet had a short life, due to a lawsuit brought by the American Graphophone Company.There are several variations of the Amet. Some with Bell-Tainter tops, various types of governors, and single spring barrels. all are very rare and much desired by the knowledgeable collectors. They are a very important link in the history of the phonograph.  Edward Amet set the public free from the often dangerous battery. He made the phonograph truly portable.

United States Spring Motor Serial # 7683. In 1896 Edison started making & selling Spring Motor Phonographs through the United States Phonograph Company of New Jersey. They had a nickel plate mounted on the bedplate stating "United States Spring Motor" This is only on the early ones. This was changed to National Phonograph and then to Edison Spring Motor. There are some small changes from the early model to the later. The early one uses clips in the carrier to hold the Automatic reproducer. The later models used the knurled thumb screw to hold the Model "C" reproducer. The U. S. model also has a plate on the crank saying U. S. Phonograph Company.

The somewhat later Amberola 1A Serial # 766 .It has a different case style, most obvious is the rococo grille. This case is the dull finish mission oak. the motor parts use the gunmetal finish. Small parts are polished brass or oxidized. The reproducer is the only one I have ever seen of this type. It is a combination 2 & 4 minute, but the tail weight has the word combination. The tail is more like what would be found on a K, H or C, but is flat as would be found on a D, but the flip over bar that changes from 2 to 4 is like the M. There is also a unique spring connection to the flip over bar. The drawers hold 25 cylinders in each. There are clips that are sized to hold the early green Amberol boxes. This Amberola is in original and pristine condition. No refinishing was done. Plays great.

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What are they looking at behind the Barn Door?

He is saying "Gosh Samantha, it's a Zon-o-phone. Thought it 'twas one of them city bands"  Click on the picture to see what they are looking at.

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Bell-Tainter Electric Model E. This is one of only two known in the world. Serial number of this one  is 10431, the other is number 10430. This 1893 model came right after the treadle machine. This is the same top as the treadle, fitted with an electric motor and put into an Oak case. This used the Ozocerite cylinder, but when the wooden mandrel is put in place you can play the standard size cylinder. This machine is as found, all in original and pristine condition. The speed is adjusted by varying the voltage from 1 1/2 to 2 volts. There is a governor, but it has little effect on rpms, probably less than 10 rpm faster or slower. There is no speed control on the upper bedplate, as it was made for the treadle and had no need of speed control.

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Grenet Cell Battery used as a power source from 1860s . This is the type battery cell shown in the well know photo of Edison posing with his Perfected Phonograph. They came in different sizes. The larger ones lasting longer. With this type of power source, it it any wonder that the spring motor was such a success?

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This is the Columbia  Invincible B O. It is equipped with a 6" mandrel, allowing you to play the 20th Century 6" cylinders.However it is excellent for playing Celluloid cylinders that have shrunk. You can position the cylinder without having to ream or shave the size. This machine can play 2 & 4 minute records, which is unusual as when it came out it was made only for two minute cylinders. The back mount allows you to use the somewhat large nickel plated horn, as the weight of the horn has no bearing on the reproducer carriage, as with the Edison machines. The case has distinctive oval cutouts on all sides. Large 3 spring motor makes this an excellent machine to play.

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Here is Aaron playing T A E, but not very well. The machine is a North American serial number 6256, circa 1890. It has the Standard Speaker. It is also equipped with the pause control. That is a device mounted on a stand in the space next to the swarf box. It allows the operator to pause while dictating and resume by placing the recorder or reproducer  back into the exact groove it was in before the pause.  The case is Mahogany as are most of the North Americans. This one has a Tag Stating "Not To Be sold In the State Of New Jersey". That tells a lot about the jurisdictional state of the Phonograph industry in the early 1890s.

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Edison Bijou coin-slot. The Bijou used the a modified Gem phonograph. When the coin was dropped into the slot the operator would then crank it, and after six turns of the crank the carriage would lower onto position and the cylinder would play. At the end a spring would return the carriage to its position for the next play.  As you can see the decal is in outstanding condition as is the rest of this machine. A very rare item.

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A Multi-Listening tube Class M at the turn of the century. The listening rail could acommodate eleven listeners. Somewhere under that cloth are the batteries. A major inconvienence that they had to put up with. The power source may have been unreliable but the Edison electric motor was not. Baring an accident, I don't see these motors ever wearing out.

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Edison Opera on a Mahogany Bow Front Cylinder Cabinet. The Serial number  is 586, and is in all original condition. The state of the art in Phonographs in 1911. There were about 4000 Operas made in both Oak & Mahogany with the traversing mandrel it made it a very steady player. It is equipped with ornate handles on the lid and case. The lids on the mahogany model was not made with latches. Sold for $100.00 in 1911. The cylinder cabinet was made by a different company,

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Edison Nickel Plated Triumph, with an Ideal Free Standing Cygnet Horn. It is in a Mahogany, Banner Case. The Model A sold for $50.00, an additional $25.00 for nickel plate & $10.00 for mahogany. The Ideal horn sold for $7.50 in 1906. It is made of lightweight aluminum & gutta percha, it weighs 10 ounces. Due to the light weight it doesn't need a support crane. The shape of the elbow is very much like the elbow of the Opera, although the Opera came out in 1911. a truly rare machine combination. It plays only two minute cylinders with a Model "C" reproducer

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Victor Monarch Special. Made from 1902 to 1905. This is the best example I have ever seen of an MS. Unusual to find it with an all brass horn. Early serial number 1927.

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This is one of the rarer Pink Lamberts. It has the Lambert Company stamp horzontaly across the cylinder. It also has the early white title rim. the early Lamberts were made in two pieces, the rim being seperate. There were 1053 titles issued in the U. S. It is not known if they were all pink, as you find many titles in both pink and black. Lambert made cylinders, in white, pink, black blue & brown. Thomas Lambert once stated in a court case that he made them in orange, but as yet an orange one has not shown up.

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Gianni Bettini received his patent for a phonographic device in 1889. He called his device a Micro-Phonograph. His idea was to use a spider type connection between the stylus and the diaphragm. By having legs of varying length he would be able to avoid what he called dead spots on the diaphragm, and the result would be superior recording and reproduction of sound. He was correct in that his Micro-Phonograph was the best at the time. He also established a recording studio, where some of the most famous people, artists and Opera stars of the time visited and made recordings. Bettini cylinders are among the scarcest. Although he made recordings for over 10 years, they were on fragile brown wax, and a huge amount were lost in a bombing during World War Two. The Bettini Reproducer I have is on an Edison North American. Bettini's were made to fit most of the phonographs that were being made then, in addition to Bettini's own make of phonograph. In 1902 he sold his Mica  Diaphragm patent rights to Edison. Anything with the Bettini name on it today is very scarce and collectible. 

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Recommended Phonograph Sites

APM PHONO BOOKS

EDISON SHOP

NIPPERHEAD

RENE RONDEAU PAGE

TINFOIL.COM

GIOVANNONI'S AUDIO BIO

IGBIE PHONOGRAPHS

MICHIGAN ANTIQUE PHONOGRAPH SOCIETY