EDISON STANDARD PHONOGRAPH
Very few people special-ordered Edison Phonographs in mahogany. We may surmise two reasons for this -- most importantly, they were more expensive than conventional oak; secondly, the home furnishings of the time were more commonly made of oak. In fact, mahogany decor was the domain of the wealthy during the first decade of the 20th century. This would change as people with more modest incomes began emulating the rich and "mahogany" furniture became widely popular during the 'teens (in truth, this "mahogany" furniture for the masses was most often so-called "birch" mahogany, or cheaper wood stained dark to resemble genuine mahogany). The Edison Phonograph you see above, however, is the Real McCoy -- genuine, solid mahogany wood.
We pride ourselves on our meticulous restorations, and we have taken no short cuts with this important piece. The color and finish of the wood is historically correct. An instrument of this significance, in the hands of an amateur with a bottle of wood bleach, could turn into a nightmare -- and we've seen it happen. It is especially true of the rare machines, that you MUST be an artist to restore them correctly. Furthermore, we have carefully cleaned and adjusted this machine to produce optimum results -- even the least "mechanically inclined" person can operate it with ease!
The quality of the sleek, smooth and sensuous mahogany wood may be appreciated here.
Please note the little "buttons" which reside on the four corners of the wooden frame that surrounds the mechanical works. These are only found on Edison MAHOGANY machines. You see, mahogany is a softer and more close-grained wood than oak. Hence, it might be more prone to showing wear marks from the frequent friction of the cabinet lid. The buttons slightly elevate the edges of the lid when it is put in place, and prevent wear marks on the frame.
The curve of the cabinet lid exhibits the luxurious "ribbon striped" look so prized in fine furniture.
Even from behind, this rarest of rare Standard looks lovely.
The mechanical works have been completely restored -- including individually disassembling each component to clean them and remove the dirt and gunk. It's as smooth-running as the day it was made. Furthermore, we carefully rebuilt the reproducer to give strong, sweet, clear music.
The pretty, perfect Standard Model B, in its mahogany splendor, is a rarity among its kind, and a messenger of joy from a century past!
Price: $2450.00 US, including one 2-minute cylinder record, 14" replica horn, plus shipping and handling. (NY State residents must pay sales tax, if applicable.)
Contact: phonotim@gmail.com
Telephone: 585-582-1586
FAX: 585-582-2624
US Post: PHONOPHAN
PO Box 747
Henrietta, NY 14467 USA