Dear editor, I must admit I was a bit amused when I read the inquiry
about a music box made by Thomas Edison, until I stumbled upon a 1993
issue of the "Antique Phonograph Monthly", Vol. XI, No. 1, issue #89,
page 15, which reproduces an ad for "The Edison Phonograph Musical Box".
The early history of the phonograph is very intriguing, and well worth
studying. In a nutshell, early Edison phonographs (circa 1890) were
not sold but were leased. When this didn't quite work out, the machines
were encased in all kinds of cabinet work -- too many to explain or
describe here.
What this 1894 advert shows is an Edison class "M" type machine, in
a beautiful cabinet, probably by this time selling for $250-300 dollars.
This was 1894, so they were not real successful at getting rid of them
this way, either.
As of 1993 (the issue containing this reproduced ad), this combination
of machine and cabinet has not been found. It would be an incredible
treasure if it were.
Best,
Tim Morsher
Milan, Ohio (a.k.a. Thomas Edison's birthplace)
[ Tim kindly sent an image of the advert which I'll place at the
[ MMD Pictures site, http://mmd.foxtail.com/Pictures/ -- Robbie
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