Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info

End-of-Year Fundraising Drive In Progress. Please visit our home page to see this and other announcements: https://www.mmdigest.com     Thank you. --Jody

MMD > Archives > December 2002 > 2002.12.08 > 01Prev  Next


Edison Phonograph Musical Box
By Tim Morsher

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


(Message sent Mon 9 Dec 2002, 00:18:08 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.)

Key Words in Subject:  Box, Edison, Musical, Phonograph

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page