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Post by lukewarmwater on Nov 24, 2007 7:24:15 GMT -5
Got to thinking about the posts with Paul71 regarding other brands of phonographs. Thought I'd post a couple of pix of U-S machines made in Cleveland, Ohio. The first is the "Junior". The second and third photos are of an extremely rare, restored, top-of-the-line, 2&4-minute, double-reproducered, double feed-screwed, gold plated, semi-bombe' Herzog-cabineted "Peerless". Love that ivory white bedplate! Both have 6" mandrels. The "Junior" in the photo was 2-minute only in spite of the double-reproducer headshell. There was a third model in a mahogany case with external horn called the "Opera" that fell between the two. That was the model that Edison was sued over for use of the name and lost which forced him to rename his Opera, the "Concert". The "Gas Pump" antique shop in Riverside, Calif., had one in there for several years at a dear price. Not sure what ever happened to it. As I recall, there was yet another model sort of like an Amberola called the Rex(?) Enjoy! Luke W.
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Post by gramophoneshane on Nov 24, 2007 19:03:01 GMT -5
Nice machines. It's always nice to see things out of the ordinary. The grille on the upright is unusual. Is the horn mouth the same shape, or is half of it blocked off by grille? It looks like the horn would be a pretty decent size, or bigger than an Edison internal horn anyway..
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Post by lukewarmwater on Nov 24, 2007 19:19:14 GMT -5
The horn is shaped like an inverted triangle to match the shape of the grill. Yes, the horn chamber is bigger than an Edison. The cabinet doors are linked so opening one door causes the other to open as well. Luke W.
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Post by maroongem on Nov 24, 2007 22:45:08 GMT -5
They also made the finest celluloid cylinders until Edison sued them into recievership. The were called US Everlasts and I find the surface unmatched for the time. I had a "REX" that played 2&4M cylinders on one adjustable head. I regret selling it now as I saw one recently at the Wayne show for $1,400.00 and it had been refinished!!!
Bill
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Post by neophone on Nov 25, 2007 1:49:38 GMT -5
Luke,
Fantastic photos. Thanks for sharing. The Peerless is magnificent!
Regards, J.
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Post by lukewarmwater on Nov 25, 2007 7:31:48 GMT -5
Bill -- Would you describe your Rex a bit more? Oak or mahogany? 4" or 6" mandrel? How many springs? How was the 2-4 min changeover accomplished on the feedscrew and on the reproducer? The history of the U-S Everlasting (Cleveland, Oh) and Everlasting Indestructible brands (Albany, NY) cylinders and their inventor, Varian Harris, is quite interesting. They are two separate companies with common patent roots. The U-S Everlastings have an almost tar-paper appearing core and are sometimes found as "Lakeside" (Montgomery Ward) brand. Albany Indestructibles have a metal ring inside the bore on the title end and are frequently found as "Oxford" (Sears). The Albany cylinders were produced until the early 1920's when a fire destroyed the factory. Some of the Albany boxes have labels pasted over earlier "Harris Indestructible" labels! Interesting that so many of the U-S machines had 6" mandrels . . . I wonder if they had planned or even produced a 6" cylinder? 6" at 4-min . . . hmmm . . . sounds like my love life! One more shot of the Peerless. Luke W.
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Post by maroongem on Nov 25, 2007 10:56:21 GMT -5
Bill -- Would you describe your Rex a bit more? Oak or mahogany? 4" or 6" mandrel? How many springs? How was the 2-4 min changeover accomplished on the feedscrew and on the reproducer? The history of the U-S Everlasting (Cleveland, Oh) and Everlasting Indestructible brands (Albany, NY) cylinders and their inventor, Varian Harris, is quite interesting. They are two separate companies with common patent roots. The U-S Everlastings have an almost tar-paper appearing core and are sometimes found as "Lakeside" (Montgomery Ward) brand. Albany Indestructibles have a metal ring inside the bore on the title end and are frequently found as "Oxford" (Sears). The Albany cylinders were produced until the early 1920's when a fire destroyed the factory. Some of the Albany boxes have labels pasted over earlier "Harris Indestructible" labels! Interesting that so many of the U-S machines had 6" mandrels . . . I wonder if they had planned or even produced a 6" cylinder? 6" at 4-min . . . hmmm . . . sounds like my love life! One more shot of the Peerless. Luke W. John, The cabinet was in oak and the mandrel was the usual 4" length. The changeover was employed by a push/pull knob on the left side of the gear cover. The US Everlasts I had mentioned were mfgd. by the same company that made the REX and have that composition core that you mentioned. Unfortunately, I owned this before the advent of digital cameras, but I know I have some regular pix of it somewhere and when found I'll scan them and post them. The REX I saw at the show in Wayne was tempting, but the price of $1,495.00 was a bit steep IMO. Bill
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Post by lukewarmwater on Nov 25, 2007 12:03:56 GMT -5
How did you adjust the reproducer to switch from 2-min to 4-min? Did it have the double headshell? Luke W.
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Post by maroongem on Nov 25, 2007 12:42:27 GMT -5
How did you adjust the reproducer to switch from 2-min to 4-min? Did it have the double headshell? Luke W. It was a single head, set up much like an Edison Amberola X as it had a telescoping connector to the horn and the stylus played both 2 & 4 M much like an Edison Dia B would from what I can remember. I sold it over 20 yrs ago and don't recall it having a dual stylus. Bill
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Post by lukewarmwater on Nov 25, 2007 13:55:21 GMT -5
So, with a diamond stylus, it could only play celluloid cylinders, then . . . interesting! Luke W.
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Post by maroongem on Nov 26, 2007 8:28:38 GMT -5
So, with a diamond stylus, it could only play celluloid cylinders, then . . . interesting! Luke W. It had a sapphire stylus, but like an H or other 4M sapphire stylus, it would play the 2M Everlasts or other 2M records as the 4M sapphire is narrower than the 2M and rides in the 2M groove effortlessly. Bill
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Post by gramophoneshane on Nov 26, 2007 9:05:51 GMT -5
Interesting that so many of the U-S machines had 6" mandrels . . . I wonder if they had planned or even produced a 6" cylinder? 6" at 4-min . . . hmmm . . . sounds like my love life! Luke W. I was just reading Chris Proudfoot's Collecting Phono's and Gramo's, and found this info, under Lambert.... The London offshoot of the American concern, chiefly noted for it's indestructible cylinders, with which Edison Bell was associated, marketed a range of Phonographs around 1905. Models were the Companion, The Entertainer and the Imperial 1, 2 & 3. The Imperial machines had a 6" mandrel for playing the "Imperial" indestructible cylinders. Seeing as Albany made their cylinders under Lambert patents, would these "Imperials" also have been made at Albany? Probably? I guess US everlastings would have also had their own "brand" of 6" indestructible too.
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Post by lukewarmwater on Nov 26, 2007 9:58:02 GMT -5
Not sure of the connection between Lambert and Albany (or Cleveland for that matter). Varian Harris was the inventor responsible for those cylinders. I have an old APM with an article about Harris. I'll have to dig it out when I get home tonight and report back. As far as 6" celluloids, other than the Ediphone practice cylinders, I've never seen one myself -- American or European.
Bill, when you said Diamond B, I just assumed a diamond stylus. Luke W.
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Post by maroongem on Nov 26, 2007 10:53:57 GMT -5
Sorry for the confusion regarding the Diamond B, I was using it as an anology. I don't know of any other company that put out a diamond stylus (other than Jewel, but these were for Edison) at that time for cylinder play. As far as 6" mandrels, I think Columbia was the only American mfgr. that put out 6" (Twentieth Century) cylinders and they were wax and very short lived. Something like 130 some odd titles, I believe.
Bill
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Post by lukewarmwater on Nov 26, 2007 12:52:51 GMT -5
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