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Post by lukewarmwater on Nov 1, 2007 14:27:56 GMT -5
Here's a rather poor photo of my Amberola IV. Don't see these every day! I sold it several years ago to Mike Khanchalian along with the cylinder storage books on the shelf below it. The books (and the legs of the IV) are in a photo in one of the Fabrizio/Paul books. When I saw Mike at Union this year, he told me he has since located the third book, so now he has a complete set. When I acquired this machine in the late 1980's, there were only four known to exist. Don't know if any more have surfaced. Anyone know? Luke W.  |
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Post by maroongem on Nov 1, 2007 15:57:04 GMT -5
Charlie Hummel had one at either the Wayne or Danbury show a year or so ago.................
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Post by lukewarmwater on Nov 1, 2007 16:49:36 GMT -5
Charlie gets the most amazing stuff!  Luke W. |
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Post by maroongem on Nov 1, 2007 16:58:44 GMT -5
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Post by gramophoneshane on Nov 1, 2007 18:38:39 GMT -5
WOW! What a cool machine. I've never seen one of those before. I don't think I'd like the idea of reaching in to change the cylinders though.
Those books are really cool too. How did they work? Open the cover, and the records sat on shelves inside the book? And how many cylinders fitted to each volume? I didn't know they existed either.
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Post by maroongem on Nov 1, 2007 21:23:44 GMT -5
I never understood why Edison put this into his Amberola line. It had a marriage of a Home motor and a Standard bedplate and was still belt driven. It was supposed to fit in with the "Mission" furniture I guess but d**n, that was some ugly stuff. Never the less, a very rare phonograph not to mention the record boxes that went underneath.
Not sure, but I think the boxes held 32 or 36 cylinders w/o dividers in each box. I'm still looking for those boxes for my Amberola III!
Bill
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Post by lukewarmwater on Nov 2, 2007 5:27:05 GMT -5
I believe Edison was using up parts since most external horn models were being discontinued right around the time the Amb IV was being introduced. I love Arts & Crafts design style myself (the house the Amberola was photographed in was our old place in Sierra Madre, Calif., right at the mouth of the canyon. It was built in 1907 by a lady concert violinist. Almost the entire house including the interior walls and ceilings were redwood as can be seen in the photo. We had the entire place in period). Arts & Crafts furniture is radical (for the time) early Modernism at a time when natural materials -- mostly oak, iron, copper, mica -- were still the paradigm (the next Modernist movement, Art Deco, advocated simpler geometric forms and allowed painted surfaces and the use of plated metal and plastics). There is great A&C design, good A&C design, mediocre A&C design, and downright bad A&C design. The Amberola IV is mediocre. IMHO. I've seen a lot worse! The Amb IV came along very late in the A&C Movement. By that time, the pioneering work of the Stickleys, the Roycrofters, etc. had been diluted in both design and construction integrity. Oddly, I have encountered very few A&C style phonographs and those have mostly been A-60 and A-80 DD machines. I had a VV 8-9 back then that fit right in, but that is way off the time period and doesn't count. It is interesting that Victor or even Columbia never produced an A&C model, but then, it was probably a long way down Victor's nose to the young couples who were eschewing their parents Victoriana in favor of stark Modern designs. If one lays the record books flat on their backs, and opens the cover, the cyls are packed in rows lid label up. When the books are standing up on the spell, the cyls are laying horizontally inside. The books are as wide as a cylinder box is tall. They were designed to neatly hold the wax Amberol-type, smooth-sided cylinder boxes. Basically, they are just pasteboard boxes with hinged lids and the faux book spines hide-glued on the end. Bill, I actually found those books before I got the IV and they used to live under my III. They look great there, too! Hope you find some! Luke W.  |
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ultona
Full Member
It's Not Easy Bein' Green
Posts: 164
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Post by ultona on Nov 2, 2007 9:08:48 GMT -5
Nice machines, both the III and IV!
Every time I see a III, I think about the auction I lost a III for $250. It wasn't in the best shape, but it was all there. At the time, I had NO IDEA they were as hard to find as they are!
Sean
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Post by neophone on Nov 2, 2007 13:02:52 GMT -5
Luke,
Two beautiful machine, albeit of radically different styles. Love 'em both thanks for sharing.
Regards, J.
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Post by lukewarmwater on Nov 2, 2007 16:00:33 GMT -5
You're welcome! Thanks for the props! Luke W.
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Post by maroongem on Nov 2, 2007 16:12:21 GMT -5
Interesting! Your Amberola III has the early lid decal and the Mod L Reproducer from what I can discern. I have the later"Edison" script decal on mine and the Mod A Reproducer. I do believe mine was one of the later/last of that line as it has the "B" designation incorporated in the serial number which I believe was used after the fire of 1914.
Bill
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Post by lukewarmwater on Nov 3, 2007 21:30:35 GMT -5
Bill, your late III sounds really neat. I would say that the later variant is scarcer than the earlier one. I like it! Got pix? Luke W.
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Post by condensite on Nov 4, 2007 11:13:14 GMT -5
Bill:
I too have a recently-acquired Amberola III, serial number 994, Model B, Type SM. It has the model A reproducer. I was interested to know about the lid decal, as the previous owner began a refinishing project, and stripped the entire outside and the inner lid, removing the decal.
Is your signature decal located on the lower inner lid rim as with the diamond disc machines? What version of decal?
Luke: Really cool cylinder books! Would you be willing to provide closeup photos, measurements, etc., for those (like me) who might like to try making a reproduction set? Thanks.
Condensite
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Post by lukewarmwater on Nov 4, 2007 14:52:12 GMT -5
I don't own the books anymore . . . sold them several years ago to Mike Khanchalian, the cylinder doctor. The spines are leather stretched over a wooden core that gives the appearance of two volumes side-by-side. The boxes themselves are lined pasteboard. Perhaps Mike can help you with the dimensions and construction details. His email is: mfkhanchalian 'at' altrionet 'dot' com
Luke W.
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Post by maroongem on Nov 4, 2007 21:49:52 GMT -5
Bill: I too have a recently-acquired Amberola III, serial number 994, Model B, Type SM. It has the model A reproducer. I was interested to know about the lid decal, as the previous owner began a refinishing project, and stripped the entire outside and the inner lid, removing the decal. Is your signature decal located on the lower inner lid rim as with the diamond disc machines? What version of decal? Luke: Really cool cylinder books! Would you be willing to provide closeup photos, measurements, etc., for those (like me) who might like to try making a reproduction set? Thanks. Condensite I'll get you both some pix asap of my machine and Condensite, the script decal is the standard size as found on the fronts of post 1906 cylinder machines and is centered in the lower panel of the lid. My serial # is 476 Mod. B. If you decide to make repro boxes, I'm sure you would have no probs selling them if you decided to make more than three for yourself. I know I'd buy three and I know 2 other owners that would prob be interested!!! Bill |
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