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Post by lkleen on Feb 25, 2009 10:47:35 GMT -5
Just registered and I'm looking for information. My husband inherited this Thomas A. Edison C-250 phonograph with 57 Edison records. All are in excellent shape and working. The top of the cabinet is a little worn but the rest of it both inside and out is in excellent condition. We are interested in knowing what they are worth. Any ideas how we can go about this?
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Post by martin1 on Feb 25, 2009 15:35:10 GMT -5
Hello and welcome! The C-250s and C-19s (the post 1919 version) are really nice machines. They're one of the best sounding acoustic machines that the Edison company made. If everything is working properly and you're using a good record (many records are either trashed or were badly made in the first place), the sound is quite startling. I love mine.
There are no quick answers on value, however. The Edison company made lots of them. It was a very popular higher-end model and they're still quite a few of them out there. This tends to keep down the price. This machine in Oak tends to go for a bit more money. (A majority of these were built with Mahogany cabinets.) The other problem is that they're very heavy, so it's real hard and expensive to ship them. I just did a search on ebay for completed auctions and there were two so-so machines that went begging for $200.
That isn't to say that it might not be worth more, but it really depends how close you are to your next buyer and how badly they want it. Condition is also a big determining factor. A complete machine in very good original condition will almost always be worth more than one that is completely refinished. I've seen them listed for sale as high as $2000, but realistically I'd say the top end price of an excellent oak one would be about $800 and an excellent mahogany one might be about $500. An average OK-condition mahogany will probably go between $300 - $400. (I'm sure if I'm wrong here, somebody will correct me.)
I'm not an appraiser and I'm just going off of my gut instincts based on my experience. If you're trying to establish value for insurance purposes, you'll probably need to contact an antiques appraiser that specializes in phonographs and music boxes. If you're just trying to establish price for selling it, I'd recommend searching completed auctions on ebay for awhile, so you can see how their prices are running. Craigslist is also a good way to list things for a more local sale.
Finally, value is highly subjective. I paid $50 for mine and put a LOT of money and time into restoring it. I could never sell it for what I put into it, but most of the value to me is that I really get a huge amount of enjoyment from having it. And that's worth a lot. Good luck with your new machine! Best regards, Martin
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Post by lkleen on Feb 26, 2009 13:57:41 GMT -5
Hey Martin!!
Thanks for responding so fast. I will watch on Ebay and also might list on Craigslist as suggested. For right now we are keeping it and playing some of those old records.
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Post by martin1 on Feb 26, 2009 16:00:04 GMT -5
Hi Ikleen! Having a machine with a family history always makes it more appealing. I wish that my family had bothered to keep their old machines. Anyway, I hope you find having yours enjoyable. BTW: I forgot to write about records. Most decent Diamond Discs (the 1/4" thick ones) are at best worth between $2.00 to $6.00 apiece depending on the music selection. (Some you have a hard time giving away!) There are however, some key records that are worth more. Generally, anything made after 1927 will fetch more as there were fewer copies made. (Edison stopped making records in the Fall of 1929.) Electrically recorded records with catalog numbers higher than about 52090, will fetch more money, as will the thin Edison needle-cut records that were only issued for a few months (those are like regular 78s). Again, following ebay auction sale prices will give you some idea of the pricing range.
Here are some bewares: Do not let the Diamond Discs get wet. Water will cause delamination which will destroy the record and the Diamond stylus quicker than quick. (A replacement stylus runs about $95.00 without installation.)
Don't play the Diamond Disc with anything but the Diamond Disc reproducer. In other words: no steel needles. (You can, however, play them on a properly modified modern turntable with a lightweight tone-arm.)
If a disc has deep, brownish grooves, it has probably already been played with a steel needle. Don't risk your Diamond stylus by playing one of those.
And lastly, beware that listening to these things can become habit-forming! Enjoy your machine!
Martin
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