Edison cylinder phonograph playing "Listen to the Mocking Bird"

This is a 1905 Edison Home Phonograph(model B)playing an Edison Blue Amberol cylinder (#1514) entitled "The Mocking Bird - Fantasia." This was recorded around 1912. The xylophone player was a well-known xylophone and bell player of the time, Charles Daab, who was featured on a number of Blue Amberol cylinders. This cylinder was one of the earlier Blue Amberol Cylinders (pre-1915) which are of note since they were still recorded acoustically -- directly to the master cylinder. From around 1915 until 1929 (when the last Blue Amberols were recorded), Edison would first electrically record selections for his "Diamond Disc" product line and then electrically dub them to the master cylinder. Thus, the later Blue Amberols were really a "by-product" of the Diamond Discs. Edison's new emphasis on the Diamond Discs was a result of his realization that the public was embracing the flat disc record much more so than the cylinder record.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Edison
• record
• player
• cylinder
• xylophone
• phonograph
• amberol

[langtoronto]

I have 43 Edison 1/4" records that use to belong to my husband's grandmother who grew up during the era these records were produced. They appeared to be in good condition. Some have a paper label on them, but most of them don't (the words are etched directly onto the records). If anyone has more questions and/or is interested in these records, please send me a message.

[gerica22]

@langtoronto

Ah, those sound like Edison Diamond disks.

[link0zeldarulz89]

Your phonograph runs smoothly. Did you by chance fix it (if it needed fixing) or what?

[gerica22]

I bought this phonograph from Tim Fabrizio, who is the world's top historian of antique phonographs and the author of many books on the subject. He also restores and sells them. He fully restored it. The finish is original and virtually all of the parts except for the horn are original.

[organist45]

Good way to ruin a blue ambererol recording! They were ment to play on a Blue Amberol machine that used a speacial diamond needle just like edison's diamond disc records were ment to only play on a Machine desinged for Diamond Discs grove with on these type of records are different than wax cylinders or 78 discs ! YOU WILL EVENTUALY DESTROY THEM PLAYING THEM ON THIS KIND OF MACHINE!

[gerica22]

This machine has the selectable gearing to play all types of 2 or 4 minute cylinders - including Blue Amberol. It has the proper groove pitch and a model K reproducer which has 2 styli - one for 2 min. and one for 4 min. cylinders. The stylus is sapphire on these older machines (rather than diamond that was on the "newer" amberolas), but that does not wear the cylinders any more than the diamonds (and may even wear them less.) Edison fully intended the Blue Amberols to play on these machines!

[theblue64]

Everyone playing in that phonograph cylinder, and those that knew them died more than 90 years ago.

[duhlittleman]

I am going to threw my mp3 player away know .

[duhlittleman]

i am going threw my mp3 player away know .

[Korban3]

These obviously are Chuck Norris brand cylinders. They still kick ass like the did a just over a centruy ago. Old and going strong.

[owtatowttowt]

if am not mistaken, these guys are The Green Brothers. heard them on internet archive - it's a good source for old copyright-expired music.

[CoolDudeClem]

It's amazing that these old things can still play today, but I can't get thougth a single youtube session without at least one video freezing up on me! that's progress for you.