Near Mint 1898 Edison Suitcase Home Phonograph w/Brass Mandrel * No Repro Parts For Sale

I think it\'s safe to say that if -- after checking out all my listings this week -- you can\'t find anything that interests you, you either aren\'t really looking, or there\'s nothing in the world that you find interesting anymore. I\'ve put together what\'s probably my largest, best, most diverse and cleanest assortment of mechanical, technological and musical antiques so far this year, and regardless of how discriminating your tastes might be, I think you\'ll find something you like.Here\'s a pristine, meticulously maintained Edison \"suitcase\" Home Phonograph with an original 15\" all brass horn, an Edison Automatic Recorder and Edison Automatic Reproducer in their original wood box, and an early Edison brown wax cylinder. This is a desirable brass mandrel Home made during the first full year of the machine\'s production. Serial number is in the 6000\'s.Condition is excellent to near mint throughout, as you can see in the photographs. All of the plating on the small hardware is original, and all of it is clean.The record shaving assembly, which is typically missing on early Edison Home phonographs, is present on this one, and it\'s both original and complete. The original Automatic reproducer has an excellent stylus, and it sounds good on all types of 2-minute records -- brown wax, black wax or Gold Moulded. The Automatic Recorder has been rebuilt and is fully capable of cutting new recordings on brown wax. The crank is from an 1899 model Home, but it\'s original, with no chips or other issues. Itsshank is the correct length and it mounts snugly on the crankshaft. It\'s identical to the 1898 crank, except for the lack of a metal tag on the side.
The japanned bedplate enamel is original throughout and is still deep black and in excellent condition. It\'s beautifully reflective, as you can see, and the gold pinstriping on the bedplate is original and it exhibits virtually no wear. Indeed, this is one of most nicely detailed suitcase Homes I\'ve ever seen. There\'s some tarnish on the brass mandrel, but no more than you would expect, and less than you typically see on this model.The cabinet is in excellent condition, as you can see. The original finish is still smooth to the touch, and the original banner decal is still vibrant and gorgeous -- it looks almost like new, and I guarantee that it\'s authentic. The cabinet hardware is original, and it\'s in excellent condition, with no rust. The handle is not chipped or otherwise damaged. All of the corners on the lower cabinet, and on the lid, are still tightly joined. There is no damage to the lower molding, as you typically find on suitcase Homes. The lid is beautiful, with no damage. The mechanism below the deck is in excellent condition, and all the parts are working properly, so the phonograph not only looks great, it plays great. The governor is operating properly, and the phonograph does not speed up or slow down as it advances through a record. When fully wound, it will easily make it through one or more cylinders. As noted above, the Automatic reproducer has a good sapphire stylus and is still loud and clear. Its original glass diaphragm has been replaced with an improvised celluloid diaphragm.
The 15\" all brass flat seam horn is original, and it\'s in nearly perfect condition. Take a look. It\'s a beauty.
I\'ll include an early 2-minute Edison brown wax record so that you can enjoy the phonograph as soon as it arrives. If you\'re not already familiar with how to operate an early cylinder phonograph, don\'t worry. I\'ll provide you with simple, easy to understand set-up instructions. If you\'re offerding from overseas, please contact me in advance for a shipping quote so that I can confirm my ability to export the phonograph to your country. That\'s about it. I will carefully prep everything for shipping and pack everything carefully and properly. I\'ve been shipping fragile antique phonographs and wireless sets for years, and I know how to get them to you safely. Buyer prepays and includes shipping.