Antique Talking Machines
« The big one Bell-Tainter »

Welcome Guest. Please Login or Register.
Dec 2, 2009, 6:59am

[Home] [Help] [Search] [Login] [Register]



Antique Talking Machines :: Phonographs, Victrolas & Gramophones :: Machine Talk :: The big one Bell-Tainter
   [Search This Thread][Send Topic To Friend] [Print]
AuthorTopic: The big one Bell-Tainter (Read 485 times)
phono10
One Spring Motor
*
member is offline





Joined: Jun 2009
Gender: Male
Posts: 6
The big one Bell-Tainter
« Thread Started on Nov 6, 2009, 11:25pm »
I was the underbidder on this! 12 Bell-Tainter Cylinders!!! There were only two of us who bid over $25 and I missed the item by $50. If the other bidder had not noticed the auction I would have won the auction for only $26! These cylinders sold for up to a grand a piece. But just as well I would have maxed out the old credit cards.
I hope this link works it was item 180425330948 on ebay. I wonder who won them..... The guy selling them described them incorrectly because they came in a box from an old book. But not many people have ever seen a Bell-Tainter cylinder in person. If it weren't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all :'(


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180425330948
Link to Post - Back to Top  IP: Logged
Auxetophile
Administrator
*****
member is offline

[avatar]

I like all my toys with cranks!


[homepage]

Joined: Jan 2009
Gender: Male
Posts: 412
Location: Somewhere around 1926
Re: The big one Bell-Tainter
« Reply #1 on Nov 7, 2009, 12:03am »
Holy crap! That is amazing - to find a group of 12 cylinders (let alone one) is unreal. The high bidder is one lucky individual. Hopefully it's somebody from the board. I don't have a clue what these are worth but it has to be much more than the $2K+ paid.

Congratulations to the high bidder and too bad you didn't get them.
Link to Post - Back to Top  IP: Logged
www.montanaphonograph.com

"Be courageous. I have seen many depressions in business. Always America has emerged from these stronger and more prosperous. Be brave as your fathers before you. Have faith! Go forward!" Thomas Alva Edison
phonogfp
Moderator
**
member is offline

[avatar]



Joined: Jan 2009
Gender: Male
Posts: 206
Location: Rural New York State
Re: The big one Bell-Tainter
« Reply #2 on Nov 7, 2009, 7:27am »
I am dumbstruck! :o
Link to Post - Back to Top  IP: Logged
rodpickett
One Spring Motor
*
member is offline





Joined: Mar 2009
Gender: Male
Posts: 28
Re: The big one Bell-Tainter
« Reply #3 on Nov 7, 2009, 10:27am »
What a find for a remarkable price. It would be interesting to know if they are blank.
Link to Post - Back to Top  IP: Logged
Moooperator
Administrator
*****
adMOOnistrator
member is offline

[avatar]

Bad Nipper, BAD!



Joined: Jan 2009
Gender: Male
Posts: 691
Re: The big one Bell-Tainter
« Reply #4 on Nov 10, 2009, 5:07pm »
[image]
Link to Post - Back to Top  IP: Logged
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." Thomas A. Edison

"Bark, bark, bark, bark. Growl. Sniff. Sniff. bark, roof, roof, howl. lick." Nipper
Auxetophile
Administrator
*****
member is offline

[avatar]

I like all my toys with cranks!


[homepage]

Joined: Jan 2009
Gender: Male
Posts: 412
Location: Somewhere around 1926
Re: The big one Bell-Tainter
« Reply #5 on Nov 10, 2009, 8:19pm »
You just HAD to remind us (in pictures) of how badly we screwed up by not finding this lot first! Man this is sickening...
Link to Post - Back to Top  IP: Logged
www.montanaphonograph.com

"Be courageous. I have seen many depressions in business. Always America has emerged from these stronger and more prosperous. Be brave as your fathers before you. Have faith! Go forward!" Thomas Alva Edison
allenkoe
One Spring Motor
*
member is offline





Joined: Nov 2009
Gender: Male
Posts: 3
Re: The big one Bell-Tainter
« Reply #6 on Nov 14, 2009, 2:24pm »
What is even more unusual here is that the 12 Tainter cylinders are not the typical ones that are 6 inches long, but comprised of two sections, 4-inch and 2-inch. They have an interior support about 5" long. Somewhat of a mystery.
Link to Post - Back to Top  IP: Logged
richardh
One Spring Motor
*
member is offline

[avatar]

Mad about the music



Joined: Feb 2009
Gender: Male
Posts: 24
Location: Sunny Bracknell UK
Re: The big one Bell-Tainter
« Reply #7 on Nov 20, 2009, 2:00pm »
I hope that the winner of these is someone here. I'd love to know if there is anything on these. I've never seen anything other than standard sized cylinders and the concert sized one (only once!). I never knowe they came this long! Guess these would play for 6 minutes? Do anyone know?

RJ 8-)
Link to Post - Back to Top  IP: Logged
"I am always prepared to recognise that there can be two points of view - mine, and one that is probably wrong" John Grey Gorton
phonogfp
Moderator
**
member is offline

[avatar]



Joined: Jan 2009
Gender: Male
Posts: 206
Location: Rural New York State
Re: The big one Bell-Tainter
« Reply #8 on Nov 20, 2009, 7:45pm »
Since these cylinders were used primarily for dictation, recording/playing time would depend on the speed at which they were used. If I recall, there was an interesting essay in Hazelcorn's Columbia Cylinder Companion that discussed how Columbia really missed the boat by failing to exploit the 6-inch format... ;)

George P.
« Last Edit: Nov 20, 2009, 7:46pm by phonogfp »Link to Post - Back to Top  IP: Logged
allenkoe
One Spring Motor
*
member is offline





Joined: Nov 2009
Gender: Male
Posts: 3
Re: The big one Bell-Tainter
« Reply #9 on Nov 21, 2009, 12:46pm »
The 12 Tainter cylinders that turned up on ebay were all in their original (unused) condition, that is, completely blank. There is only one known commercial selection (elsewhere), entitled and labeled 'Patrol Comique,' but it has not yet been played. The first style Tainter cylinders were recorded at a feedscrew setting of 125 tpi, but soon gave way to a finer grooving, ca 160. By 1893, American Graphophone was supplying kits to convert their A-top frames to the Edison grooving of 100 tpi. Columbia had made that decision 3 years before, selling solid wax cylinders (and songs) on 4"-long blanks purchased from Edison.
Link to Post - Back to Top  IP: Logged
rodpickett
One Spring Motor
*
member is offline





Joined: Mar 2009
Gender: Male
Posts: 28
Re: The big one Bell-Tainter
« Reply #10 on Nov 22, 2009, 6:52pm »
Not sure what you mean by - commercial selection (elsewhere).
Perhaps you mean commercial vs. a dictation cylinder of some sort??????
I own a recorded cylinder, but it is yet un-played and uncertain as to what it may contain.
Likely it is a dictation of some sort but will not know until we can find a non-destructive method for playback.
Link to Post - Back to Top  IP: Logged
allenkoe
One Spring Motor
*
member is offline





Joined: Nov 2009
Gender: Male
Posts: 3
Re: The big one Bell-Tainter
« Reply #11 on Nov 23, 2009, 11:08am »
I should have been more specific in describing the (other) Tainter cylinder. By "elsewhere," I simply meant that it was not included in the ebay group. The wrap-around label is typed: "Patrol Comique [by] J. A. Bernstine." The grooving is very early, 125 tpi. The next time I have access to City Directories for Washington, DC., I should check out that name. It came in its original cardboard tube (very sturdy) so it was intended for some kind of transport.
Link to Post - Back to Top  IP: Logged
   [Search This Thread][Send Topic To Friend] [Print]

Google
Webvictrolagramophones.proboards.com
Click Here To Make This Board Ad-Free


This Board Hosted For FREE By ProBoards
Get Your Own Free Message Boards & Free Forums!