A spin through history: Collector finds joy in antique phonographs
About 20 years ago, Bruce Young started collecting antique phonographs, talking machines and gramophones.
"My first crank talking machine was a VV-X floor model, which included early 78 rpm records and historical ephemera," said the Hanson resident. "I established a goal to collect examples of the various types of records that existed and the talking machines that were produced during the crank phonograph era, from the late 1890s through the late 1920s."
On Sunday, Young hosted the quarterly meeting of the Massachusetts Old Colony Antique Phonograph Society at the Hanson Historic Society Building.
His interest in collecting has led to some surprising finds over the years.
Through his lecture series, "The Golden Age of the Phonograph," Young met an elderly gentleman from Middleboro in 1997. In the 1950s, the man had acquired from the local 4-H auction, two Edison phonographs, several hundred cylinder records, an unusual cylinder storage cabinet, and several large horns and some cranes.
"The machines included an Edison 'Suitcase' Home A, in beautiful condition, and a standard D. The prize of the lot was the unusual cylinder record storage cabinet. It was shaped like a barrel and was an ornate "Tiger Oak" cabinet," said Young. He said he had never seen anything like it. He found out it was a Herzog full barrel cylinder cabinet.
Most of the cylinders were two-minute Edison black wax. However, there were some blue Ambersols and a box with 12 early brown wax cylinders. The collection included novelty selections, religious numbers, Edison ballads and marches.
Young saved a brown wax cylinder to test last. He was shocked to hear the voice of an articulate gentleman reciting off-color profane rhymes, stories and poems.
"It is hard to think that type of entertainment existed in the vocabulary of the people who lived in the Victorian era," he said.
"Those cylinders are the only known privately made examples of indecent cylinders known to exist in the entire world," said Young. They are currently featured on the best selling comedy CD, "Actionable Offenses" produced by Archeophone Records.
John Bennett of South Boston has always liked old music. As a member of the society he is able to view the antique collections of other members.
"In 2004 I bought my first phonograph on Ebay for $20. Then I added four more pieces that I purchased in Rhode Island," he said.
Ron Roscoe of Westborough, an MIT electrical engineer, is an enthusiastic member of the group who displayed some of his collectibles and answered questions from the members.
The exhibit had some beautiful lamps that when the base was opened, revealed a working phonograph. Even though the records are old, they still sounded clear.
Young does a slide show lecture with music. The presentation is performed against a backdrop of historic slides of the great forgotten artists and inventors.
For more information call 781-293-5174 or e-mail bruce78rpm@comcast.net.
Nancy Boland Johnson reports for The Enterprise News of Brockton, Mass.