CYLINDER RECORD IDENTIFICATION!

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CYLINDER RECORD IDENTIFICATION!

Original North American Cylinders, as seen below manufactured from 1889-1894 can be easily identified by the channeled rim. These can only be played with early phonographs such as Class Ms, Spring Motors, or other machines that have the automatic or standard speaker reproducer.

THE CHANNELED RIM!

OF AN ORIGINAL NORTH AMERICAN RECORD! (1889-1894)

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OF AN ORIGINAL NORTH AMERICAN CYLINDER RECORD (1889-1894)

Below is an 1897-1901 Edison National Phonograph Company Cylinder. The above North American and the below National Phonograph Co. are to be played on pre- 1901 Edison phonographs that use Standard Speaker, and Automatic reproducers. These both are direct cut records, gold molding had not come out yet. The 2 minute wax records are 100 grooves per inch, and the grooves are 40 thousandths of an inch wide they play with a reproducing ball of 36 thousandths.

EDISON NATIONAL PHONOGRAPH COMPANY BROWN WAX CLINDER (1897-1901)

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Below is an Columbia Brown wax 2 minute Gold Molded Record. The Columbia Phonograph company made brown wax records longer than Edison did. Columbia's cylinders were brown wax from 1890-1903. This one dates from 1903.

COLUMBIA PHONONOGRAPH COMPANY BROWN WAX MOULDED CYLINDER- 1903!

About 1908 Columbia stopped using wax for its records. This is a celluloid indestructible record dating from about 1910 or so. These can also be labeled Oxford and sold by Sears. These celluloid cylinders can be 2 or 4 minute records. Two minute records have the 1902 date without the addition of 4m. A 4 minute celluloid indestructible has the 4m written on it.

THIS IS A COLUMBIA INDESTRUCTIBLE CYLINDER RECORD!

Edison in 1902 started to Gold Mold cylinders, this process uses a over sized groove and a large wax master. The master is placed in a vacuum with 2 pieces of gold leaf. High voltage is introduced to the gold leaf in the bell jar, and vaporizes on to the wax master. The wax master is copper plated to make mother molds, the mother molds are plated to make mother masters, the mother masters are plated to make working molds. A wax harder than the master or a cut record is poured into the mold, and the record that issues has the grooves molded into it. The wax Edison Gold Molded record was manufactured from 1902-1914 (Domestic production stopped in 1912.) These are 2 minute records having grooves of 100/inch.

Edison Gold Moulded Records! 1902-14

In 1908 Edison increased the playing time of the cylinders. From 1888-1902 the speed of the records varied so the record could fit the song, anywhere from 90-144rpm. After 1902 the speed was standardized at 160rpm. In 1908 Edison cylinders changed from 100 grooves per inch to 200 grooves per inch. From 1908-1911 Edison Amberols were made, these are a wax cylinder record. And these play with only sapphire stili, on the Edison Reproducers model H,L,N, N56, Model M, K,O. In 1912 Edison invented the Blue Amberol, it is a 4 minute record but made of celluloid. These will play on all of the above reproducers plus the Diamond A,B,C,D on the Edison Amberola cylinder phonographs. Edison Blue Amberols were made from 1912-1929. Wax Amberols will not play with the Diamond A,B,C,D.

Edison Blue Amberol Records. On the left 1912-1914 on the right 1914-1929

As you can tell from this web page both cylinder records and disc record formats were both available at the same time.

Cylinder records manufactured from 1888-1928 were acoustically recorded. Acoustic recording is a process of recording, where the singers sing into a recording horn, and the sound pressure vibrates a diaphragm. Attached to the Diaphragm is a cutting stylus made of sapphire. The stylus cuts a hill and dale, which has the sound waves on the bottom of the groove, rather than on the side ; into the wax master. For a very few months in 1929 Edison cylinders were electrically recorded those with record numbers above 5600, and these cylinders are the most valuable.