Phonoland

Hello to all,
I just found an old box of what, after a ton of research, came to find out are old phonograph cylinders. I had no idea what they were when I found them, but I knew they were old. I have 11 card board cases but only four of them actually have cylinders in them. One is broken and I discovered it is made of wax. They are black in color and I don't know how to tell if they are 2 min. 3 min or 4 min. -- can any one tell me how to tell how many minutes they are and how much they may be worth. I don't think I want to sell them, unless someone could put them to good use or would really enjoy them. I was thinking I might put them out around my home and use them as decorations. They are very cool looking. Some are Edison some are Oxford, and some are Columbia some of the songs are Good-Bye Dolly Grey, What a friend we Have in Jesus, Uncle Josh on an Automobile, Gesang Lobe Den Herren, Good Bye Sis. I am 26 years old and have never seen anything like these and I am greatful I found them and had to chance to learn about these records and the phonograph. Any help anyone could give me would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Lisa

Hi Lisa,
Nice find!
Around the top of the cylinders, there is usually information written like the song title, manufacturer or patent dates & the record number. All 4 minute cylinders (except Edison Blue celluloid) have 4M before the record number ie: 4M-3456.
Columbia never made 4 minute cylinders- they had The Indestructible Record company of Albany, NY make them, which is the same company who made "Oxford" cylinders for Sears. All "Indestructible" cylinders have a Patent date of July 29, '02 written on the edge, but can be found in Indestructible, Oxford or Columbia boxes. They are made of celluloid- basically the same stuff ping-pong balls are made of, and have a metal band either end on the inside, with cardboard between the bands, and can be found in either black or light blue/grey.

3 minute cylinders are pretty easy to spot because they are about 6 inches long, instead of the usually 4 1/4 inches of a standard cylinder. 3 min cylinders required a special phonograph with a long mandrel to play them, so these cylinders are quite rare, and seldom sell for under $200 in good condition.

Edison blue Amberols as they were known, are found in all variations of a blue colour, but all have Edisons name on the edge, and are made of celluloid with a plaster core. The plaster was painted black in the early days, and later was left in it's natural white colour. These cylinders will have the record number, but no 4M before it, even though they are 4 minute cylinders. Only the rare 2 minute Edison blue amberols have a prefix to the record number ie:2M-4567.
Edisons wax 2 min cylinders will just have a record number, and his 4 min wax records will have the "4M" before the number.

Cylinders vary enormously in value, from $2 to over $1000, but 99% fall in the $5-$10 price range in good condition. Dance bands, coon & comedy songs are the most collectible. Religious songs are normally considered worthless by most collectors, although xmas songs seem to be popular, and usually sell for a little more than your average cylinders.

If you decide to sell any, I'd suggest ebay. Most collectors look there, and you will get the best price for them too. List each one seperately, with a clear picture of the cylinder beside the box, with the title & record number for each. There's LOTS of collectors who buy & enjoy playing these old recordings, so you'd know they were going to a good home where they'll be appreciated.
If you decide to keep & display them, be sure to keep them in a cool dry place out of direct sunlight. Wax cylinders can crack easily with a sudden change in temperature, and damp conditions encourage the growth of a fungus which eats away at the cylinder making them unplayable. Celluloid cylinders can also shrink, and the needle won't track the grooves properly. 4 min Indestructibles are particularly prone to shrinkage problems.

If you'd like to hear what's on them, you may be able to find the MP3 recordings at this site by using the search option. Just enter the song title in the search bar, and select the "title" option, then press search.

http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/search.php