Edison Standard Phonograph Model A - First Version

Like its sibling the Home model, the Edison Standard enjoyed a long and successful life. It was introduced in 1898, around two years after the debut of the Home model.

The placement of the feed screw parallel to the mandrel made for a more compact and efficient design than the Home model, and at an initial price of around $20 the Standard was also less expensive.

There was no decal on the wood of these machines. A square rather than rounded lid (not pictured) was attached to the body of the case by a group of suitcase type clips, leading to its nickname among modern collectors as the Suitcase Standard.

The machine depicted below, dating to around 1898-1900, is the less frequently seen first version of the Suitcase Standard, with only two clips on each side of the case. The later version featured four clips.

As with most of the Model A machinery, the speed control ran through the bedplate rather than being internalized in the motor. Early on, there was enough variation in recording speeds to sometimes require adjustment.
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Lynn Bilton
Box 435
Randolph,OH 44265
330 325-7866

We buy, sell, and repair antique phonographs and music boxes.

Pick-up and delivery possible in many parts of the midwest, south, and northeast.