Cute, All-Original 1906 Columbia Q Graphophone, Restored, Looks & Works Great!

Description

Many years ago, I stopped at yard sale in a small town in northern Maine, and was surprised to find this sitting on a table between a food processor and a jewelry box: It’s a Columbia model Q Graphophone from around 1904. The woman hosting the sale told me it has belonged to her great-grandfather, who had bought it new as a way of enticing customers into his store in this same town. (It was the only store in town, so I wouldn’t have thought he’d need help getting customers, but she said that was the story she’d always heard.) The horn, she said, was long gone, but the machine itself was complete, and completely original, not having been touched for 75 years or so by the time she decided to sell it. I paid what she asked, snatched it up and took it home; when I got it there, I immediately set it on a table, turned the beautiful filigree key, and was astonished when it sprang to life! Since then I have cleaned the motor, rebuilt the original aluminum Columbia #7 floating reproducer, and enjoyed playing it, listening to it, and demonstrating it for visitors more times that I can count. As you can see, it’s just lovely, and still retains most of the original bedplate decorations.
The Q was, for many years, Columbia’s most affordable Graphophone, starting at just .00; this machine, sold with the horn, was, as you can see from the label underneath the bedplate, priced at .20.
It measures 7.5”w x 4.5”d x 5.75”h without a horn. (PLEASE NOTE: The horn in the last photo is a reproduction pictured for display purposes only, and is NOT included with the machine.) While Columbia sold many of these, few have survived due to their small size and the fact that they were not very expensive; very, very few have survived in such a nice, all-original condition. As much as I have enjoyed and appreciate it over the years, now that I am running out of space, I think it’s time to pass it on to another collector who will enjoy and appreciate it for many years to come, as I have. If you’ve always wanted one of these little dynamos but were waiting for one that was in really lovely original condition and – and working – this is your lucky day; you won’t find another like it. Best of all, I offer it here with NO RESERVE – high bidder takes it!
I will ship this item ONLY within the United States. If you live elsewhere and are interested in it, please contact me BEFORE bidding so we can discuss the shipping charges, which can be very expensive outside the U.S. I will be shipping the phonograph and horn separately, to insure that the latter arrives intact and undamaged. I ship once a week (whenever possible). Having received, over the years, some items that did not survive shipping, I always take care to pack very carefully. If you prefer, I will be happy to drop it off at a nearby UPS store and have it professionally packed and shipped at your expense. I reserve the right to raise or lower the shipping charges should they prove to be significantly different than those determined by the shipping calculator. I reserve the right to refuse sale to anyone with excessive negative feedback or an otherwise suspicious history. Payment is due within three (3) days of the auction's close. Due to its age I am selling this radio without any warranty. All sales are final. I am not a dealer, and don’t have a big operation with a staff, so I would appreciate your patience while I take the time to pack your items with the care they deserve.
Be sure to see all the pictures! I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have, but please try to ask as early as possible, as it sometimes takes me a while to get to my email. Please see my other listings, as I am thinning out my collection considerably. I have several fine items up on Ebay right now, and will be listing many more in the weeks and months to come, so please keep checking. Good luck and happy bidding!