Considering that I haven't spent that much time on Ebay lately, I've come up with quite a selection of items this time that I may not get to them all.
In the category of recording media I came across three auctions for Bettini cylinder boxes. Phonograph pioneer Gianni Bettini, whose Micro-Phonograph recorders and reproducers are considered highly collectable, marketed these rare cylinders. The first cylinder box which sold for $169.50 (all prices in $US) was the highly illustrated style and came with a cylinder that was not, as I gathered, a Bettini cylinder. The other two boxes were the more familiar and desirable solid red container with black writing and each sold in the neighborhood of $250.00. If only these boxes had their cylinders!
If you really have some money to splurge, consider bidding on some of the later 5000 series Blue Amberols, one of which, # 5716 titled Kansas City Kitty by Billy Murray and His Merry Melody Men, recently sold for $2,525.00. You unfortunately missed some Columbia 6 inch cylinders, which sold as a lot with a few Edison Gold molded cylinders for an outstanding $2,225.00.
If you would like to move up into the 1940’s and collect something that is still affordable, a few good deals can be had similar to the cerise (orange) coloured 45 RCA record Arthur Big Boy Crudup’s That’s all Right Mama which sold for a reasonable $148.50.
Getting to the really rare and good stuff, I found a Hiller Talking Clock from about 1911 which sold for $3,700.00. As with all the examples I have heard about, the celluloid tape that contains the recording was missing. Other unusual items were a Regina music box with the rare Reginaphone outside horn feature that adapts it to play 78 RPM records. This item went unsold with an opening bid of $6,200.00.
The final item I can fit in this month is a Wurlitzer Debutante Jukebox Prototype from around 1932. This model design was purchased by the Wurlitzer Company to be utilized as a test model for the marketability of jukeboxes. This one, which the seller believes may be one of only two known examples, sold for $4,400.00 plus 15% buyers premium (for live auctions).