Edison Standard (Early)

The Edison Standard Phonograph illustrated here is one of the earlier models. The square top case was used from February 1898 until 1901. The earliest of these square-top cases had a latch at each end, but these were superseded by the two latches on the front and matching two latches on the back as shown here. This machine originally sold for $20, and this low price made the model very popular. These early phonographs played the two-minute cylinders available at the time, but conversion kits were made available in October 1908 at a low cost so early machines could be converted to play the 4-minute cylinders as well.