Timeless Treasures
Here at 4-4 Time, we strive to bring you the best that we can locate. Most of our items are a hundred years of age and older, and all are in working condition unless mentioned in the description. These are timeless items which will become heirlooms for your family and future generations. Have questions about one of our items or looking for something in particular? Send us a message or give us a call. We’ll be glad to help!
——————
The Fascinating World of Edison Cylinder Recordings
Long before vinyl records and digital music, people experienced recorded sound through phonograph cylinders. Introduced in the late 1800s, cylinder recordings were the first practical way for people to listen to music and spoken performances in their own homes.
These early recordings were played on phonographs, machines that used a stylus to trace grooves cut into the surface of a rotating cylinder. The vibrations produced by the stylus were amplified through a horn, allowing listeners to hear music, speeches, comedy routines, and popular songs of the era.
Early cylinders were made from wax, which allowed sound to be recorded and reproduced but could wear down with repeated use. Later improvements led to the development of more durable cylinders made from celluloid, which helped preserve recordings and allowed them to be played many times with less damage.
Cylinder recordings captured a remarkable range of entertainment from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Popular selections included ragtime music, band marches, vaudeville songs, patriotic tunes, and humorous spoken pieces. For modern collectors, these recordings provide a unique window into the soundscape of another era.
Today, antique cylinder records remain fascinating historical artifacts. Many collectors enjoy not only preserving these recordings but also hearing them played on working phonographs, just as audiences would have experienced them over a century ago.
From the mechanical ingenuity of early phonographs to the charm of the performances they preserved, cylinder recordings represent the very beginnings of recorded sound and continue to captivate collectors and historians alike.
——————
4-4 Time Featured in
Antique Week
Never mind the questionable sound quality, the cracks and pops. The sometimes cumbersome equipment and having to change a needle after every play. Not to mention the limitations of a personal record library. At a time when an internet connection is all that’s needed for access to a wide variety of streamed music, there are those who prefer not to rely on modern technology for their listening pleasure. Because, at the intersection of art and science, antique phonographs continue to delight collectors by providing original music without electricity, wires, or tubes.
The invention of the phonograph was an evolving process, with twists and turns along the way. In 1877, Thomas Edison, to his great astonishment, successfully recorded (and played back) his recitation of “Mary had a little lamb” using a tinfoilcoated cylinder. A patent for his machine, which was intended not for musical enjoyment but for recording business dictation, was granted in...
Latest Products
-
Elgin B.W. Raymond 19 Jewel 18‑Size Railroad Pocket Watch – Just Serviced – Beautiful Gold‑Filled Case
$385.00 Item Details -
Elgin Veritas 23 Jewel 18‑Size Railroad Pocket Watch – Original Ferguson Dial – Just Serviced!
$1,250.00 Item Details -
Edison 4-minute Cylinder…”Come out of the Kitchen, Mary Ann”
$19.95 Item Details
Latest Cylinders
Browse by Category
- Back
- Antique and Vintage Pocket Watches (35)
- Antique Music Box Metal Disc (197)
- Antique Phonographs and Talking Machines (45)
-
Phonograph Cylinders (2974)
- 2‑Minute Cylinders (616)
- 4‑Minute Cylinders (2297)
- 5‑Inch Concert Cylinder Records (1890s–1905) (8)
- Christmas & Seasonal Cylinder Records (44)
- Comedy & Character Cylinder Records (311)
- Curated Favorites: Cylinder Records (60)
- Dance Tunes & Waltzes (62)
- Edison Amberol Cylinders (4‑Minute, 1908–1912 (107)
- Ethnic Stereotypes & Dialect Cylinder Records (70)
- Fox Trot Cylinder Records (44)
- Fraternal & Lodge Recordings (6)
- Hawaiian Cylinder Records (21)
- Irish & Celtic Cylinder Records (72)
- Jazz & Ragtime Cylinder Records (39)
- Military & Patriotic Cylinder Records (90)
- Patriotic Cylinder Records (101)
- Polka Cylinder Records (7)
- Popular Songs of the Early 1900s (809)
- Romantic & Sentimental Cylinder Records (157)
- Sacred & Spiritual Cylinder Records (119)
- Uncle Josh Comedy Cylinders (86)
- Upbeat & Cheerful Songs (50)
- Vaudeville & Variety Cylinder Records (37)
- Waltz Cylinder Records (53)
- Wristwatches (6)
Sign Up for Updates
Love our collection? Sign up to get email updates on special sales or new items added to our inventory.