Edison phonograph cylinders

In reply to Sue Dunlap's inquiry regarding Edison Phonograph
Cylinders:

The earlier, "white wax" cylinders are made of a hard wax-like
material made by the reaction of stearic acid with caustic soda,
with the addition of a small amount of aluminum oxide and some
paraffin wax as a "tempering" agent.  The recipe can be found in
"Gramophones and Phonographs" by B.Clements-Henry, Cassel & Co., NY,
1914.

Warm water will melt this substance  (this was how folks got "blanks"
to re-record on).  Molds consume the waxy substance, so the damage
they cause is irreversible.  It is often possible to gently vacuum
off the mold, brushing with the softest brush. Sometimes the damage
is not quite as bad as it looks, and the record is still playable.
Archival types will have much more to say Re: duplicating originals,
but this is strongly recommended. I don't think that the original
Edison packing (with a cotton wadding pad) is the best for permanent
storage in rooms where the humidity can go above 70%RH, but I am
not aware of a better alternative (acid-free)... No cylinders should
not be handled with bare hands. You can lift the cylinders out of
the case with your first and second fingers.

The "Workshop Readings" from the conference "Wax, Wire, and Tape:
Sound Recordings in Archives", published by the American Society of
Archivists in 1990 is a good resource.

I would be interested to hear from anyone else who is grappling with
the conservation of these early recordings.

Clara Deck, Conservator
Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village
313-271-1620, ext 592

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 10:42
                 Distributed: Monday, October 28, 1996
                       Message Id: cdl-10-42-002
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