Our friend, Ralph Newman was an avid collector of (Of all things), Edison Talking Machines. My late partner, Gene Allan...
Our friend, Ralph Newman was an avid collector of (Of all things), Edison Talking Machines.
My late partner, Gene Allan, who was originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, knew that the “Veteran’s Stores” in and around the city always carried large numbers of valuable collectibles such as these antique items. Folks around the city cleaned out their attic or basement and contributed these things to this charitable cause for our fighting men and women.
When Gene first mentioned this to Ralph, he became crazy with a look which we never saw before. This serious executive was a straight, stiff-laced serious person who almost never even broke into a smile. With the thought of these machines, Ralph begged to join us the next time we went to Pittsburgh.
One early Saturday morning, I drove to Gene’s house and we got into Gene’s station wagon and we stopped in Yonkers, New York to pickup Ralph and we were off to Pittsburgh, a long five-hour trip.
We arrived in Pittsburgh early afternoon and we stopped, first, at a Veteran’s store and sure enough there were two Edison Machines. Ralph tried to be calm and cool, but when the elderly clerk told him they were priced at $120.00 each. Ralph asked if he would take $200.00 for both, and the clerk accepted his offer. Ralph took the two machines and laughed out loud when we left the store. He said the real value at that time was at least $250.00 each.
(Today, these same machines in reasonably good condition is $800.00 each.) See Photo Attached.
About a year later, we took another trip there. Ralph was fast asleep all the way.
When we arrived, Gene told Ralph that he heard on the radio that there was a news report that there was a terrible fire in Yonkers, New York (Gene had remembered the address where we picked him up). Gene mentioned the name of Ralph’s street and he, immediately became hysterical!!
After some time of consternation, Gene apologized and eventually Ralph laughed with along with us!
I will never forget our good friend who, I understand is still around somewhere.
HEY RALPH, IF YOU ARE STILL AROUND, PLEASE CONTACT ME…. OR, IF SOMEONE WHO KNOWS RALPH, PLEASE ASK HIM TO CONTACT ME!!