Axel
Boilesen
Memories
of the Phonograph and Other Stories
My
name is Axel Boilesen.
I
was born on a farm near Cotesfield, Nebraska on April 18,
1923.
When
I was a little boy we had an Edison Amberola, which I think
was a Model 30, that was
tucked away in a bedroom closet.
I
never saw it in the parlor as we had a radio and if there
was going to be any entertainment, it usually came from the
radio. But I do remember my older sisters getting the Edison
out from time to time and dancing around the bedroom.
The
Jolly
Coppersmith was a song I can still hear playing. We didn't
listen to it very often but the Edison always worked very
well.
My
grandmother also had a phonograph in their home, a large upright
disc model which might have been a Brunswick. I still fondly
remember her sitting in her rocking chair with me on her lap
listening to the phonograph together.
Axel
as a litle boy (center of picture) with brother Lester on
his left, Floyd on his right and his two sisters, Lois and
Fern. (circa 1927).
When
World War II began there were paper drives and scrap iron
drives and other activities to support the war effort. My
Dad had alot of scrap iron and machinery parts around the
farm and he was very willing and proud to donate all that
he could.
Included
in those war-time donations was our Edison Amberola. It was
said that donating phonographs would help entertain the troops
and I think my Dad believed that our Amberola would make it
to some USO or army camp site.
1919
postcard showing US Army personnel listening to a disc playing
"Victrola"
Looking
back, it seems unlikely our Amberola ever played music for
any soldier in the 1940's. By 1942 Edison Blue Amberol cylinder
records, the record format used by an Amberola, hadn't been
manufactured by anyone in over 14 years so the music selection
of an Amberola would have been very limited and dated.
But
if our Edison did survive the army's scrap pile I'm sure it's
still hammering out those "la la la's" of the Jolly
Coppersmith.
Amberola
record from 1918
Click
here to download a 1909 recording of The
Jolly Coppersmith.
German
postcard titled Liebesgaben (alms) - Children participating
in a World War I war-time drive to support their troops (including
the donation of a gramophone).
This
poster was displayed in a Department store in 1918 to support
World War I American troops by bringing in unusued records.
The artist of the poster was C.B. Falls.
Other
Axel Boilesen Stories
Growing
Up - What did we do for entertainment?
Growing
Up - My Danish Heritage
Photo
Album and Geneology
Growing
Up - Religion
Growing
Up - Education
Growing
Up - High School Sneak Day (Class of 1941)
Growing
Up - My Dad the Inventor
Growing
Up - Measure Twice, Cut Once
Axel's
account of his military experience in World War II - Axel
Boilesen: 37-485-424
Axel's
Tribute to his parents - A Christmas Eve memory
1841
Lake Street - The University Years
Axel's
Grove 1976
2013
New Year's Resolution
Next
Time
Memorial
Service and Family Tribute to Axel - March 25, 2013
Committal
Service and Sharing Memories - May 25, 2013 Cotesfield
Cemetery
Axel
- A Personal Tribute by Doug Keister - March 25, 2013
Axel
and the Glass Negatives - The Lincoln Journal - August
5, 2013
Husking
Bee for Chris Boilesen 1948 (newspaper account)
Axel
and Betty - Christmas Traditions
Betty
Barr Boilesen Stories
CITY-TV
Interview with Axel Boilesen March 2008 - TBD
Your
Life Remembered.com TBD
Axel
Boilesen, a Friend of the Phonograph, celebrating his
87th Birthday.
Axel
in the Radio Room - Photo by Doug Keister
Axel
in the Phonograph Room - Photo by Doug Keister
1991
1997
April
2005 at the Legacy