Dear Al: Thanks for your serial number Mr. Menashe. Now we have a real mystery. The highest number Home E I have recorded is around 405000 while the last Home F I have recorded is around 407000 showing the slowing of Edison sales as outside horn cylinder phonograph production came to a close. With your serial number of 983521 and the machine on eBay with 994618 that would give a span of 11097 phonographs. That in itself raises some questions since production numbers were not likely near this figure. So the mystery deepens... but I am leaning toward the drunken patent plate stamper theory put forth by Steve. OR, could these machines have been unsold and set aside for ICS use with a separate serial number run? Thanks again everyone, Al Edison Collector ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com