By Karen Braynard
Correspondent

When he was just 13 years old, Bob Murray of Epsom had an interest that may have seemed odd to other kids his age. He collected antique phonographs.

Bob Murray of Epsom gets an old 78 RPM record ready to play on an old-fashioned phonograph player. Volume control in a floor model like this one was managed by opening or closing the doors where the sound comes out. (Karen Braynard Photo)

Murray hobby followed him through high school, beyond medical school and, almost 40 years later, he still an intense enthusiast and serious collector.

"I've always loved old things," Murray said. "I spent a lot of time with my grandmother, listening to music from the turn of the century and flipping through her collection of magazines from the same era. I always thought those old-fashioned phonographs were neat, but when I noticed ads for them in the back of the magazines, I really began to be curious."

Murray said while talking with his father, he learned that his aunt still had an old Edison phonograph. One thing led to another, and the aunt gave Murray not only the phonograph, but also her collection of records.

That piqued Murray interest. He purchased another Edison and more records. However, owning two phonographs wasn't enough to satisfy Murray interest.

"My hobby of collecting also included learning all I could about these machines. One thing I learned was that the phonograph had become a very common household item. If an elderly perthat they left behind an old phonograph. So, my mother would drop me off at house auctions (estate sales), and I would wait for the bidding to begin. I could usually purchase an Edison Diamond Disc Phonograph with 50 records for around $15.

"I had very kind and understanding parents. My dad often had to pick me up in his truck to haul the phonograph home. These were not small - they often included the beautifully hand-crafted wooden cases. My parents encouraged me to work, earn and invest."

At the height of his collection, Murray (still living with his parents) had a basement full of 140 phonographs and thousands of recordings. All of his machines dated between 1890 and 1925.

Murray was and still is interested exclusively in acoustical recordings. That is, no electricity is used in its creation. Musicians and singers literally played or sang into a large horn to create the energy that produced the vibrations which were transferred to wax blanks. Those blanks were turned into a metal master which was used to make the copies.

Over the years, Murray has sold his machines and is now down to a modest collection of 26.

"The phonographs turned out to be a good investment, and they were something I could depend on when I needed money."

The nature of his collection has not changed; however, the methods for collecting sure have.

His wife, Sharon, turned him on to eBay.

"I used to spend hours driving just to check out a collection of recordings or to preview a phonograph I might want to purchase or trade for. Now I can just go online!"

Murray wife, an anthropologist, finds the music and the era fascinating. And, after 20 years of marriage and exposure to the music, she considers herself "the expert when Bob not around."

"A lot was changing in our culture during that time and it is all reflected in the music."

To listen to the two of them discuss the music, politics and social changes is a course in turn of the century history all in itself.

Although he mostly listens to his collection of recordings for relaxation, Murray also enjoys showing off his collection to those with an interest.

Most recently, he shared his music as a DJ at the Daniel Webster Birthplace celebration in August.