By Axel Boilesen

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. When World War II began there were alot of paper drives and scrap iron drives and other war-time activities to support the war effort. My Dad had alot of scrap iron and machinary parts around the farm and he was very willing and proud to donate all that he could. Included in those donations was the Amberola. It was said that donating phonographs would help entertain the troops and I think my Dad actually believed that Amberola would make it to some USO or camp site. Looking back that seems highly unlikely. By 1941 cylinder records hadn't even been manufactured by Edison in over 13 years so the music selection of the Amberola would have been limited and dated. The Edison probably didn't survive the junk pile, but if it did I'm sure its still hammering out those "la la la's" of the Jolly Coppersmith.

	This image from a German postcard titled Liebesgaben (alms) shows children participating in a war-time drive to support their troops. Click here for additional images of the Phonograph and the military. Click here for Axel's account of his military experience in World War II - Axel Boilesen: 37-485-424 Click here to download a 1909 recording (20 MB) of The Jolly Coppersmith.
	This poster was displayed in a Department store in 1918 to support World War I American troops. The artist of the poster was C.B. Falls. (19" x 29")