H.B. DAVEY'S "ELEPHANT"

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old country chemist
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H.B. DAVEY'S "ELEPHANT"

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Following is printed from "London Evening News" Monday July 26th., 1937.
"LONDON GRAMOPHONE COMPANY SAVES THE DAY!" "Whipsnade Zoo eternally grateful" By our Nature Correspondent.

All was not well with Nellie, the African elephant, who recently, sadly, lost her only offspring. She was inconsolable, and many of the keepers of animals at Whipsnade Zoo were asked for their opinions as to how to solve this heartfelt problem. Many came forward, but none with any suitable solutions.
Recently, whilst visiting Whipsnade with his nephew, a Mr. H.B. Davey, of the well known Grape Street firm of "EMG Gramophones" came forward with a most novel and ingenious answer to the problem.
So, without further ado, Mr. Davey, and two of his staff, designed a mechanical working baby elephant, named "Dinky Mk 1". Many sleepless nights, and long days manufacturing this model wonder with the exact measurements of a baby elephant, have been more than well rewarded with the fact that Nellie has taken under her "wing" this mechanical marvel for her own. All is now well in the Elephant house.
The B.B.C. made a recent outside broadcast on the occasion of the introduction of Dinky to it's mother. The story, told by Frankin Engelman, has been transmitted throughout the whole world, and listened to by millions. Butcher's Film Services have produced a newsreel of the event, to be shown at provincial London Cinemas in the near future.
The elephant of baby stature, is fully mechanised, with actuating limbs, trunk and flapping ears.Internally, there is secreted a self inducing play back device of junior African elephant noises, recorded by Mr Joseph Batten of the Columbia Graphophone Company, overseen by Mr. Julian Huxley. The recording on a laminated cardboard core, is of 15 inches diameter, and the play back is triggered by the mother's vocal tones.The recording can be repeated many times. The recording is transmitted to the air by an electrically operated gramophone, inserted within the framework of the animal.
The director of Whipsnade reports that the whole venture has been a complete success. Will Mr. Davey and his workmen be called upon by other zoological establishments in the future....who knows!
A full working specification and review of this mechanical marvel by the "Expert Committee" of "The Gramophone" will appear in a future issue.
A.D. Winterbottom.
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chunnybh
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Re: H.B. DAVEY'S "ELEPHANT"

Post by chunnybh »

It's not April 1st?.

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