Mirograph recording kit

[kropton]

Hello,
Does anyone have such a device and know how it works? Are there any items missing?

[Inigo]

what a mystery...!

[recordmaker]

If think the missing part is a gramophone and possibly a needle.

the pictures look like they show the following
leadscrew driven by a gramophone center spindle. ( the long threaded bit) and an adjustable support pillar
a clip on guide for the tone arm ( the shorter bit with a clip )
some blank discs ( possibly aluminum ) in the lid
some cutting lubricant (in the tube )

not sure about the turntable though

would need a fair bit of shouting into the horn to work.

There seem to be some empty recesses in the box so could have been electrical cutter.
look forward to some more authoritative opinion.

[kropton]

That's right, the lfeed screw is put on the plate spindle and then the basket with the nut and the lever is put on the feed screw.
Small plate with a non-slip surface (rough blue material) is put on the turntable plate. On the other side there are three locking pins. Recording discs are made of celluloid, it also has three holes (stored in a cover).
The grease is probably used to lubricate the feed screw. There are also cutting needles in the bag.
Problem arises how to connect the turntable tonearm with the lever of this device - according to me, there is no intermediate element, e.g. a hoop for the head or tonearm.

[Inigo]

Maybe that thing at the end of the lever is a clip to be fastened to the gooseneck or something alike?

[jamiegramo]

I would like to help but it seems you are missing two parts. Until another surfaces we can not be sure or see how it works. Hopefully someone will know. Your device may be German so you could try asking on the German phonograph site.

Another home recording device is the Fay Home Recorder shown below. An accessory for your gramophone. The Mirograph doesn’t have the special soundbox (unless missing) or recording horn so could have relied on those already on the gramophone.

There was a French Company, Mirograph, that made optical drawing devices. I did wonder if this was a drawing device on a rotating turntable but the presence of the celluloid discs appears to rule that out.

I once owned a Fay home recorder. The part shown on the right of the box, with a long rod attached, fitted over the turntable spindle. The top section pivots from the heavy base. The rod attaches to a hook on the soundbox and has teeth to the underside so it works like the half-nut on a phonograph. These teeth locate with the revolving thread on on the centre pillar and the soundbox is pulled across the record creating the spiral groove. On the one I owned the heavy pillar was made of pot metal, over time this was swollen and misshapen so that it would never work.