PhonoFocus By Request: United States Talking Machine

[phonogfp]

As promised, here's an overview of the United States Talking Machine, which appeared in 1897 and disappeared only a year later. This was the first disc talking machine offered to the public that was not a Berliner product. Yet, the USTM's prominent listing beneath its lid of Berliner discs (including their catalog numbers), and a surviving instruction sheet marked "National Gramophone Company" show a clear connection to Frank Seaman. You can read all about it in an article from the June 2004 issue of The Sound Box, which is included here.

The color photos were taken this afternoon, and most will be included in a subsequent thread, since 10 attachments is the maximum.

Best to all,
George P.

[phonogfp]

The rest of the color photos:

George P.

[antique1973]

That is cool, and such minty condition!

[OrthoFan]

Hi George:

MANY THANKS for posting this. It's interesting to note that Joseph Brown's patent -- 653654 -- also covers a cylinder recording playing version of the machine --

http://www.google.com/patents/about?id= ... &dq=653654

I take it, that never went into production?

[gramophone78]

Great machine George. I had the chance to buy one a few years ago but passed. It had some repro parts on it.

[transformingArt]

Fantastic condition for that machine - I remember seeing this machine on Mr. Rene Rondeau's website. I wonder, however, if the sound quality of this machine would be. I mean, was the sound reproduction mechanism loud enough for the proper listening?

[phonogfp]

Orthofan,

No, the cylinder version never went into production. The patent specifies use of a "pin", so imagine what would have happened to those brown wax cylinders?!

Art,

The sound quality is really not too bad through the ear tubes. Surprisingly good, actually!

George P.

[TinfoilPhono]

For comparison, here's the $3 version of the U.S. Talking Machine. This one is totally original, right down to the (very dried-out) listening tubes. They are permanently coiled after having been stored inside the case, looped below the turntable, for 113 years.

[SonnyPhono]

Thanks for sharing, George! We are all blessed to have the opportunity to see these machines!

[phonogfp]

Thanks, Rene, for sharing your $3.00 example, and thanks to everyone for your kind remarks.

When I bought this machine, it was quite dirty on the outside, but it cleaned up surprisingly well.

Believe it or not, I found this on eBay back in 2003. The seller had listed it rather oddly, and evidently very few collectors saw it. Still, before bidding on it I wondered if it was real - - I have seen one of these that was 100% reproduction including the label. Looking over the typically poor eBay photos, I was finally convinced of its authenticity when I noticed the two little dimples on the lid label just to the right of the engraving of the machine. I reasoned that this was where the lid had fallen on the crank, and that such a clever faker would have been clever enough to properly list the device. Without those two dimples, I might not have bid...

This was also back in the days when eBay bidders could see who was bidding. My friend Starkton saw my handle on the bid list, and very kindly abstained. Thanks again, Stephan!

George P.