The most widely travelled talking machine

[Starkton]

The most widely travelled talking machine of its time

In November 1888, Professor Edmund Douglas Archibald, an M.A. of the University of Oxford, became lecturer under direction of Colonel Gouraud who was just beginning to exhibit Edison's perfected phonograph in Europe. After a thorough instruction by Henry de Coursey Hamilton, sent by Edison to accompany the phonograph in England, Archibald was given one of the first spectacle type Class M's. In the following he gave more than 100 lectures, illustrated by lantern slides, all through England, parts of Scotland, Ireland and Switzerland. I have a program sheet of late 1888/early 1889 in my collection.

Archibald's most important achievement was his recording of William Ewart Gladstone, Great Britain's most powerful man at the time, addressing Lord Carrington, Governor of New South Wales in Australia in March 1890. Immediately afterwards he bought the phonograph for an inflated price from Gouraud and sailed to Australia via the United States. He reached New Jersey in April and Sydney about early June. In New Jersey he met Thomas Edison and obtained a recorded message from the inventor to the people of Australia.

After arrival Archibald prepared a twenty-page booklet, see below, and travelled through Australia and New Zealand, this time under direction of MacMahon Bros., local show men. The phonograph was cleverly promoted as "a star" and - as in England - made big profits. In early 1892 Archibald left Australasia for England. On the trip home he gave exhibitions in Batavia, Java, Burma, Ceylon and India. I don't know what happened to him or his phonograph after he landed in March 1893. It certainly was the most widely travelled talking machine of its time.

I bought the booklet from an Australian book shop. The shop keeper had reduced the price several times from $20 to $10 to $5.

[gramophone78]

Starkton,what a great piece (even though it's cylinder related) and in such clean condition.I think the price was a gift.I have a feeling I'm going to have my hand slapped about the "cylinder" comment ......Sorry guy's I'm a "disc" kind of guy.However,I still appreciate great and rare Phonograph items.Thanks so much for sharing.I hope this is just a "taste" of some wonderful things to see from what must be a outstanding collection.