Print media: share your catalogues and advertising!

[Aaron]

Aaron,

That Berliner Gramophone ad is interesting in that it is one of the few that employed the word "Zonophone" as a test label to market the Berliner Gramophone. (Sometimes collectors are confused by this, thinking that the Zonophone - a slightly later machine - was being marketed here, or that it was an exact duplicate of the Berliner Improved Gramophone! Not so - it was only a name at the time of your ad.) I've seen evidence of this activity during the fall of 1897 and early 1898. Is there a date on your ad?

Frank Seaman was aware of the potential confusion between "Gramophone" and "Graphophone" in the minds of customers (people still confuse them today!). Seaman wanted to experiment with a different name for the Berliner Gramophone, but had his hands slapped by the Berliner management who insisted on marketing the machine only as the "Gramophone." In late 1899, Seaman began marketing a new machine - not manufactured by Berliner, and dusted off his old label: the Zonophone. This was the machine we know today by that name.

Nice ad!

George P.

George,


I cant see a date on the ad anywhere... But i could possible ask the person i got it from and he might know.I recieved this with a large amount of other "phono stuff" as a present from this person (i wont mention names becuase i dont think he like it when people do so) But ill ask him.He gave me many thing that i have been wanting to scan but just havent had a chance to but this board(along with my new scanner) has givin me the chance to start.So ill get back to you on a date for this ad.

Bests,
Aaron

P.S. Ill get the book moneys soon more thing just keep poping up on ebay though and i cant resist

[phonogfp]

Thanks, Aaron.

You could check the reverse side of the page to look for a date, or even clues to a date...

George P.

[Aaron]

George,

i still cant find a date but due to some text i think its from 1898...

Aaron

[MordEth]

Here are some Edison print materials I came across over at the Library of Congress, while looking for something else...

They can be found on a page on the history of the Edison cylinder phonograph, which may prove to be interesting reading for some of our members and guests.

— MordEth

[Fredrik]

Here's another ad from Die Woche. This one, which comes from no. 1 1905, is perhaps less spectacular than the one for Stollwerck, but at least it proves that Jack Russell terriers aren't the only mammals that enjoy listening to records (click on the picture for a larger and sharper view).

Seems as if Hymnophon was in the monkey business...


Fredrik

[Fredrik]

Here's an attempt to translate the main part of the text in the above ad:

Yet another triunph for the German industry is the
"Hymnophon talking machine" without visible horn.

Hymnophon

With its pretty shape and equipment it is an adornment to every drawing room, unrivaled when it comes to the clearness and sharpness of the performance heard, it is the most practical and most easily handled talking machine.

Where not available, turn to the musical instrument factory for the nearest place of purveyance.

Ernst Holzweissig's successor.
Leipzig.

[Kevan]

This is a Edison Phonograph catalogue with all the regulars but two phonographs that are close to the Class M?

Form #625 2d Edition 2-15-05(date)

[gramophoneshane]

Here's another ad from Die Woche. This one, which comes from no. 1 1905, is perhaps less spectacular than the one for Stollwerck, but at least it proves that Jack Russell terriers aren't the only mammals that enjoy listening to records (click on the picture for a larger and sharper view).

Hymnophon i Die Woche 1 1905.jpg

Seems as if Hymnophon was in the monkey business...


Fredrik

Would this be the first internal horn machine ever made?
I though Victor laid claim to that in 1906?

[Kevan]

And I thought Ebay was the only place to see "Edison Victor Phonograph"

LOL That's a good one Shane
Kevan

[Fredrik]

Would this be the first internal horn machine ever made?
I though Victor laid claim to that in 1906?

Gramophoneshane,

I was about to ask something like that myself when I uploaded the picture.

Another interesting detail (if you look at the picture in full size) is that the machine seems to have a slot at the side, thus being a coin operated player, which hardly seems to be the natural thing to advertise towards ordinary people for usage at home.

Fredrik