PhonoPostal phonograph

[Curt A]

Apparently this machine was made to record your own audio postcard, which could be played back by the recipient on their PhonoPostal machine. It's like a primitive forerunner to email... Has anyone ever seen one of these?

[tictalk]

Neat machine. Never seen one.

[Roaring20s]

Open this link and scroll down to "One of the rarest rarities!"
https://www.tsf36.fr/earchive.htm
The Instructions booklet for the Phonopostal can be seen.

Other images...
https://www.google.com/search?q=%22le+P ... 91&bih=705

The following is from The American Stationer...

James.

[Curt A]

James,
That's where I originally found these pictures... but I am wondering if any machines survived...

[tomb]

That is a neat phonograph. It seems to be early 1900s 1903 - 1908. I would never have thought someone could do that. I imagine if the post office cancelled the stamp they may change there cording. Tom

[Roaring20s]

There are at least two complete-looking examples out there.

Sold in 2018...

Here's another intact example (for sale?)...

Screen Shot 2020-06-07 at 11.13.08 PM.png (313.76 KiB) Viewed 1690 times

And a mention here...
http://stampcollectingroundup.blogspot. ... ostal.html

James.

[muzafan]

The French seemed to be realy into sound postcards. I recal there was this Pathé Post disc machine.

[Sidewinder]

Apparently this machine was made to record your own audio postcard, which could be played back by the recipient on their PhonoPostal machine. It's like a primitive forerunner to email... Has anyone ever seen one of these?

There are a few around. As you can see in the photo's the weakness was the Turntable / Cardholder. It was made of pot-metal so degrade.

Reproductions were being made at one time of the cardholder(for a very small market).

The Pathé Post was a much more solid machine. There were 2 versions