Edison Business Phonograph

[Flvice]

I want to share with you all my Edison Business Phonograph that I've had for some time, but was never complete since I couldn't find the recording horn, mount and crane.

Thanks to the wonders of the internet I came across a gentleman named Jean-Paul Agnard
who I believe is well known in the phonograph collecting world. I wrote to him, as I read that he makes reproduction parts for different tpyes of phonographs. Jean-Paul agreed to help me in my quest and in about three months time, he sent me a reproduction recording horn, mount and crane.

The quality and likeness to the original is excellent, and he was great to deal with and the price was extremely reasonable compared to what an original would be ... if you could find one. I'm very happy to have this machine near complete. Just need to find a headset and perhaps an original stand.. (There is a stand on ebay... a lot of $$$$ though)

[bofusmosby]

Great looking machine!

[phonogfp]

Nice looking Business Phonograph. These wooden cabinet versions don't turn up very often, yet are under-appreciated by most collectors. Congratulations!

George P.

[gramophoneshane]

Very nice example indeed, and congrats on completeing it too.

[NEFaurora]

Hey, Great business phonograph!!! I have tons of pictures of original business phonographs, and will post some. I too, also have a Business Phonograph missing the Horn and horn mount. I have a 1907 model.

I would be very interested in Jean-Paul Agnard's e-mail address as I need a Horn and horn crane as well, though my crane setup has a different mount than yours. I could use your help. Thanks, Tony K.

[Flvice]

Thanks for all of your comments..

I liked this machine ever since I saw one, exactly the same, except with an electric motor at the Edison museum at his winter home / labratory in Fort Myers Florida. That one did not have the horn, mount or crane either. They explained there that the business phonograph was what Edison had originally envisioned the phonograph to be.. an office machine and not for entertainment purposes.

I saw a video recently that Edison put out that demonstrated the business phonograph in an office environment. It was a silent film, but very interesting. I couldn't help but think how impratical it seemed.

I would love to try and record on it, but I guess I would need a shaving device. I'm not sure I've ever seen a shaving device for a business machine. Are they different than the shavers used for home recordings???

As for the repo horn and crane, I'm sure that Jean-Paul wouldn't mind me posting his web site. He has his collection online with some of the repo parts he makes. http://www.phono.org/beaupre-en.html

I would like to see other photos of business machines so if you have some post them on this thread.

Edward

[brianu]

again, that's a really interesting machine.

you mentioned you don't have a shaver to - I'm assuming - erase some cylinders in order to record on them... but is it otherwise working? will it play any of the cylinders that you do have? I've always been curious, with these early business machines, about the contents of the random cylinders and what sort of information might be recorded on them.

[Lenoirstreetguy]

I'm sure this has been posted before....in fact I think maybe I posted it before on some board or other.... but it shows the Edison Business Phonograph in use. Besides it's the most charming infomercial you will ever see. The ending where they all bow to the Edison representative is an utter hoot!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3gf6Edh6d8

Jim

[Flvice]

again, that's a really interesting machine.

you mentioned you don't have a shaver to - I'm assuming - erase some cylinders in order to record on them... but is it otherwise working? will it play any of the cylinders that you do have? I've always been curious, with these early business machines, about the contents of the random cylinders and what sort of information might be recorded on them.

The cylinders used to record on the business machine are much different. They are longer and thicker than normal cylinders. I have played a standard Gold Moulded 2 minute record on the business machine and I can hear it playing, but it is very slow. The speed dial on the business machine has a pointer and a mark for "100" turning the dial can speed it up a bit but not much maybe 120rpm.

I have never found a vintage used voice writer cylinder to play on this machine, but I'm gonna keep my eye out for one. As far as recording, I dont have anything to shave a record, and I do not know if there is a shaving machine specific to the Business Phonograph. In the post by Lenoirstreetguy the video shows the kid shaving a cylinder, but I really cant get a good look at the machine he is using.

Anyone here know????

[phonogfp]

Yes, there were special shaving machines for the Business Phonographs. The earliest ones came in wooden cabinets with a banner decal stating "Edison Shaving Machine" (what else?!). An all-metal version that looks like a miniature treadle sewing machine (although it used a conventional crank)appeared around 1910 I believe, and these sometimes turn up.

You probably found that when playing a standard 2-minute cylinder, it would begin to skip. That's because the Edison Business Phonographs are built to play & record at 150 tpi. They were geared to run slowly to maximize dictation potential, and since playing music wasn't a concern, the slower rpm and consequent loss of fidelity didn't matter much with speech.

You're sure to find some 6" Ediphone cylinders - - there are still a lot of them around. Good luck!

George P.