Mikiphone Question

[gramophoneshane]

Cant say I've ever seen one before. What an awesome accessory!

[gramophone78]

Steve, Yes!!!. I have seen this attachment. I'm not sure if it was offered by the company or by a "jobber" outfit. There is no mention of one in my manual. However, I see your Miki may be a latter model (blue & red). Therefore, the attachment may have been offered by then...?????. Very cool item.

[syncopeter]

On the British forum there is a discussion about Mikiphones too. It seems there were two generations: The original Swiss made one and a postwar Japanese version. The latter is the one you quite often see on eBay. Mind you they are original too. They tend to sound better because of an improved soundbox and resonator.

[gramophoneshane]

The Japanese version was actually a Mikky-phone, and it was rectangular in shape.
There used to be a site that listed lots of info on both the Japanese & Swiss machines, but it no longer works.
If I remember correctly, the Swiss machine was patented in 1924, & Japanese machine in 1930, but I believe variations exist in both machines and they were sold at least until 1950.
The Japanese Mikky-phone is pictured below, and was made by Mikkyphone Mfg Co Ltd, in Osaka, Japan. I seem to recall the Japanese machine stopped being produced during WWII, but production resumed immediately after the war.

[gramophone78]

The post-war Japanese Mikky is not very attractive at all. Even the rough textured paint looks utilitarian.
Shane a good friend sent me a Miki box I have never seen. What a cool display piece.

[gramophoneshane]

Shane a good friend sent me a Miki box I have never seen. What a cool display piece.

Now that I see this picture, I recall seeing one of these boxes (with gramophone & same tin) many years ago. I assume this box is an earlier version than the one I posted.

[David Spanovich]

There used to be a site that listed lots of info on both the Japanese & Swiss machines, but it no longer works.

This one lists quite a number. There's also a very interesting (PDF) article "Ultraportables- beyond the box-camera" --

http://www.sprechapparate.de/eindex.htm

[recordo]

....made by Mikkyphone Mfg Co Ltd, in Osaka, Japan. I seem to recall the Japanese machine stopped being produced during WWII, but production resumed immediately after the war.

I'm sitting in the airport in Osaka as I type this. What a pity I couldn't just drop into the factory and pick a few of these up for us on the forum!

[Roaring20s]

Mikiphone 1926.jpg (69.45 KiB) Viewed 1152 times

James.

[gramophone78]

The Japanese version was actually a Mikky-phone, and it was rectangular in shape.
There used to be a site that listed lots of info on both the Japanese & Swiss machines, but it no longer works.
If I remember correctly, the Swiss machine was patented in 1924, & Japanese machine in 1930, but I believe variations exist in both machines and they were sold at least until 1950.
The Japanese Mikky-phone is pictured below, and was made by Mikkyphone Mfg Co Ltd, in Osaka, Japan. I seem to recall the Japanese machine stopped being produced during WWII, but production resumed immediately after the war.

Since this thread was brought up again and Shane mentioned the Japanese made Mikky-Phone.......as anyone (our than myself) started to notice a multitude of these in NOS condition being sold out of India ??. Of course these are reproductions but, it's just another machine a collector will have to watch out for... . Please note....the one in Shane's pic is original and the bottom pic is the Indian copy....

mikky-phone.jpg (86.48 KiB) Viewed 1136 times