The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

the heliophone is a parlophone make machine parlophone made atleast 3 variations on this theme
1 the parlophone heliophone wunderhorn (picture)
2 the parlophone automat senior
3 the parlophone automat floor model (picture)
the automat was a coin-op with a electric motor wich turned a jewel covered casing surounding a lightbulb in a mirrored horn (generaly the same idea) greetings
tino

Gramophone78: Thanks for posting this, there was a similar one on ebay last year, but with a lampshade on it as well. A cabinet model (heavily restored) was sold at Breker last year and I know of 4 other "Wunderhorn" machines with external horns more like the one on Phonautographist, as well as a 2 collectors with a spare mirrored horn. I would estimate surviving examples rather at 10-20.

thanks to Grammorex for this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8168NoM4IE

Sidewinder, you are welcome and the pic shown above is the one that sold at Brekers. There seems to be a little confusion from a member about the maker. So, to set it straight, I thought I would post a little history on these.

These gramophones with mirrored horns and "wonder lamps" were made by Ludwig Braker from Hanau am Main ( in Germany ) and were sold under the trade name Heloisophone. He offered a complete catalogue with many different models. Models with oil lamps, with electric lamps and yes also floor models. Some of these were coin-op.
From what I have seen the gramophone cases were all Parlophone cases. Most likely he bought the cases and transformed them. These things must have been rather expensive, for instance: the model my friend has (first post) cost 192 Mark. The horn alone 140 Mark !!.