The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

It's the screw holding the crank handle. The screws for the speaker are knurled, and have lock nuts. Those allow for centering the stylus in the groove and locking the setting in place.

Here are pictures. There's another hole 180 degrees opposite of the one highlighted. Very unconventional screw.

Rene,

Thanks for sharing your excellent addition to your collection.

Bruce

TinfoilPhono wrote:exhibition machine made ca. 1878-1885 by Leppin & Masche in Berlin.

Like Max Kohl, Leppin & Masche manufactured tinfoil phonographs not for exhibitions, but for educational and scientific purposes at schools and universities. I called Rene's attention to the 1885 catalogue of Leppin & Masche because I found that their model was very similar to the one attributed to Küss. I can only guess that other researchers took their information from a Küss catalogue, but sadly they didn't name their sources.

German tinfoil phonographs like this were produced with little alterations well into the 1890s. I am of the opinion that every larger school had one and with the dissolving of old school collections they come to light.

I found another similar model in my files, see below, this time weight driven, by the mechanical workshop of Berthold Pensky, Berlin, shown as scientific instrument at the Berlin trade fair in 1879.

Thanks for this! Interesting....as the machines of both are essentially almost identical especially mouthpiece support, and general logic of the mouthpiece setup. Very helpful info. The Berthold Pensky (famous scientist?) model like the university model pictured have the metal mouthpiece and the release latches on the supports.

Wow -- that appears to have a lot of the same details as the L&M. The plot thickens.

I'd love to have a TF machine one day, as well as a Victor Toy and a Vic 6. I think that's probably my ultimate 'trifecta'. Nice work if I can get it, LOL.

Great find and great collection... I am genuinely happy for you!

TinfoilPhono wrote:Wow -- that appears to have a lot of the same details as the L&M. The plot thickens.

You now have to update your web page? I didn't see it when I was admiring your Edison Doll. And I would like to say I visit your page often. It is truly wonderful. If you guys haven't looked and read Renes page, you are missing alot of information and things we only dream about having.

I finally updated my page this morning. I've been very remiss about keeping up with it.

The problem is that I started the site almost 20 years ago, using software that was already a few years old at the time. By now it is so clunky and hard to use that it's a mini-nightmare. Worse still, it's so outdated that it won't run on my current computer so I have to dig out an ancient and shockingly slow laptop. That isn't likely to live much longer.

I really should do a total rebuild but the thought of starting from scratch terrifies me.

TinfoilPhono wrote:I finally updated my page this morning. I've been very remiss about keeping up with it.

The problem is that I started the site almost 20 years ago, using software that was already a few years old at the time. By now it is so clunky and hard to use that it's a mini-nightmare. Worse still, it's so outdated that it won't run on my current computer so I have to dig out an ancient and shockingly slow laptop. That isn't likely to live much longer.

I really should do a total rebuild but the thought of starting from scratch terrifies me.

I wouldn't let all that history disappear. I look at your site often and just love it.

Your website is excellent. You mention there that at the base of the speaker support number 26 is engraved. Do you mean here?