the Edison Class M "escapee"

[phonogfp]

On November 3, 1888 Gouraud wrote to Edison:
PORTABLE PHONOGRAPH FOR EXPRESS SERVICES – CIVIL & MILITARY. - I confirm my letter of 6th October with reference to the mounted phonogram express service which I am inaugurating in this country, and I now beg to inform you that I have begun a systematic course of applications for concessions generally throughout the entire territory under my direction, and am hoping to, at least in some cases, succeed, and am anxious to include, if possible, the exclusive right of Phonograph Talking Stations in the Depots and Passenger Stations of the Railway Companies. I would therefore here again urge upon you the extreme advisability of giving your earliest attention to the devising of some special portable machine for this messenger or phonogram express service, which machine would be equally adapted to military purposes, and for which I can assure you of an enormous demand; in fact I am in a position to say that if such a portable instrument can be devised, I am prepared to give you an order for 10,000.
Please give your early attention to this matter as it interests me greatly, and your advice will be highly appreciated.

Well, isn't that interesting! A "mounted phonogram express service?" Fascinating - - leave it to George Gouraud... Nice research, Starkton - this must have been buried pretty deep, but George Frow apparently stumbled across it at some point. Thanks very much for sharing this!

...But I'd still like to drop the use of the term "Macdonald!"

George P.

[TinfoilPhono]

A great and revealing find, Starkton! I still question how such a tiny diaphragm could possibly work in a real life situation.

[coyote]

Absolutely fascinating. Thanks so much, everyone, for your input on the Paris Exhibition phonograph (whatever it should be called). Many (including myself) have been intrigued by it since first seeing it in Frow's book, and to have such a wealth of information collected here is truly amazing.

[Starkton]

Yes - a couple of Water-Motor Phonographs were sent to Europe, and I believe the serial numbers are mentioned in Discovering Antique Phonographs, but of the Class Ms such as the one sent to Josef Hoffman, I don't think I ever saw any specifics. With no numbers on this new example, it would be impossible to confirm.

The child pianist Josef Homann also received a "Water-Motor Phonograph of the latest type."

Instrument number 5725, including directions, two dozen of musical cylinders, and 50 blanks left the Edison Phonograph Works for shipment to Berlin on February 20, 1890.


Added on on Thu Mar 17, 2011 7:50 pm:

George, I can't decide the first number.

[phonogfp]

Let that be a lesson to me not to trust my memory! Hoffmann was indeed sent a Water-Motor Phonograph. But according to a letter written by Edison to Hoffmann on February 21, 1890, the machine's number was 3725. This is the number we cited in Discovering Antique Phonographson page 29.

On February 19, 1890, Edison sent a Water-Motor Phonograph to Czar Alexander III (this one No.5004), along with "Two dozen musical records and 50 blank phonograms."

I'll be looking forward to your book, Starkton!

George P.

[edisonphonoworks]

The drawer with multiple speaker holders, just re-inforces, studio Phonograph, where you have recorders at the ready with diaphragms from five to eight thousandths for taking different recordings.

[phonogfp]

The letter below was supplied to me in 1999 by Jerry Fabris of the Edison National Historic Park (then "Site"). The serial number of Hoffmann's Phonograph is clearer than the copy posted by Starkton, so for the record, here it is...

No doubt that Water-Motor Phonograph is sitting in a German antique shop right now!

George P.

[Starkton]

I thought about this remarkable Class M phonograph for a while and came to the following conclusion:

It belongs to the selected group of "Special Ornamental Phonographs for Home Amusement" which were sold outright between September 1893 and August 1894 by the North American Phonograph Company (NAPCo.). Each time a client ordered one of these machines, the NAPCo. placed a special order at the Edison Phonograph Works (EPW). Of course the EPW were equipped to fulfill special wishes (walnut case, nickel-plating) which involved additional costs. For example, full nickel-plating justified a mark-up of $25.

The "Edison Phonograph Outfit for Home Amusement" comprised a standard speaker, a recorder, and in addition an automatic speaker. Very likely, a small round box with spares and accessories (membranes, screws, fittings) sat safely in the fourth cutout of the drawer.

A machine like this must have left trails in the order books of the EPW, and also of the NAPCo. during the period in question. I am quite confident that you will find it there. Please keep us posted.

[phonogfp]

...But why then does the machine carry no serial number, nor holes where a North American plate would have been mounted?

George P.

[Starkton]

This is a good point to which I have no answer. Was it perhaps sold after the NAPCo. went bankrupt?