Mint Edison Kinetophone!

[MTPhono]

A personal gift from Edison to Henry Ford located at Epcot in Orlando, Fl. I was very surprised to see any phonos of interest on a recent trip to Disney - a pleasant surprise indeed. Of the thousand plus people filing past the display, I was the only one to stop and look at it.

Sorry for the poor camera phone pictures. Lighting was quite poor as well.

[Chuck]

Thank you for posting those pictures!

Seeing the phonograph with its large mandrel
makes me wonder if that was the same format
which was still being used in the 1920s.

My dad told me that when he was a kid in the
1920s, that the local movie theatre used a
similar system.

He told me that they would synch up the cylinder to the film. He said the cylinders were basically just large Blue Amberols. Each movie film came with several cylinders.

I bet that a machine such as shown in your pictures would have a very robust and loud
sound, judging from the size and construction
of everything there.

Yup!....It says volumes about the society in
which we now find ourselves, that you would be
the only person to actually stop and really
look at these. Yet another indicator of the
reality we face.

Chuck Richards

[Swing Band Heaven]

Very interesting photos thanks for posting..and how unexpected to find them on display there!

I often find that I am the only person looking closely at such displays in museums...others just cast a casual glance and barely slow down to look as they walk past! I suppose at least it means that I can look without having to fight for space.

[Phototone]

I would be very surprised if there were any Kinetophone movies shown as late as 1920.

[Starkton]

The dating "1878-1879" in the object description is wrong! The so-called toy phonograph was manufactured by Brehmer Bros., Philadelphia, Pa. in 1879, and sold to the public since 1880.

Great photos of the Kinetophone. Thank you for sharing.

[TinfoilPhono]

The 1878 dating is indeed wrong, but that particular version is the first "Parlor" model, with top-mounted speaker. It was made by Bergmann and still carries the old "Experimental Apparatus" markings. 1879 is appropriate for that variation.

The Brehmer Parlor model has the speaker angled a bit to the side of the mandrel, making it easier to use. Production of the Brehmer variation started late in 1879 but few, if any, were distributed before the end of the year so they would date to 1880.

[NEFaurora]

What building attraction area was it displayed in...? I am going to Epcot shortly...and would like to see it firsthand.

Thanks,

Tony K.

[Stephen_Madara]

It is located in the American Adventure building in the world showcase section of Epcot. There is a section that has historical displays. The edison display is double sided and faces the inner lobby.

[MTPhono]

Stephen is absolutely correct about the location. Located about midway around the lake. He must have been there recently - any idea how long this has been on display?

Rene - how are you able to make this statement "It was made by Bergmann and still carries the old "Experimental Apparatus" markings. 1879 is appropriate for that variation." Can you see the markings in my awful photos? There are asset numbers seen on the front of the bedplate easily seen in the pictures or is that the marking you are talking about?

Any idea what the value of each of these machines would be on the open market?

[TinfoilPhono]

I've examined the Ford's tinfoils at close hand many times over the past 15 years. I feel like I know that machine intimately. I even disassembled it at one time, with Bill Ptacek. It was under the watchful but approving eyes of the Senior Conservator there, who remains a close friend.

The dates are from Edison's and the Speaking Phonograph Company papers.

I'd be hard-pressed to value a top-mount Parlor; only 5 exist (2 in private hands, the rest in museums), versus 18 side-mount Brehmer versions (8 privately owned, 10 in museums).

These are all rare birds.