The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hi All.
When did the label change?
I assume it must be around when the lawsuits begun, since it was then that using "gramophone" was prohibited by the court?

No, the National Gramophone Company was reincorporated in March 1899 to the National Gramophone Corporation. Later Gramophones (1899-1900) sold in the U.S. will carry this "Corporation" decal.

George P.

I think he's asking why the change from "GRAMOPHONE" to "GRAM-O-PHONE"?

tomwil wrote:I think he's asking why the change from "GRAMOPHONE" to "GRAM-O-PHONE"?

That's a good question! Advertising of the 1890s through 1900 seemed to use both hyphenated and non-hyphenated versions arbitrarily.

George P.

I dug though the net and I found a Google Book reference for the New York Supreme Court document that refers to the dissolution and transfer of all assets of the National Gramophone Company to the newly formed National Gramophone Corporation effective March 31, 1899. It is a lengthy and vey boring legal document and it really does not give the reason.
Here is the link:
http://books.google.com/books?id=4jErlo ... on&f=false

Denes

I would suspect the usual reasons--limited liability and facilitation of public financing.

Clay

pappde wrote:I dug though the net and I found a Google Book reference for the New York Supreme Court document that refers to the dissolution and transfer of all assets of the National Gramophone Company to the newly formed National Gramophone Corporation effective March 31, 1899. It is a lengthy and vey boring legal document and it really does not give the reason.

The increased capitalization would allow for financing a new disc machine (eventually known as the Zonophone) and setting up recording & pressing operations separate from those of Berliner. Thanks for providing this link. I enjoyed reading about MacKay vs. Seaman.

George P.

phonogfp wrote:

pappde wrote:I dug though the net and I found a Google Book reference for the New York Supreme Court document that refers to the dissolution and transfer of all assets of the National Gramophone Company to the newly formed National Gramophone Corporation effective March 31, 1899. It is a lengthy and vey boring legal document and it really does not give the reason.

The increased capitalization would allow for financing a new disc machine (eventually known as the Zonophone) and setting up recording & pressing operations separate from those of Berliner. Thanks for providing this link. I enjoyed reading about MacKay vs. Seaman.

George P.

here the same thing once again zonophone or zon-o-phone this could be a ongoing story


tino

phonogfp wrote: Advertising of the 1890s through 1900 seemed to use both hyphenated and non-hyphenated versions arbitrarily.

George P.

That's right. The hyphenated version, probably inspired by Frank Seaman, was used from mid-1896 in advertising to distinguish between "Gram-o-phone" and "Graphophone".