The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello everybody,
I just found these 2 machines in a garage sale but I'm not able to find any info....
They are german machines, the player/recorder has an electric motor (not yet tested!), uses brown wax cylinder while the shaver is manual.
Does somebody on the forum has any info on the manufacturer, years of production,...?

Thanks a lot,
Jeff

Are these something you are going yo sell? If so I would be very interested. I have an Edison Model D Business Machine and an Edison Shaving machine that these would look great with.

Rich Gordon

I don't have any background info on these machines unfortunately. Be that as it may, your Stenophon looks to be in amazingly good condition. Did you get any of its backstory from the seller?

Clay

Unfortunately, the owner just knew that it had always be in their family house...
For sure, it was carefully stored and I just had to remove some dust before taking the pics.
I hope some forum members are from Germany and will help me to find or translate more info on Stenophon.
For the time being, I will try to get it run and, if possible, shave and record a cylinder.
That will be enough to keep me busy some time!
Jeff.

This is a neat set, I don't know anything about it either. For dictating machine they are really nice, probably date from the late teens. I like the blank, it is really interesting.

phonodesbois wrote:Hello everybody,
I just found these 2 machines in a garage sale but I'm not able to find any info....
They are german machines, the player/recorder has an electric motor (not yet tested!), uses brown wax cylinder while the shaver is manual.
Does somebody on the forum has any info on the manufacturer, years of production,...?

Thanks a lot,
Jeff

You may want to post this question on the German forum, maybe someone there can help. With Google translate you should be able to navigate the site. http://grammophon-platten.de/news.php

Good luck
Andreas

Van Erk & Co. sold the "Stenophon" through its Berlin branch in 1930. It was still for sale in 1935, offered by Erich Mücke, Berlin.

Thanks Andreas, I will try this german site with a simplified text to avoid Google translator mistakes!

I did find pics from 1930 Stenophon but the one I have seems older with a wood case and brown wax cylinders.

Anyway, looking for info is part of the game!

Thanks all,
Jeff

phonodesbois wrote: I did find pics from 1930 Stenophon but the one I have seems older with a wood case and brown wax cylinders.

Your machine and cylinders cannot be much older than 1930, because the manufacturer, Van Erk & Co. from Dresden, Palmstraße 13, was only registered in late 1927.

Thanks for this info!
It's a bit surprising that they still used such cylinders at that time.

Jeff