The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Did Edison ever make any external horn record players?

If you're talking about disc record players: no.

Most of the cylinder players were external horn machines, except for the Amberola line.

I have heard rumors of such a machine,perhaps as a prototype.

krkey1 wrote:I have heard rumors of such a machine,perhaps as a prototype.

There was a prototype external horn Edison Disc Phonograph constructed. It's pictured in George Frow's book on the subject, as well as in other sources. That machine has not been found at the Edison Historic Park in West Orange, nor ever reported elsewhere.

George P.

phonogfp wrote:

krkey1 wrote:I have heard rumors of such a machine,perhaps as a prototype.

There was a prototype external horn Edison Disc Phonograph constructed. It's pictured in George Frow's book on the subject, as well as in other sources. That machine has not been found at the Edison Historic Park in West Orange, nor ever reported elsewhere.

George P.

It is probable that the prototype may have been lost in the 1914 fire.

Still, one can hope it might turn up someday...

Bill

In my copy of the book "From Tinfoil to Stereo" it shows an example of an external horn diamond disc machine. It's says "Edison National Historic Site Museum" but the machine is not at the national historic site so where did it go if it was there when this book was written?

Good point victrola boy! Unless the museum only had a photo that they contributed to the book.

I visited the Edison Historic Site in West Orange as a kid. I'm guessing the summer of 1975. I can almost swear that the external horn prototype disc machine was there at that time. However it has been a long time, so I could be completely wrong. One thing that might back up the theory of its survival is that the photo in the previous post looks a good deal more recent than 1914. Hmm.

Martin

We spent a long but wonderful Saturday at the Edison National Historic Park in 1999 shooting photos that appeared in Discovering Antique Phonographs. Although Jerry Fabris had brought together crates and crates of unique items we had never before seen, the prototype Disc Phonograph was not among them, nor had Jerry ever seen it.

George P.

Victrolaboy wrote:In my copy of the book "From Tinfoil to Stereo" it shows an example of an external horn diamond disc machine. It's says "Edison National Historic Site Museum" but the machine is not at the national historic site so where did it go if it was there when this book was written?

Maybe the Rooster (Pathé`) threatened patent litigation... there's more than a passing resemblance...