The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I've had this six-inch long Dictaphone Business Practice Course cylinder for over twenty years, and have always thought of it as a six-inch long Edison Blue Amberol with the typical white, ribbed, plaster core. But a friend recently pointed out this is a DICTAPHONE, not an EDIPHONE, cylinder (think Columbia, not Edison). So the question is: who made this cylinder and when?

The first picture shows the 6-inch long Dictaphone cylinder and box next to a typical 4-inch long Edison Blue Amberol. Note the descriptions and patent/copyright dates given in the captions of the pictures.

Thanks for providing any information,
Bob

Ronald Dethlefson's "Edison Blue Amberol Recordings 1912-1915" describes in detail the Ediphone School Records, manufactured by the Edison company.
Production of these lasted well beyond the music records, continuing until 1960, according to the information from A.R Abel at the Edison Site. They were made in 6 and 4 inch sizes, with grooves of 150 per inch, with a speed of 80 rpms.
Attempts to play these on regular home phonographs will cause the reproducer to repeat, as the thread pitch is different.
The records contained dictation exercises at various rates of oral delivery
If you can get ahold of the book, the whole manufacturing process is explained quite thoroughly.
Bob

"… this is a DICTAPHONE, not an EDIPHONE, cylinder (think Columbia, not Edison)."

If the patent nos. shown are from 1927, the Columbia connection to Dictaphone had been severed some six years before (IIRC). Because of postwar overproduction and manipulation of Columbia's stock by a stock market hype artist, Columbia (USA) had to spin off both its profitable Dictaphone division as well as its British affiliate.

It would be interesting to know when this cylinder was manufactured. Could Dictaphone have done business with Edison? It seems unlikely, since these two companies remained competitors.

A very interesting cylinder, to be sure!

Best wishes, Mark