The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Here is a page from the Nicole Record Catalogue for the 1905-1906 season, probably their last edition as they went bust in 1906.

The final two paragraphs are interesting. Nicole were offering part exchange allowances for old soundboxes. Two questions come to mind :

1. How many people would have traded in their Clark-Johnsons, Concerts, early Exhibitions etc?

2. What would Nicole have done with these old soundboxes?

I would gladly trade my Nicole "Master" for a Clark-Johnson or a Concert... (if I had one)

You would certainly do in today's perspective. But the Concert soundbox, although highly collectable today, was and is poorly engineered and its sound nothing more than acceptable. It is also a nightmare to maintain and rehaul, by the way. In those days, most would likely have considered the Nicole soundbox as a net improvement for their gramophone setup.