The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I always wondered, what that cylinder machine at the back of my local dealers shop was. Today I found out. 100€ later, I had another basket case project on hand.
It is some kind of Pathé version of the Graphophone AT. The case looks to be walnut, the motor is completely boggled together (unbelievable). I would love to know more about it.

These are definitely AT works. Pathé started out importing Columbia mechanisms, and building their own cases, before they began marketing their own designs.

Bill

These styles of graphophones are not commonly found in the US.
Are they plentiful in Europe or did the World Wars take its toll?

James.

If I had to guess I would say, they are even more rare than the Graphophone AT.

I did some digging in Pathé catalogues. The Machine has to be pre 1900 as in the 1900 catalogue its successor is already for sale:
I also found one real picture of that newer version:
My version is only depicted at the beginning of the catalogue, without further notation.
The earlier 1898 catalogue shows the original Graphophone AT for sale at Pathés shop:

The mechanism on your machine appears to be around 1898 or so. It has the plates on the spring barrels, not the tabs. Is there a Graphophone ID tag on the bedplate? Also, are there any traces of the decoration on the black enameled upper works?If so, that would be interesting to see.
Harvey Kravitz

The square lid is quite unusual.
Attached an extract of Pathé August 1898 catalog.

Teak wrote:If I had to guess I would say, they are even more rare than the Graphophone AT.

I did some digging in Pathé catalogues. The Machine has to be pre 1900 as in the 1900 catalogue its successor is already for sale:

I also found one real picture of that newer version:

Pathé-GRAPHO1.jpg

My version is only depicted at the beginning of the catalogue, without further notation.

The machine on http://www.noedison.com looks in spectacular condition.

The 1898 catalogue has Pathé selling both Edison and Graphophone machines "officially" . ie a Graphophone AT with all the correct transfers!

Have a look very carefully on the black casting of your machine & see if there is anything out of the ordinary Hint: back side middle low on the casting below the mandrel

Sidewinder wrote: Have a look very carefully on the black casting of your machine & see if there is anything out of the ordinary Hint: back side middle low on the casting below the mandrel

It seems to be a real Pathé version. Only gold pinstripes and no Platemarks on the nickel board.
The motor is really bodged. Spare AT works are on the way, I hope I will be able to scavenge some parts needed.

There was a french company called "Manufacture Francaise Apparails Precision" who began making machines "System Graphophone" in 1897/1898. Pathé made an alliance with this company and soon bought them out as the Pathé manufacturing arm. MFAP firstly manufactured the rather suspect graphophone immitations (they may have had some type of licence?? no one knows for sure) Some early machines (pre Pathé take over) were with the MFAP logo on the cabinet and castings. Then there is a period with the MFAP castings with the Pathé logo on the square style cabinets, and then the graphophone style castings just with gold pinstriping. I asked about your casting as I expected the MFAP logo

The AT motor and this one may not be 1:1 i suspect!

Sidewinder wrote: The AT motor and this one may not be 1:1 i suspect!

The one I bought of ebay yesterday looks incredibly similar!