disc Polyphones

[fmlondon]

Can anyone tell me when the first disc machines with two tone-arms were introduced, and by whom? I know the cylinder polyphones were first introduced in 1899, but I know there were also similar disc machines, but cannot find any information about them.

[phonogfp]

I have replied to you this morning via your email to the Antique Phonograph Society.

Best,
George P.

[phonogfp]

I'm surprised that no one else has offered an answer to this question. I didn't mean to squelch the topic! Here's what I wrote this morning - - maybe others can offer more.

George P.

Hello Frederic,

Thank you for visiting our web site and for your query.

You are correct that Polyphone Attachments for Graphophones and Phonographs employed two reproducers. Tone arms did not appear on disc machines until late 1902, but multiple-horn disc designs were offered earlier than that. The Conn Double-Bell Wonder appeared in 1898, using a single sound box and two horns (but again, no tone arm). Disc machines employing more than one sound box were not marketed in the first decade of the 20th century, although both Victor and Columbia exhibited bizarre designs at World Fairs (the "Triplephone" and the "Quadraphone" respectively). Both these machines used separate tone arms and sound boxes but were not offered to the public. From 1906 -1910, the Duplex of Kalamazoo, Michigan, was marketed to the public (along with Duplex disc records) with some success, using a single sound box (but with two diaphragms) and two horns.

In the early 1920s, Pathé in France marketed a machine with two separate turntables, sound boxes, tone arms, and horns, for the uninterrupted playing of multiple-record sets for orchestral pieces, opera, etc.

We hope the foregoing will be of interest. Let us know if we can further assist.

Best,
George Paul - Antique Phonograph Society

[fmlondon]

I'm surprised that no one else has offered an answer to this question. I didn't mean to squelch the topic! Here's what I wrote this morning - - maybe others can offer more.

George P.

Hello Fredric,

Thank you for visiting our web site and for your query.

You are correct that Polyphone Attachments for Graphophones and Phonographs employed two reproducers. Tone arms did not appear on disc machines until late 1902, but multiple-horn disc designs were offered earlier than that. The Conn Double-Bell Wonder appeared in 1898, using a single sound box and two horns (but again, no tone arm). Disc machines employing more than one sound box were not marketed in the first decade of the 20th century, although both Victor and Columbia exhibited bizarre designs at World Fairs (the "Triplephone" and the "Quadraphone" respectively). Both these machines used separate tone arms and sound boxes but were not offered to the public. From 1906 -1910, the Duplex of Kalamazoo, Michigan, was marketed to the public (along with Duplex disc records) with some success, using a single sound box (but with two diaphragms) and two horns.

In the early 1920s, Pathé in France marketed a machine with two separate turntables, sound boxes, tone arms, and horns, for the uninterrupted playing of multiple-record sets for orchestral pieces, opera, etc.

We hope the foregoing will be of interest. Let us know if we can further assist.

Best,
George Paul - Antique Phonograph Society

[Lucius1958]

That's another Pathé machine: used the same principle as the Polyphone.

Bill

[fmlondon]

When was it introduced?