The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Over the years I've found only a few period images of phonographs. I didn't really find this one - - my wife did. Today we were wandering around an antique show in Penn Yan, NY. I found a complete VV-IV for $135 and a box of parts from a VV-IX for $45, but I wasn't interested in either of them. Then Barbie sidled up to me and muttered with a smile, "Here you go."

How does a non-collector have an eye like that?

She said she saw a little pile of old pictures lying in a basket, and thought, "I'm going to find a picture of a phonograph." Well, I'll be... Think I'll keep her.

The image isn't a great prize for a phonograph collector because the machine is almost hidden. But we can see a few things. The machine is a cylinder Graphophone carrying a large decal (either Type 4, Type 5, or Type 6). The horn doesn't seem to be supported by a floor crane, so a cabinet crane is probably present, but this doesn't help date or identify the machine. A rocking chair has very thoughtlessly been placed to block the cabinet's corner details, but the crank lies to the right of the machine. That suggests a fall-off crank, which would make the 1898-99 AT a logical candidate, but an early HG or AG cannot be ruled out. Too many possibilities...

I don't know why this image won't enlarge when clicked twice. I'll try re-loading it.

The image is inscribed on the reverse, "Ralph + Blossom, Kenneth and Lillie." Below in a different hand is written, "Bixbys." I guess we'll never know what type Graphophone was gracing the Bixby home.

Hope you enjoy this.
George P. Well, this doesn't seem to be working. Imagine that...digital unreliability.

Looks like the earliest Kodak image. The first Kodak cameras from 1888 took round pictures. This would date the image from the late '90's or '00's no later than 1905.

Wow and excellent find! Congratulations!

Thank you Guv'na.

Here are some better images that "should" enlarge with 2 clicks. I avoided any post-production on these, and used a camera rather than a scanner.

George P.

Great find! I'm astonished she caught that horn peeking out at the corner. That would be so easy to miss.

I was pretty surprised myself, but she does have a quick eye. In college (before we were dating), we were in the same Geology class, and I made sure we always were partners on field trips because she could spot a fossil 10 yards away.

George P.

That's nice of Barbie to find that for you, George. See? She likes those old record players after all.

Congratulations!

Best,
Fran

Thanks for sharing. Looks like it is a Graphophone... looks like an AT.