The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I was poking around and found a picture of something called a Phono Mega Horn. Is it a phonograph horn or a megahorn or both? I see they're made of fiber paper. Most horns are metal or wood. Anything different interests me. Are these hard to come by? and are they for cylinder or disk players?

Hi, Here are two I own. definitely for Cylinder machines and made of a thick cardboard material....

Just one of many brands of aftermarket horns that were offered back then. Kind of rare to find a nice one, since they're made of paper.

Here's a very pretty cream colored flower Phono MEGA Horn I own, mounted on a Graphophone BF.

The yellow center highlights can still be enjoyed.
Cheers,
Fran

Fran, your white/yellow Mega Phono Horn is probably my favorite Mega.

George P.

Thank you George, mine too although I haven't seen nearly as many as you certainly have.

Fran

Anything different interests me

I'll be in Arizona in a couple of days. We'll be there for a two months which will give me time to search out a few more of the elusive and rare Gourd-O-Horns. I'll post photos if I have any luck.

Jerry B. (CEO of Gourd-O-Horns R Us!)

I suspect the Phono Mega Horn company was playing on the idea that a mega horn is really loud so a Phono Mega Horn must be louder than other brands of talking machine horns.

Jerry B.

Hi,

You didn't ask (about the inventor or the date), but those items can help inform what you have.

"MEGA" [US Pat 769,410] TM Reg. 42,355 Sound Magnifying Horns Filed: Feb 18,1904 Reg.: Apr 12, 1904 Used since: Jan 01,1902 Edward A./Alfred G. Schoettel Brooklyn, NY

According to PHP, this invention and trademark were apparently a family enterprise, that is, the two men (Edward & Alfred) seem to have been brothers, and the patent (granted to Edward) was assigned to Emma Schoettel, relationship not yet known.

Most [all?] of the Mega horns seem to use the word "[TM] Registered" so that would date their manufacture to after April of 1904. But in their original application, they claimed that the term was in mfg use since Jan of 1902. Presumably, that would imply (if such existed) that there are some MEGA's out there (made in those 2 years) w/o the term "Registered." When you peruse the patent, you will also see how the word "gore" was once used...

It may be worth checking that detail on the horn ('registered' or not) to see "which" date-range you have.

Best
Allen

I have a blue one with flowers on my Triumph.

- Bill