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Hi

No doubt some have seen a possible variation of an old Exhibition Broadside, for a Graphophone, measuring about 8" by 14". The two men who offered it on Display were Profs Pugh and Vandayburg. There was room for the location to be handwritten, but alas, it was left blank and the Admission and Time of Concert were too. "It Talks - the Wonder of the Age."

It was so loud that "3000 people" could hear it "distinctly."

No mention of whether it was a cylinder or disc, and no reference to any particular artist, or whether electric (or not).

I could only find one example of the Broadside on the Internet, perhaps located in Ohio.

Has anyone ever found an example where some (helpful) details were penciled in? Or seen a mention of these particular Exhibitors? Does anyone want to make a guess as to the date of the possible Model? Was this a one-time (American) event, for this machine?

Thanks.

Allen

Hi Allen,

This sounds like a broadside prepared for our two professors who were traveling from town to town and holding their exhibition for one or two nights in each city. The blank section on the broadside could then be amended to include details of where and when. I have a scrapbook compiled by a person who traveled through Asia giving concerts with an early phonograph. Included are newspaper clippings from each city that was visited, so I think that if you scan old files on newspapers.com searching on the word "Pugh", or "Vandayburg" you could possibly find news stories about the exhibitions.

I suspect that the machine demonstrated was a cylinder Graphophone, since by the time the disc Graphophone was introduced, it was no longer a novelty.

The flyer, apparently kept in Ohio, advertises "Profs. Pugh and Vandayburg's Wonderful Machine, The Gramophone." This explains why it was so loud that "3000 people" could hear it "distinctly".

Following the same internet source, the text below the heading touts the gramophone's novelty, refinement, volume, and relevance.

I did a newspaper search (newspaper.com 1888-1920) for "Vandayburg". Other than a marriage, teacher and a hunting party, there was no other mention.

Maybe expand searching from here ...
https://www.google.com/search?q=%22Pugh ... s-wiz-serp

James.