The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

“On This Day in the History of Recorded Sound…”

September 1, 1908: Edward F. Leeds and George Rumpf were granted a U.S. Patent (#No.897,836) for a disc talking machine whose sound box remained stationary while the turntable traversed beneath it. Designed to avoid infringement of Berliner’s U.S. Patent that controlled any talking machine whose needle/stylus was propelled by a record’s groove, the machine was briefly marketed as an Aretino in 1908/09, and bears the distinction of being the first true mechanical feed disc talking machine known to have reached the marketplace. For much more: https://forum.antiquephono.org/topic/66 ... mment-3090

#antiquephonographsociety #phonograph #gramophone #antique

I would love to see one in person someday. Thanks for posting.

You're welcome, Ken.

George P.

Thanks for the post. I think it's interesting that, at that late date, improvements were being made utilizing the front mount technology and look. I would have thought the buying public were interested in the good looking rear mount machines. Of course that's why we seldom see a moving turntable Aretino.

Thanks, Jerry B.

Jerry B. wrote: Mon Sep 02, 2024 9:58 am I would have thought the buying public were interested in the good looking rear mount machines. Of course that's why we seldom see a moving turntable Aretino.

Yes, between Victor's legal onslaught, the rapidly-declining external horn market, and the economic recession of 1908, Hawthorne & Sheble was on the ropes. The moving turntable Aretino was a desperate last gasp to sell a disc machine that wouldn't violate Victor's US Patent 534,543. It was made as cheaply as possible, so the front-mount configuration was needed. The motor is pretty flimsy. Kind of a heartbreaking end to a proud early talking machine enterprise.

George P.

Remarkably, there’s TWO variations of the motor for this machine. I’ve restored both variations. Although very slight differences between the two, it’s amazing that such a short lived machine saw production changes while being offered for such a short time.
The Conn Wonder with two horns is another oddity that shares multiple changes over a very short lifespan.

Well, look at the several variations of the earliest Edison Gems, the first Type AJ Disc Graphophones, or the first Type AH Disc Graphophones. Evidently, early bugs were being worked out after the machines were hurried into production. I suspect something similar was going on at cash-strapped Hawthorne & Sheble. I wonder if my flimsy example was the "improved" version?!

George P.

Very interesting. Thank you for posting.

It would be fun to see a video of a working one. All videos I can find of Aretino machines are of more conventional (and presumably later) pivoting arm and horn models.