Victrola Orthophonic Credenza Phonograph or Gramophone

[James]

Which is correct Victrola Orthophonic Credenza Phonograph or Victrola Orthophonic Credenza Gramophone. I always call it Victrola Orthophonic Credenza Phonograph. What I know is here in North America, we use Phonograph, since 1903/ Tim Gracyk article, so British can call it Gramophone.

James

[OrthoFan]

I don't think I've ever seen "gramophone" or "phonograph" used in any of Victor's (US) adds, and "Orthophonic Victrola Credenza" or simply "Credenza" is all I've ever heard collectors use. The ads are normally headed with something like "Waiting to Play for You," the "NEW Orthophonic Victrola," to showcase whatever model they were selling. The most common ones I've come across normally profiled a Credenza, a Consolette or a VV-4-40.

In the UK, I believe that (their version of) the Orthophonic Victrola was referred to as the "Exponential Re-Entrant Gramophone," which replaced the short lived "Improved Gramophone," but I'll let Steve or GMEMG clarify this.

[Steve]

The 'exponential re-entrant gramophone' was rarely referred to as such in the sales blurb. The machines were actually still catalogued as 'Upright Grands' although the sales brochure would make reference to the 'scientifically developed exponential horn' with 'matched impedance' and describe the gramophones as having a new re-entrant 'tone chamber'.

[estott]

How about an Orthophonic Victor Victrola, Credenza Model. If you're sticking strictly with company terminology it's a Talking Machine. Phonograph is an acceptable term in the USA, though inaccurate. In the UK you can call the Credenza a Gramophone, though it's not strictly correct either.

potAto, poTAHto,

[gramophoneshane]

A phonograph plays cylinder records, and a gramophone plays discs records, by definition, but then Edisons diamond disc phonograph plays discs, a Graphophone can play either cylinders or discs, as can a Pathéphone
As long as you dont call them Aardvarks I think most people will know what you're talking about though.

[Steve]

a Graphophone can play either cylinders or discs, as can a Pathéphone

Are you certain, Shane? It was always my understanding that Pathephones were, by definition, DISC machines and the term invented to differentiate them from the earlier cylinder variety?

[Starkton]

I find the following definition to be the most useful:

Lateral recording = gramophone

Vertical recording = phonograph

The shape of the sound storage medium is not specific and unsuitable for differentiation.

[gramophoneshane]

a Graphophone can play either cylinders or discs, as can a Pathéphone

Are you certain, Shane? It was always my understanding that Pathephones were, by definition, DISC machines and the term invented to differentiate them from the earlier cylinder variety?

I stand corrected (thank you Steve )
I've always heard both Pathé's cylinder & disc machines refered to as Pathephones, but it appears this is yet another inaccurate "regional" term. Looking at Pathé's original catalogues, it was only their disc machines that eventually took on the name Pathéphone, (after first being called "Phonographe a disques Pathé") and their cylinder machines were advertised as both phonographe, & even graphophones!
I wonder how they got away with using Graphophone?

[Steve]

I wonder how they got away with using Graphophone?

The same way they got away with liberally 'borrowing' the designs from Columbia instruments!

[FloridaClay]

Inasmuch as a "Victrola" is a machine built by Victor for the purpose of playing records, it would seem to me that either Victrola gramophone or Victrola phonograph is somewhat redundant. Rather like saying “Victor record playing machine record playing machine.”

Technicalities aside, just as a matter of culture here in the States, even in my now ancient boyhood gramophone was regarded as an obsolete term. Generically I always heard these machines called phonographs. The only person I remember who used “gramophone” was my great grandmother, who passed away in 1953 well into her eighties.

Clay