Social History — C. 1900
Graphophone
The Graphophone was invented by Chichester Bell and Charles Sumner Tainter in the 1880s. They based their design on Thomas Edison's phonograph which he had patented in 1878. The Graphophone featured an important technical innovation; it played wax rather than tinfoil-covered cardboard cylinders. The machine was originally intended to be used by businesses for office dictation. However, the early 20th century saw growing consumer demand for sound recordings as a form of home entertainment.
This machine is an example of the Type AT Graphophone introduced in 1898. It was powered by an electric motor, operated by turning the handle on the side. Sound was amplified through the horn, which is detachable. The manufacturer, the American Graphophone Company, changed its name to the Columbia Graphophone Company in 1906. This firm then merged with the London-based Gramophone Company to form Electric and Musical Industries (EMI) in 1931.
- Category:
- Social History
- Object ID:
- 52.127/1
- Object name:
- graphophone
- Object type:
- Artist/Maker:
- American Graphophone Company
- Related people:
- Related events:
- Related places:
- Production date:
- c. 1900
- Material:
wood, iron, nickel, enamel
- Measurements/duration:
- H 270 mm, L 300 mm, D 190 mm
- Part of:
- —
- On display:
- —
- Record quality:
- 100%
- Part of this object:
- —
- Owner Status & Credit:
Permanent collection
- Copyright holder:
digital image © London Museum
- Image credit:
- —
- Creative commons usage:
- —
- License this image:
To license this image for commercial use, please contact the London Museum Picture Library.