Photos and History
excerpts from
The Talking Machine
an Illustrated Compendium
By
(Illustrations and excerpts used here with the expressed permission of)
Timothy C. Fabrizio & George F. Paul

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         1-24                                                                      1-35
An Edison "improved" phonograph of 1888 showing            The cabinet, referred to in the catalogue as a "Drop
the "spectacle device" which allowed rapid interchange       Cabinet", is shown open to reveal the Edison
of recorder and reproducer. Courtesy of the Howard             Phonograph raised by a counterweight system.
Hazelcorn Collection                                                                  Courtesy of the Charles Hummel Collection
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     2-7                                                                                       2-14
  A hand-driven Berliner Gramophone originally sold                In mid 1897, the spring driven Gramophone was
   for $15.00. This reasonably priced machine inaugurated         modified by Machinist Eldridge Johnson, it was
   Berliner's activities in the United States.                                    This machine, marketed as the "Improved Gram-
   From the Howard Hazelcorn Collection.                                ophone" selling for $25.00, which finally gain for
                                                                                                              Berliner a Significant share of the talking machine
                                                                                                              market.
 
 

Eldridge Johnson soon would purchase the Berliner company
moving most manufacturing to the United States, Changing
the Name of the Company to "Victor" after winning a nasty
patent fight. Berliner machines were sold in Canada for many
years after.
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2-62

The First Berliner with a spring motor, housed in a metal enclosure, was offered in December 1896 for $25.00. The mainspring was wound by lever action. Levi Montross designed the mechanism with the help of Eldridge Johnson.
Courtesy of Norm and Janyne Smith.
 This is just a very small sample of the Many quality Photographs and the History of the Founders of the Phonograph Industry,
found in
The Talking Machine
An Illustrated
Compendium 1877-1929
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