Coin operated phonograph “The Graphophone Type S”
Coin operated phonograph “The Graphophone Type S”
USA, New York
Circa 1900
American Graphophone Company
Wood, metal, glass, rubber; mechanical and carpentry work, polishing, decalcomania, nickel plating
45 x 41 x 25.5 cm, 13 kg
On the nameplate: “THE GRAPHOPHONE/PATENTED/MANUFECTURED BY THE AMERICAN GRAPHOPHONE COMPANY/ NEW YORK. N.Y./Type S/No 68815”.On decalcomania: “The Perfected GRAPHOPHONE/PATENTED/ American Graphophone Co/BROADWAY and 27th ST/NEW YORK N.Y.”
Coin operated phonograph is made based on the "The Graphophone Type S" with spring drive, equipped with switching on device activated by a coin dropped into the coin acceptor slot. The machine is mounted on the top panel of rectangular oak wood case, standing on protruding metal feet. The image of goldish ribbon with the name of the device and the manufacturer's company, made in decalcomania technique is on the front side. The phonograph is covered by glass-enclosed bay window with wooden frame, which looks like cylindrical sector. The bay window can be hinged to provide access to the phonograph mechanism for changing wax cylinders. In the raised position, the hinged stopper located on the left side of the solid rear wall fixes the bay window. Metal onlay with coin slot is set on the bay-window upper panel. Ornately shaped wooden frame with colored poster with the inscription: “I REMEMBER YOU BY ADA JONES” is fixed above the rear panel.
Fitting for acoustic transmission line, to which rubber tube is connected, is in front of the frame. The tube is connected with round metal headphones. The phonograph mechanism is mounted in cast case fixed on steel plate, to which the nameplate indicating the phonograph model, patents, the serial number and manufacturer company is attached. The mechanism is comprised of spindle, on which wax cylinder is pivoted, and escapement screw that moves the reproducing sound box, connected by gear train. Spring engine is located on the panel lower part and is connected to the mechanism by belting. Winding crank is on the case right lateral side. The coin, dropped into the slot of the coin acceptor, falls into the runners and falls on the switcher that activates the motor, the mechanism starts to move. Wax cylinder starts rotating, the needle of the sound box is lowered onto a sound groove, and audio reproduction starts, at the end of which, the sound box rises.
The name of the song encoded on the wax cylinder is written on the poster – “I remember you”. It is performed by American singer Ada Jones, recorded April 9, 1909. Composer - Harry Von Tilzer, lyrics by Vincent Brian.
Music media: phonograph cylinder
Инв.770.1-3/УВЗ