The 'PHONE' and 'GRAPH' Brands

The Sound Writing Brands

233: The number of talking machines that used 'phone' or 'graph' as a brand name.

 

Phonograph - From the Greek phon meaning "sound" or "voice" and graph meaning "writing."

'Phon' and 'graph' were used by Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville in naming his Phonautograph, a device that could trace "sound waves as a visual image through the vibrations of a bristle on a sheet of soot-covered paper," which he patented on March 25, 1857.

Thomas Edison successfully recorded and reproduced the human voice on December 6, 1877 and also used 'phon' and 'graph' in naming his invention the Phonograph. For fifty other potential names that Edison apparently considered see Edison's list courtesy of The Thomas Edison Papers at Rutgers University and a 2012 article in The Atlantic by Rebecca J. Rosen. (1)

Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville's 1859 Phonautograph

Edison's 1877 Phonograph

 

Led by the naming conventions of Scott and Edison, many talking machine companies used 'phone' or 'graph' to name their brand or company.

When the moving picture industry began and Edison named his machine for viewing films the kinetoscope and his device for projecting films the projectograph he noted how dozens of new graphs and scopes had suddenly appeared in the field and announced this must stop. "There is only one 'scope,' and that is the kinetoscope," said Edison...""Only one 'graph,' and that is the projectograph. All others are practical imitations."

For the preceding phonograph industry, however, the list of 'phones and graphs did not stop.

The following list of '-phone' and 'graph' brands was inspired by my interest in etymology and in all things connected with the phonograph. Many thanks to the sources used to compile and confirm this list (see endnote for sources and their respective abbreviations). (1A)

 

 

A PHONOGRAPHIA FACTOLA: 'PHONE' and 'GRAPH' Brands

This list of 'phone' and 'graph' talking machines is not intended to be a history of any company or talking machine. If a listed name has an asterisk (*) it has not been included in the total count because it is an attachment or accessory and not a talking machine.

 

Aérophone – Spanish "Extrafon" (8A) "design is fanciful, but not unique -- it bears an uncanny resemblance to a French-made contraption called the Aérophone." (p. 261, TCM2)

 

Aladdaphone – Bay City, Michigan. EM (RJW)

 

Algraphone – Alfred Graham Company, circa 1921 (CPG, p.59)

Algraphone Salon logo and phonograph (78 RPM Club)

Allegrophone* – National Allegrophone Company, Boston, MA - This was a device that "Dignifies and Beautifies the Talking Machine" by concealing the running parts and eliminating "all the noise except that necessarily transmitted throught hte horn" - advertised in Talking Machine World, October 1908 (3A) (A&C)

 

Alternaphone – 1925 ad from EBay courtesy authenticpubs

l

Angelophone – The Angelico Company, 122 Columbus Heights, Brooklyn, New York. EM (RJW) and (GK)

1916 Angelophone Superba tabletop phonograph made for the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society of Pennsylvania.

Courtesy TechnoGallerie (GK)

 

Apollo-Phone - Melville Clark Piano Company, DeKalb, Illinois. The player piano contained a phonograph and player piano mechanism. (See Apollo-Phone endnote by Jere DeBacker for more details).

Source: Apollo-Phone Pianola.org

 

Apollo-Phone Record Cleaning Brush (Collection of Jere DeBacker)

 

Audio-Phonic – Gem Color Co., Inc., 93 Belmont Ave., Paterson, NJ - The Audio-Phonic Home Recording, 1958 - Record Maker (FOTP) - unconfirmed if this can also play records but currently counted as such.

 

Artophone – The Artophone Company, 454 North Boyle Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri. January 1916 TMW (RJW)

 

 

Astephon-Sprechmaschinen - Deutschland Fahrradwerke, August Stukenbrok, Einbeck Catalog August 1912 (Source: 78 RPM Club)

 

Automatic Pariophone – In Britain, Charles Adams-Randall, an electrician, filed a patent for the "Automatic Pariophone" in 1888, a functional coin-operated phonograph. See Wikipedia Multiphone - The History of the Coin-Operated Phonograph.

 

Autophone - CAPS, c.1908 (Courtesy Bill Pratt) - reported to be able to play both cylinder and disc records.

Universal Autophone photograph, Donley's Auctions, 2024 (Art Studio W. C. Wolfe).

 

Autophone - The cylinder playing “Autophone” with 12 selections was made in San Francisco by The Autophone Co. (also a division in the city of New York). The “Autophone” for cylinder play, which was a very nice instrument, was designed by Cornelius Reinhardt. (3B) (HCP). The Talking Machine World January 1915 ad says that the Autophone "was the first...to use concealed horn cabinet."(FOTP)

 

 

Auxeto Gramophone (marketed in United States by Victor as the Auxetophone) - Compressed air was valved through the instruments sound box, reinforcing and augmenting the mechanical compoentns that produced sound from a record. (3C) (ADV)

 

Auxetophone - Victor Talking Machine Company - TMW August 15, 1907 (FOTP)

 

Bingophone – Bing, German Toy Phonograph Manufacturer circa 1920's (FOTP)

View lithographics of Bingophone II

 

 

Biophone – A German made machine described by Fabrizio and Paul as "an odd sort of Puck sold in Great Britain (made in Germany). Conventional Puck works, slightly rearranged, are disguised by the stylish metal housing." (3D) (TMC2)

 

Burrophone – A phonograph sold by the Burroughes Furniture Company, Toronto, Ontario. 1929 ad courtesy of Betty Pratt of CAPS. (4)

Bruhnsophon - Germany, 1898. (Source: 78 RPM Club)

 

Cailophone – A made in the USA coin-activated talking machine described by Fabrizio and Paul as employing "works that imitated those of an Edison Phonograph. The cabinet style reflected a design frequently seen in other coin-op talkng machnes of the period." (4A) (TMC2)

Cameraphone – Cameraphone Co. Ltd, London, et al. A portable disc record player that looks like a camera when it's put back into its 'box.' Several brands and styles for the box were made as a wooden box camera or metal 'Kodak' Autographic style camera in cracked painting on metal coming in various colors (e.g, brown, tan, green, red, blue or black for the Thorens Excelda) or leatherette. Whether the brand name actually included 'camera' (as a "Cameraphone" or the German "Kameraphone") or marketed by another name such as "Peter Pan", Excelda or the Mignonphone, they all had the common intention in design so that when all of its components (e.g., horn, turntable, stylus, crank, etc.) were stored inside the instrument's box it looked like a period camera.

 

Cameraphone Co. Ltd, 11 Finsbury Park, and by Lee & Pollock, Finsbury Square, London circa 1924 (Courtesy radio-antiks.com)

 

 

Thorens Excelda Swiss Gramophones i.e., "Cameraphones" circa 1941 (Courtesy keithwright.ca)

 

Camp=Fone (Camp-Fone) - Health Builders, Inc., 334 Fifth Avenue, New York City, New York. April 15, 1923 TMW (FOTP)

For context and advertising examples of this portable phonograph introduced as part of Walter Camp's "Daily Dozen" program, see Phonographia's "Keeping Fit with the Phonograph - Exercising to Music."

 

Carry-A-Phone – Davenport Phonograph Accessories Company, Inc., Davenport, Iowa. June 15, 1924 TMW (RJW)

 

Carriphone - Carriphone Co. London - Box camera portable 1926 (CPG p. 64)

 

Cecilaphone – Bush & Lane Piano Company, Holland, Michigan. July 15, 1918 TMW (RJW)

 

Ceramiphone – Smith-Phillips Music Company, East Liverpool, Ohio. March 15, 1920 TMW (RJW)

 

Charmaphone – R. L. Kenyon Manufacturing Company, 39 West 32nd Street, New York City, New York. November 15, 1918 TMW

 

Charmaphone – G. Prevost,f 18 Rue Grane-Bateliere, Paris

Chronophone* – The Chronophone is an apparatus patented by Léon Gaumont in 1902 to synchronise the Cinématographe (Chrono-Bioscope) with a disc Phonograph (Cyclophone) using a "Conductor" or "Switchboard". This sound-on-disc display was used as an experiment from 1902 to 1910. Courtesy of Wikipedia

Cliftophone – W. F. Clifton, 'Wonder' Portable. Crocodile grained leather case, Cliftophone horizontal soundbox, record compartment, gilt fittings - Photo and information courtesy of the City of London Phonograph and Gramophone Society (C.L.P.G.S) - sales agents for all Cliftophones were Chappells, the piano-makers of Bond Street. (CPG, p64)

Clock-O-graph – Sears phonograph, 1976 catalogue (FOTP)

Colorgraphic Twirl-a-Tune - Colorgraphic Inc., Chicago, 4711 W. Lake Street, Chicago (FOTP)

Compatophone - The Sterno Manufacturing Company, Ltd., London, England. October 1916 TMW (RJW)

Concert=o=Phone, aka Skellyphone - Skelly Manufacturing Co., 81 South Jefferson Street, December 15, 1906 p. 74 TMW (FOTP) - Note: The Skellyphone is identified as a machine in The Patent History of Phonographs. (AK)

Cortinaphone – Made by the U.S. Phonograph Company, Cleveland, Ohio and sold by R.D. Cortina Company, New York - Circa 1910 - 1913 the Cortinaphone included both two and four minutes gearings and was used in home language teaching. (4B) (DAP)

 

Craniograph - No additional information (RJW)

 

Cremonophone - The Cremonaphone was a product of Amherst Pianos, Ltd., located in Amherst, Nova Scotia and operational from 1919-1928. For more details and history see The Cremonaphone Story by Norman F. Brooks. (5)

Cylo- Phone* - Not a machine but rather a cabinet made by the Herzog Art Furniture Company, Saginaw, Michigan. 1908-1909 This cabinet was designed to "allow the owner of an external-horn cylinder machine to 'convert' it into a more Victrola-like, concealed horn instrument." (5A) (DAP)

 

Deflex-O-Graph* - Not a machine but rather an accessory for the soundbox. (5B) (GGG)

 

Detmer-Phone – Chicago; St. Louis. EM (RJW)

 

Deuxphone – "Will Play Any Disc or Cylinder Record."

Photograph courtesy of Antique Phonograph Society Forum and BenL.

 

Discaphone - Edison Bell Consolidated Phonograph Company, Charing Cross Road, London; In 1908 Edison Bell introduced the "Discaphone", a machine that would play both laterally and vertically-cut disc record. Edisonia, Ltd. was created to be the manufacturing arm of Edison Bell. - Wikipedia

 

 

Discophone - Switzerland. No additional information. (Source: 78 RPM Club)

 

Disk-o-Phone — The Valiquet Novelty Company, 50-58 Columbia St., Newark, N.J. - TMW September 15, 1906 (FOTP)

 

Dictaphone - Columbia Phonograph Co., ca. 1922 - a talking machine designed to be marketed as a dictation machine. FOTP (6)

 

 

 

Dixyphone - German toy phonograph manufactured in 1920's (FOTP)

 

Dulcephone* – Record Album, London, England - The Talking Machine World, August 15, 1907 (FOTP)

 

 

Dulcephone – Dulcephone gramophones are believed to have been imported, or assembled from imported components, by Barnett Samuel & Sons London. "The Decca name appeared on their first portable in 1914. "The Decca Dulcephone, as it was called on early models, had a deep lid containing a metal bowl rerred to as the "Dulciflex...It's popularity in the trenches of the Great War has earned the Decca of the Dulciflex type the name "Trench" Decca among collectors." (CPG, p.66-67.

Information and soundbox photo posted in Talking Machine Forum

 

Dulciphone – Grand Talking Machine Company, 366 Adam Street, Brooklyn, New York. February 1917 TMW (RJW)

 

Duophone – Table grand. Mahogany case, Duophone (Newlands patent) double soundbox and tone-arm - Photo and information courtesy of the City of London Phonograph and Gramophone Society (C.L.P.G.S).

 

Dupliphone* – Not a machine but rather a cylinder talking machine attachment used to convert ordinary Graphophones or Phonographs to 'accept the large, 5" diameter 'Concert' records." (6A) (A&C)

 

Echophone (Amet) - Cylinder talking machine originally called the Metaphone by Edward H. Amet ("Meta" being an anagram for Amet's name; it was later called the Echophone"). (7) (A&C)

 

Echophone (Swiss) - Compagnie P. Jeanrenaud, Sainte Croix, Switzerland. The company made a 6-selection phonograph called the Théatrophone and a smaller version called “Echophone” in the early years of the 20th century. (8) (HCP)

 

Ediphone – Edison Ediphone cylinder record machine for dictation - Simplify Your Day. Dealer handout circa 1920, Form 3205 (FOTP)

 

Elitophon – No additional information. (Source: 78 RPM Club)

 

Endlessgraph Mfg. Company – Chicago, makers of the Fairy Phonograph Lamp.

"Patient Pending" (sic)

 

Extrafon – Spanish disc machine referenced in TCM2 as "extraordinary, right down to the marbleized celluloid covering the body. The design is fanciful, but not unique - it bears an uncanny resemblance to a French-made contraption called the Aerophone. (8A) (TCM2)

 

Fairy Phone – German toy phonograph manufactured in 1930's (FOTP)

 

Figuraphone – Weco, German-made child's phonograph with rotating lithograph displayed in front 'window' of the machine circa 1925, (8B) (TMC2)

 

 

Flamephone - Scientific & Projections Ltd, Farrington Road, London - 1922 Portable Gramophone "played through a burning gas-jet." (CPG p. 74)

 

Fono Fun - Playmate Toys, Inc., Great Neck, NY, Playthings Catalogue September 1970 (FOTP)

 

Fonograf - Fulton-Alden Company, Waukegan, Illinois 1918 (FOTP)

 

Francophone – Made by the Franco-American Clock Company, Toronto, Ontario, circa 1920?

Funnigraph* – The Patent Funnigraph was invented "long before the days of Edison" by Mr. Punch. In the December 29, 1888 issue of Punch, or the London Chavari, Mr. Punch invites Father Time to take with him Mr. Punch's perennial patent Funnigraph and tuck it under his arm to "amuse and instruct you on your lonely round between now and next New Year's Day...For Mr. Punch's original, ingenious, unsurpassable Patent Funnigraph is his Ninety-Fifth Volume of Punch. (FOTP)

 

Hermophon – Germany, "Die Gute Hausmusick" (Source and photo of machine logo: 78 RPM Club)

 

Hexaphone – The Regina Company, 47 West 34th Street, New York City, New York. February 1917 TMW (RJW)The Regina Music Box Co. produced the 6-selection “Hexaphone” from 1909 until 1921. (9) (HCP)

 

Highamophone - "The 'Highamophone' formed the basis upon which the Columbia 'BC' and "BM' would be designed." (4-39) (9A) (TMC2)

 

 

Homophone – Homophone, 5, Rue d Béarn, Paris (3rd) - 1907 L'Illustration magazine

Hydraphonograph - The German firm Runge & von Stemann, Berlin 1897. Push-button six-selection phonograph - (10) HCP

 

Hymnophon - Ernst Holzweissig Manufacturing, Leipzig, Germany - The Talking Machine World, August 15, 1907 (FOTP)

Idealophone – Switzerland. No additional information. (Source: RPM Club)

 

Illustraphone - Hawthorne & Sheble Mfg. Co., Philadelphia, PA. (TMW) August 1907

 

Induphon - Germany (Source: 78 RPM Club)

 

Jolliphone - made by the Leonhard Müller Company (unbranded Lemiphone), Nürnberg, Germany, circa 1926

 

Kálephone - Switzerland (Source: 78 RPM Club) - No additional information.

 

Kameraphone - German box camera-like model with leatherette cover from 1920's. See Cameraphone for models from other countries (5-27) (DAP)

 

Kamophone – Illinois Phonograph Company, 400-412 West Erie Street, Chicago, Illinois. July 1921 TMW (RJW)

 

Kamp-Fone – Kamp-Fone Health Builders, Inc., 224 Fifth Avenue, New York City, New York. April 1923 TMW (RJW)

 

Kamp-o-phone – Merchandise Distributors, 221 West Randolph Street, Chicago, ILL. Motor Boat, July 10, 1921

 

Keen-O-Phone – Keen-O-Phone Company, 136-138 South 4th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. June 1914 TMW (RJW)

 

Keenolophone – Keen-O-Phone Company. The flagship of Morris Keen's Keen-O-Phone Company was the 'Keenolophone' which he introduced in 1911. "The cabinet has a distinctly 'Empire' look that would not be seen in Keen-O-Phone's catalogued models." p.17 (10A) (PWF)

 

Kestrophone - 1923, English cabinet gramophone with Kestraphone Scratchless soundbox (CPG, p.78)

 

Kiddiefone* – The Wilkins Toy Co., Keene, New Hampshire May 1917 The Talking Machine World (duplicate with Kiddiephone No. 795 and not added to Factola total count). (FOTP)

 

 

Kiddiephone – The Wilkins Toy Company, Keene, New Hampshire. June 1917 The Talking Machine World (FOTP)

 

 

Kiddyphone - German Toy Phonograph Manufacturer Bing circa 1920's (FOTP) - View 1926 Kiddyphone ad

Koch-O-Phone – Ands Koch, 296 Broadway, New York City, New York. May 1917 TMW (RJW)

 

Lambertphone – Lambert Co., circa 1906 sold in Great Britain. (4-101) (DCM2)

Lampagraph – Lampagraph Company, Rialto Theatre Building, St. Louis, Missouri. August 1920 TMW Lampagraph (RJW)

 

Lampograph – Frank H. Feraud, 1911 State Street, Granite City, Illinois. December 1918 (TMW)

 

Land-O-Phone* – The LAND-O-PHONE Company, 288 Fifth Avenue, New York City. TMW ad January 15, 1906 (FOTP)

 

Languagephone – The Columbia Graphophone Type "Q" was sold as a "Languagephone" to play cylinder records that taught a variety of languages. (3-122) (TMC2)

 

La Sallephone – The La Salle Company, Chicago, Illinois EM (RJW)

 

Leeds U-Phone – U-Phone Company, Ltd., Leeds, England. EM (RJW)

 

Lemiphone - The Leonhard Müller Company, Nürnberg, Germany, circa 1926 (FOTP)

 

Linerphone – Linerphone Talking Machine Company, 1801 Nebraska Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. October 1918 TMW (RJW)

 

Lioretgraph à poid (No. 3) - Henry Lioret, a French clockmaker, in the late 1890's "used suspended weights to drive the mechanism of his cylinder talking machine" that played celluloid cylinder records. See photograph p. 60, (2-43) (DAP)

 

Lorophone – Lorimer-Hicks Manufacturing Company, Republic Building, Chicago, Illinois. February 1917 TMW (RJW)

 

Luxophone – See Parlophone

 

Lydiaphone – No additional information

 

Lyon=A=Phone* – Opera soundbox, A. Lyon and Co., 75 City Road, London, England p. 36 TMW p. 36, December 15, 1906 (FOTP)

 

Lyraphone -- Manufactured by the Lippert Furniture Co., Limited, Kitchener, Ontario. "No direct link has so far been found in any publication between the Lippert Furniture Co. and Lyraphone machines. It is assumed that the furniture company made the machines that have that label." Information courtesy of CAPS (11)

Courtesy of The Canadian Antique Phonograph Project (4)

 

Lyric – Lyraphone Company of America, 220 Fifth Avenue, New York City, New York. April 1916 TMW (RJW)

 

Lyricphone - UK, Pre WWII gramophone producer and label made in the UK and later on also in New Zealand. (Source: 78 RPM Club)

 

Maestrophone - Model No. 205 produced circa 1910 by Swiss firm of Paillard "used a hot air motor to power the turntable. An alcohol lamp heated the air, which ran a turbine." See photograph on p. 144 (3-113) Courtesy of Ray Phillips. (DAP)

 

Maestrophonic - Alba, English brand, proprietors A. J. Balcombe Ltd. - Alba Maestrophonic portable circa 1931 originated from Paillard. (CPG, p.58)

 

Mag-Ni-Phone – Charles W. Shonk Company, 707 St. Charles Street, Maywood, Illinois. October 15, 1916, TMW

 

Magnola – Magnola Talking Machine Company, 711 Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. May 1916 TMW (RJW)

 

MAKAPHONE* - Modern Phonograph & Supply Company - not a talking machine but a supply company that could provide plans and materials for constructing their own phonograph machines. See the Choraleon Phonogarph Company's "How to Build Your Own Phonograph with our Help" booklet on p. 149 (4-11) (GRA)

 

Manafone - Unknown except for photograph and details from Fabrizio and Paul. (11A) (DAP)

 

Manophone – James Manoil Company, Inc., 60 Broadway, NewYork City, New York. July 1916 TMW (RJW)

1919

 

Marconiphone – Marconiphone, Inc., 679 Madison Ave., New York. 1936 Ad (FOTP)

1936

 

Masterphone* – Masterphone Corporation of America, 29 West 34th Street, New York. This was an attachment. April 1921, TMW

The Talking Machine World, April 1921 (See full ad HERE)

 

Mellowtone – Mellophone Talking Machine Company, 376 Lafayette Street, New York City, New York. August 1916 TMW (RJW)

 

Melodograph – Melodograph Corporation, 142-146 West 14th Street, New York City, New York. November 1916 Good Housekeeping magazine (FOTP)

Melodograph (Courtesy LOT-ART)

 

The Melodograph, Good Housekeeping, November 1916 (See full ad HERE).

 

Melogram – Barnett Samuel & Sons Company, London 1924 - musical instrument wholesaler began manufacturing a portable gramophone called the Dulcephone, which they patented as the first portable gramophone; they sold it under the trade name Decca. Included Melogram in the Steinway Hall Test of better-quality gramophones organized in 1924 by "The Gramophone"

 

Melophone – Melophone Talking Machine Company, 376-378 Lafayette Street, New York City, New York. August 1915 TMW (RJW)

May 1917

 

The Talking Machine World, August 1915 (FOTP)

 

Merveillophone – Belgium. (Source: 78 RPM Club)

 

Metaphone - Developed by Edward H. Amet ("Meta" being an anagram for Amet's name; it was later called the Echophone"). Amet was "an inventor of a spring motor for Edison's Phonograph (Class M) in 1894." Courtesy The Routledge Guide to Music Technology (12)

See article announcing the Metaphone in The Phonoscope, November 1896.

 

Metrophone – Joseph Hagn & Company , Chicago, Illinois. Advertised in The Billboard, December 8 1917

 

Metro-Phone – Franz Brückner Mfg. Co., 405 Broadway, New York City, New York. October 1916 TMW

 

Micrograph* – Micrograph and Micrograph Attachment, The American Micrograph Co., Inc., 290 Broadway, New York City. An attachment for a graphophone: "A TRUMPET that Reproduces without a Reproducer." December The PhonoScope (FOTP)

 

Mignonphone – L. S. & E. H. Walker, 350 Madison Avenue, New York City, New York. October 1925 TMW (RJW)

1926 Portable Gramophone with folding cardboard horn, courtesy The Phono and Radio Archives)

 

 

Mikiphone - "Pocket phonograph designed by Miklós Vadász, a Hungarian designer who it was named after. He commissioned the Swiss company Pillard to mass-produce it, and between 1925 and 1927 around 180,000 pieces came out of the factory." Photo and information courtesy of earthlymission.com; additionally see 78 RPM Club.

 

Mikky Phone - Japan (Source: 78 RPM Club)

 

Miraphon or Miraphone - Mermod Frères, founded in 1816, St. Croix, Switzerland - The Miraphone, a combination disc music box and Pathe phonograph, was made in limited quantities c.1903-1910. Courtesy of David Bowers EAMI (13)

This upright "Decal Console" Miraphone plays size 18.5" disks as well 78 RPM records - Courtesy Musical Treasures of Miami

 

Miraphone in 1905 combines Mira Music box and Victor Talking Machine, The Talking Machine World, February 1905

 

Miraphone - c.1920 Unknown if this is connected with Miraphone made by Mira Music Box Co.

 

Multiphone - "The 24-selection “Multiphone” produced in New York with cabinet design by William H. Pritchard, later also head of The Autophone Co., and a mechanism developed by Cyrus C. Shigley and Julius Roever. The design of the cabinet alone made it expensive to produce in large numbers, and alterations to the initial two patented designs were made." Courtesy of Gert J. Almind (14) and (DAP)

Multiphone with wheel of 24 cylinder records on display at the Edison Ford Museum, Fort Meyers, Florida

 

Multiphone - Emile Berliner six disc experiment: "Neg. no. 23456-1: six disc playback system" from b&w 8 x 10 negative, Library of Congress (date citation of 1871 incorrect) (15) (FOTP)

Berliner Multiphone photo, courtesy Library of Congress

 

Multiphone - Kenneth C. Shyvers invented The Shyvers Multiphone starting in 1935.

"The Multiphone was a music selection device that operated over telephone lines mostly in Seattle, Tacoma and Olympia, Washington from 1939 to 1959. These units were typically placed on tables, counters or bars. A patron could deposit a coin and speak with a telephone operator standing at a turntable at the Central Music studio, who would then play a selection in the speaker at the bottom of the Multiphone. These units became popular because they had a record range of 170 whereas jukeboxes only had a record range of 20-48." (16)

Art Deco Shyvers Multiphone Jukebox Selector - Skyscraper Design - courtesy of decophobia 20th Century Design (17)

 

 

The all-female team of multiphone disc jockeys in downtown Seattle playing requests for Shyvers Multiple Boxes and transmitting the music by telephone line. (Courtesy of The Dead Media Archive) (18)

 

 

 

Musaphonic - General Electric, 1947 print ad (FOTP)

 

 

Musicalphone - Manufactured by The Englewood Co., Consolidate Factories, Chicago, U.S.A, circa 1906 (TMC2) - See 4-18, page 135 The Talking Machine An Illustrated Compendium, Fabrizio and Paul for photograph of machine.

 

Music-phone - The Valiquet Novelty Company, 50-58 Columbia St., Newark, N.J. - Coin operated disk record machine, TMW December 15, 1906 (FOTP)

 

Musicphone - In Hamilton, Ontario, the Newbigging Cabinet Company, specialists in player-piano rolls and record cabinets, came out with its Musicphone. Seen in ads from 1916-1924. (19) (CAPS)

Courtesy of The Canadian Antique Phonograph Project (4)

Neophone - "German vertical cut machines and discs largely intended for the British market." p. 89 (DAP)

TMW August 15, 1907 (FOTP)

 

Nipponophone – Japanese record label founded in 1910 as Nipponophone Co., Ltd. (FOTP)

Nipponophone postcard circa 1930's

 

Nipponophone Record and Machine Catalogue, Kawasaki, Japan (Courtesy of Nipperhead)

 

 

Notéphone – French suitcase model phonograph as seen on postcard advertisement circa 1930

 

Octophone – Bing, circa 1925

 

 

Olaphon – Made by Weco

 

Operaphone Records* – Operaphone Company, Inc., Long Island, New York. The Talking Machine World, June 15, 1918

 

Orchestraphone* – "Introduced in March 1908 the Orchestraphone was a small wooden cabinet designed to be placed upon Victor machines in place of the horn...Doors mounted on the front of the 'Orchestraphone' allowed for volume control." (p.14 GGG) TMW, March 15, 1908

 

Orchestrophone – German disc machine whose "1907 catalogue listed 27 external-horn models and one floor-standing coin-op." (19A) (DAP)

 

Oratiograph – Made by John Schoenner Factory, Germany 1902 - Courtesy EMI Archive Trust collection. (19B)

 

Organolagraf - Howard Darlington, Ohio, September 15, 1916 (AK) (An -ola and a -graph)

 

Orthophone – Luxus Orthophone - Deutsche Telephonwerke, Berlin, TWM August 15, 1907 (FOTP)

 

Orthophonic – Victor Talking Machine Company released their new Victrola Orthophonic featuring its exponential horn and intended for its new electronically recorded discs on November 2, 1925. p. 231 (7-3 for photo of 'Credenza' the flagship machine) (TMC2)

 

Paleophone – The never constructed apparatus conceived by Frenchman Charles Cros in 1877. "Cros developed a theoretical application of Edouard-Leon Scott's principles used" in Scott's Phonautograph "by which recorded sound might be replayed." (19C) (DAP)

 

Parlephone – E. E. Tower, St. Joseph, Missouri. April 1919 TMW (RJW)

 

Pantograph – A machine that could copy cylinder records. Used by manufacturers to meet consumer demand for recordings prior to improved moulding production techniques like Edison Gold Moulded Records. (19D) (DAP)

 

Pantophone – French machine sold by A. Morhange, Paris circa 1906. p. 90 (DAP)

 

Parlograph – "Founded by Carl Lindström (1869–1932), a Swedish inventor living in Berlin, it originally produced phonographs or gramophones with the brand names "Parlograph" and "Parlophon" and eventually began producing records as well." Courtesy of Wikipedia (19E)

 

Parlophone – Luxophone Parlophone (Parlophon) 1918 Made in Germany by Carl Lindström Company with ties to Britain. (19F) (DAP)

Courtesy TechnoGallerie (GK)

 

Pathéphone – Floor-model, Model "7," finished in golden oak is pictured on p. 170 (4-39) (DAP)

 

Pehaphone – Czechoslovakia. Portable disc machine. (Source: 78 RPM Club)

 

Perfectaphone – France, 1910. Founded by Constatin Furne in Paris (France) (Source: 78 RPM Club)

 

Perophone – Vernon Lockwood Manufacturing Company, 76 & 78 City Road, London, E.C., The new Cabinet Gramophone with many distinctive features (CPG, p.84))

The Talking Machine World, October 15, 1926 (FOTP)

 

 

Pet-O-Fone – Pet-O-Fone Manufacturing Company, 557 Broadway, New York City, New York. May 1925 TMW (RJW)

 

 

 

Petophone – Petophone Grammotone Co., Japan, circa 1960 - portable model battery operated

 

Phona-Disc Record Label* - In October 1908 Edison Bell introduced disc records on their Phona-Disc Records label.

Phona-Disc Record courtesy of Michael Thomas

Phon d’Amor — Fritzsch Phonograph Company, 228 West 7th Street, Cincinnati, Ohio.

The Talking Machine World, December 1917

 

Phon-O-Bench – Phon-O-Bench Company, 1803 Irving Park Blvd., Chicago. December 1920 TMW

The Talking Machine World, December 1920

 

Phonocone - The New Postwar Phonograph - Montgomery Wards, 1946 catalogue ad with Guy Lombardo testimonial (FOTP)

 

Phonodiff - Portable phonograph circa 1928 (Courtesy The Phono and Radio Archives)

 

 

 

Phono Doodle Howdy Dowdy - Shura-tone

Shure-tone Model 131 78 RPM Howdy Doody Phono Doodle, November 1952, $22.95 (FOTP)

 

Phono-Grand - J. P. Seeburg Piano Company, Republic Building, Chicago, Illinois -- Combination player piano and phonograph. The Music Trades, October 1917: "SEEBURG COMBINES PIANO WITH PHONOGRAPH - Announces the Phono-Grand Instrument that Plays Rolls and Records and that Occupies No More Space than Large Phonograph." (20) (Courtesy David Bowers EAMI); ad 1917 TMW (RJW)

 

Phonogrand – Fuehr & Stemmer Piano Co. -- cabinet model and grand-piano shaped talking machine, 1926

Phonographic Table – Phonographic Table Company, 25 West 32nd Street, New York City, New York. March 1917 TMW (RJW)

 

Phonola – Caloric Sales Company, 1381 Continental and Commercial Bank Building, Chicago, Illinois. October 1916 TMW (RJW)

 

Phonola – Waters Conley Company, Inc., 17 E. Chestnut Street, Chicago 11, Illinois. 1960 print ad (FOTP)

1960

 

Phonolamp – Electric Phonograph Company, 29 West 34th Street, New York City, New York. June 1916. TMW (RJW)

 

Phono-Metro-Phone – Lewis Phono-Metro-Phone, Detroit, Michigan, circa 1907 (FOTP)

 

Phonopact – PAL Phonopact, Plaza Music Company, 10 West 20th Street, New York, June 1917, TMW (FOTP)

 

Phonosphere – Sanyo c.1970's, RPT 1200 Radio Phonograph with Discotheque Light Display (FOTP)

Record Player / Radio combination - The dome lifts up to play record and light shines on the disco ball when it spins around.

 

Phono-Zoo – VF Vanity Fair Electronics Corp.; Syosset, New York (FOTP)

 

Photographophone — (FOTP) - The apparatus was exhibited at the Berlin Polytechnic Society on I2th December 1901. It was designed to record and play back audio sound by recording on celluloid film. Ruhmer was quoted as saying: "It is truly a wonderful process: sound becomes electricity, becomes light, causes chemical action, becomes light and electricity again, and finally sound." (Wikipedia)

See Wireless Telephony by Ernst Ruhmer, D. VAN NOSTRAND COMPANY, New York, 1908, pp. 36-40. Also, Scientific American, July 20, 1901, p. 36.

 

Wireless Telephony by Ernst Ruhmer

 

Pianophone — EM (RJW)

 

Picturegram — Edison Bell Consolidated Phonograph Co., Ltd - Child's gramophone "played small (six-inch) Crown records on which a fairy story was related while a printed paper rool of accompanying illustrations moved across the compartment behind." c. 1924 (CPG)

Picture-Phone — The Valiquet Novelty Company, 50-58 Columbia St., Newark, N.J. - TMW August 15, 1906 (FOTP)

 

Pigmyphone — Made by Bing, Germany c. 1925 (FOTP)

 

Pixie Grippa Perophone – British Manufacture Perophone Ltd., London , England - 1926 (Courtesy of TechnoGallerie (GK)

 

Playerphone – Playerphone Talking Machine Company, 802 Republic Building, Chicago, Illinois. March 1916. TMW (RJW)

 

Polk-Phone – James K. Polk, Inc., Atlanta, Georgia. EM (RJW)

 

Polyphone* - An attachment (not a machine) made in 1898 by the Talking Machine Company of Chicago for Phonographs and Graphophones. "By contriving two reproducers to track in the same groove, it was claimed that volume would be doubled." (20A) (TMC2)

 

Polyphone, The Phonoscope, September 1898

 

Portofonic, New Fono Drumette, J. Chein & Co., 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' circa 1930's, 78rpm record player.

 

Portophone – The Tri Sales Company, 616 Victoria Building, St. Louis, Missouri. January 1920

 

Primaphone – Switzerland. (Source: 78 RPM Club)

 

Psycho-Phone – The 1927 disc playing Psycho-Phone was "designed to play a pre-recorded message to its slumbering user during the night...Self-improvement thorugh subliminal stimultation." (5-44) A cylinder Psycho-Phone was also made "driven by an electric motor allowed the "user to record his own messages tailored to personal life struggles, such as, "Writing books makes me rich." (5-45) (DAP)

 

Quadraphone – American Sales Co., Chicago, Ill.

 

Qualitiphone – Qualitiphone Sales Corporation, 17 East 42nd Street, New York City. March 1922, TMW (FOTP)

Note spelling of "Qualitiephone" Sales

 

 

Qualityphone – Also sold under the name "Trumpet Tone" circa 1910's - See photo of Qualityphone disc machine in a custom carrying case p. 214 (6-10) (TMC2)

 

Radiaphone – British Pallas Manufacturing, Co., Ltd., 33 Gold Hawk Road, London, W. (FOTP)

The Talking Machine World, August 15, 1910

 

Reflexophone – Reflexophone, Inc., 114 Fifth Avenue, New York City, New York. January 1916 TMW (RJW)

 

Reklamophon - Dresden, Germany circa 1905

 

Rectorphone – "The Rectorphone of 1906 was an unusual cylinder machine carried by a variety of non-phonograph distributors." Patented by Enoch J. Rector of Parkersburg, West Virginia. Mounted on a simple wooden plank it sold for $3.50. (21) (TMC2)

 

Reginaphone – The Regina Company, 47 West 34th Street, New York City, New York. December 15, 1906 TMW (FOTP)

"When the popularity of the home phonograph became apparent shortly after 1900, Regina...decided to incorporate a phonograph attachment to several of its music box styles." A Regina advertisement called this "The Wedding of the Regina Music Box and the talking machine" resulting in "the queen of all home entertainers." (21A) (Courtesy of EAMI)

 

Reneyphone – "Reneyphone was founded by Charles René. Before starting Reneyphone-Radio S.A. in Brussels (at 15 Rue Léon Lepage), Charles René founded the Reneyphone record label, also manufacturing wind-up gramophones with the same name." Source: The 78 RPM Club

 

Repeatograph* – Not a machine but an accessory designed to be a record repeater (5-73) (TMC2)

 

Roulettaphone* – Not a machine but an accessory attachment for a flat disk phonograph and designed to convert the phonograph into a toy or game of chance or into a combined phonograph and game. Patented by C. H. MAIER on December 5, 1922.

 

Salonola Theatrephone - Home Recreations (Aust.) LTD., Everyones, November 13, 1929

 

Saphone – Table grand of Pathé New Orpheus pattern. Pathé aluminium reproducer on tapered tone-arm. - Photo and information courtesy of the City of London Phonograph and Gramophone Society (C.L.P.G.S)

 

Selectophone - Resona portable. Brown crocodile grained case, Resona soundbox, aluminium motor board. Photo and information courtesy of the City of London Phonograph and Gramophone Society (C.L.P.G.S)

 

Shell-O-Phone – Shell-O-Phone Talking Machine Company, North American Building, Chicago, Illinois. July 1917 TMW (RJW)

 

Singaphone – Singaphone Talking Machine Company, Inc., 32 Union Square, New York City, New York. February 1917 TMW (RJW)

 

Singerphone – The Singerphone Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. June 1920 TMW. In July TMW Singerphone advertised "We have developed an entirely new instrument which marks a new era in the Talking Machine industry." Each our of new phonographs has our "Automatic Stop, Automatic Starter, and Automatic Repeater."

 

Solophone – The Solophone Company, 306 Sussex Street, Harrison, New Jersey. October 1916 TMW (RJW)

 

Son-o-phone – The Sonophone Co. of Canada Limited (CAPS)

Courtesy of The Canadian Antique Phonograph Project (22)

 

 

Sono-phonic – The Sono-phonic was either made by the P. T. Legare Company or rebranded by them. (23)

Courtesy of The Canadian Antique Phonograph Project

 

Sonoraphone – Sonoraphone Sales Co., 72 Reade Street, New York City (See advertisement in DAP, 3-110)

 

Stentorphone - Creed & Company, Croydon 1910 (CPG, p. 87)

 

Stylophone (International Stylophone Company) – New Haven, Connecticut. "A.T. Armstrong attempted to marked his 'Vitaphone' in 1899 but lacked an "effective sales organization." "By mid-1899, Albert Armstrong had been forced to arrange for manufacture of disc machines with the International Stylophone Company of New Haven, Connecticut. The resultant disc talking machine was called the "Vitaphone." pp. 72-73, (3-1) (TMC2)

 

Super-Phonic – Phonograph and Radio Supply House, Montreal, Quebec, 1928 - brochure also displays several Super-Phonic Models (24)

Courtesy of The Canadian Antique Phonograph Project (4)

 

Sylvaphone - No information - Donley Auctions 2021 (Oak, low-boy, disc machine)

 

Talkophone - Talkophone Company of Toledo, Ohio began in 1903 and made disc machines. Early in 1907 Talkophone reorganized as the Atlantic Phonograph Company of New York and in 1908 were forced out of business through legal action by Columbia and Victor p. 88 (3-7) (DAP). See (TMC2) pp. 130-131 for photographs of Talkophone models "Ennis," "Clark," Brooke," and "Sousa."

 

Telegraphone* - A phone answering machine, Sterling Debenture Corporation, 61 Pine Street, New York City, TMW December 15, 1906 (FOTP)

 

Tempophone (Tempophon) - 1906 - 1930 and seen in E. Bayly, The EMI Collection, 1977. Descriptive Note and photo No. 227 describe it as follows: "A gramophone with 6 inch turntable is mounted in the top of a clock and by setting the dial at the back the gramophone would play at a preselected time. Thought to be German. An alarm clock was advertised in 1906 / 1907..." According to Allen Koenigsberg It had both vertical and lateral reproducers. (AK)

 

Terephon - No additional information

 

Terpophon - Made in Germany. Late1920's. Photographs courtesy of TechnoGallerie. No additional information.

 

 

Courtesy TechnoGallerie (GK)

 

 

Théatrophone - Compagnie P. Jeanrenaud, Sainte Croix, Switzerland, circa 1900. The company made a 6-selection phonograph and a smaller version called “Echophone” in the early years of the 20th century. (25) HCP; Also, see p. 90 (3-8) DAP for photograph.

 

Ton-O-Graf – Ton-O-Graf Corporation, 112 East South Water Street, Chicago, Illinois. October 1917 TMW (RJW)

 

Tournaphone - J.G. Murdoch & Co. - Beltona-Tournaphone in 1920's (CPG, p.63)

 

Toyphone – Toyphone and Woodware Manufacturers, Inc., 130 West 18th Street, New York City, New York. (FOTP)

The Talking Machine World, July 1917

 

Travelphone Portable – Specialty Phonograph & Accessories Company, 210-212 East 113rd Streets, New York City, New York.

 

Triumphon – Berlin, Germany. No additional information. (Source: 78 RPM Club)

 

Triumphone – Cameraphone style portable made in Paris, France circa 1924. "Triumphone" Triumph - Phonograph - Paris (FOTP)

 

 

Tunophone – Highland Mfg. Co., Fort Thomas, Ky, Tunophone March 1948, Strauss & Richstone Inc, Playthings (FOTP)

 

Ultraphon – Deutsche Ultraphon Gesellschaft, Berlin - 1920s (Source: 78 RPM Club)

 

Ultraphone Perkins – The Perkins Company, Chicago. EM (RJW)

 

Valuphone – Wizard Phonograph Company, Inc., 1977 Ogden Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. May 1921 TMW

"The Valuphone Supreme Talking Machine Value", The Talking Machine World, May 1921

 

Vanophone – Otto Heineman Phonograph Supply Company, 25 West 45th Street, New York City, New York. May 1916 TMW - The Canadian Antique Phonograph Project notes that Toronto was one of Vanophone's manufacturing sites and an example is included of a Canadian Vanophone. (26)

Courtesy of The Canadian Antique Phonograph Project (11)

 

 

Veraphonic Vinciennes* – Vincennes Phonograph Company, Vincennes, Ind. 1927 - "Veraphonic principle' (FOTP)

 

Artist: Ignatz Sahula, 1927

Vikyphone – German, toy gramophone c. 1925 (FOTP)

 

Violaphone – Violaphone Talking Machine Company, 606 Consumers Building, Chicago, Illinois. October 1917 TMW (RJW)

 

Vitaphone – Canadian Vitaphone Company. Phonograph manufacturer located in Toronto 1913-16. (27) (CAPS)

 

Vocophone* (Voc-o-phone)* – Not believed to ever have been made (and therefore not counted in this list) but it was advertised in a fund-raising event with a handbill reading "Grand Vocophone Concert for the benefit of J.E.B. Stuart Camp, Soldiers' Monument Fund." See Allen Koenigsberg, "The Latest Wrinkle in Talking Machines" The Mysterious Vocophone, The Sound Box, 2005; reprinted and updated in "A Vocophone Broadside: Real Life Ephemera?" by Allen Koenigsberg, Academia 2023 who believed it never yielded a machine with Vocophone "letters engraved as such, i.e., it was only advertising puffery." (AK)

 

Vodaphone – Small inexpensive iron machine that played vertical cut discs. (4-50) (DAP)

 

Vulgaphone – French, unknown c. 1930's (FOTP)

 

 

Wackerphon Toy Gramophone, c. 1935 Germany, celluloid case, spring motor (FOTP) (Courtesy Auction Team Breker)

 

 

Webcor Fonograf – Webster-Chicago, Chicago 39, Illinois, 1952 The Saturday Evening Post (FOTP)

 

 

"Willyphone" - Matras & Voigt, Paris Record Store which opened in 1908 at 76, rue Saint-Maur, Paris and closed in 1911. Offered a Talking Machine called the "Willyphone" (Disquaires de Paris)

 

Wondophone - U.S. talking machine that Fabrizio and Paul describe as having a "flimsy, pressed metal base" and that "like the Manafone, was probably given away for selling magazine subscriptions or soap." (28) (DAP)

 

Zany Phonograph - Z Line Toy, St. Louis, Mo., Hand wind portable phonograph (FOTP)

 

Zemer-phone - Photo on p.51 and text reads "Oriental embellishment was by no means limited to the major phonograph brands. The Zemer-phone, by J. Pomerantz, was so enshrouded by decoration that it bordered on garishness. (PWF)

 

Zon-o-phone - National Gram-o-phone Corporation, 874 Broadway, New York, Harpers Magazine 1900

 

The Talking Machine World, September 15, 1907 (FOTP)

 

 

Other Radio/Television music providing '-phone' companies (post 1920)

 

Air-o-phone* - Radio - Air-o--phone Corporation, 122 Fifth Avenue, New York, May 1922 TMW (FOTP)

Aiir-O-Phone ,The Talking Machine World, May 1922

 

Audiophone* - Bristol Audiophone, The Britol Comopany, Waterbury, CONN. The Talking Machine World November 1922 (FOTP)

 

Marconiphone* - Radio - Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Co., Strand W.C.2, Birmingham, 1923 The Sphere (FOTP)

1923

 

PHONO

One final reminder of Edison's use of "Phono" in Phonograph is that an input, labeled PHONO, continues to be available on amplifiers and stereo receivers. These input jacks, usually mini jacks or RCA connectors, allow a phonograph, i.e., record player or turntable, to be attached to Stereo Receivers or Power Amplifiers.

The following Wikipedia entry (extracted 3-31-2020) explains how the current amplifier utilizes a phono input:

Modern styli (phonograph needles) and phono cartridges give a very low level output signal of the order of a few millivolts which the circuitry amplifies and equalizes. Phonograph recordings are made with high frequencies boosted and the low frequencies attenuated: during playback the frequency response changes are reversed. This reduces background noise, including clicks or pops, and also conserves the amount of physical space needed for each groove, by reducing the size of the larger low-frequency undulations. This is accomplished in the amplifier with a phono input that incorporates standardized RIAA equalization circuitry.

Through at least the 1980s, the phono input was widely available on consumer stereo equipment—even some larger boomboxes had them. By the 2000s only very sophisticated and expensive stereo receivers retained the phono input, since most users were expected to use digital music formats such as CD or satellite radio. Some newer low-cost turntables include built-in amplifiers to produce line-level (one volt) outputs; devices are available that perform this conversion for use with computers; or older amplifiers or radio receivers can be used. Nearly all DJ mixers have two or more phono inputs, together with two or more one-volt line inputs that also use RCA connectors.

 

 

 

MEGA-PHONE*

This ad from December 1896 Recreation magazine is a nice historic reminder that the reason horns replaced listening tubes was for volume and a wider audience.

 

 

Ear Trumpet

By the late 18th century, the "use of ear trumpets was becoming increasingly common." (Wikipedia).

 

Speaking Trumpet

Speaking trumpets may go back to Ancient Greece (5th Century BCE) where there are references to "speakers wearing masks with cones protruding from the mouth in order to amplify their voices in theatres." [1]

The term 'megaphone' was first associated with Thomas Edison's 1878 instrument when he "developed a device similar to the speaking trumpet in hopes of benefiting the deaf and hard of hearing." Wikipedia

 

 

A speaking-trumpet and ear-trumpets - Illustration from "A Christmas Dinner with the Man in the Moon," St. Nicholas magazine, December 1880.

"The master of the feast holds in his hand a speaking-trumpet, with which he can converse with his guest upon the right; for it is only by the aid of this that he can make himself heard. The waiters who come to serve the earth-folks also have speaking-trumpets slung around their necks..."

"To each of the guests a monstrous ear-trumpet is handed, with a megaphone attached..." p. 124 ibid.

 

 

 

 

 

Phonographia