Antique Phonograph: Gadgets, Gizmos, & Gimmicks

Antique phonographs enjoyed a vigorous commercial existence 100 years ago. The market they inhabited was as filled with options, accessories, gadgets and gizmos as today's late-night television is populated with slicers, dicers, car waxes and beauty secrets. Collectors have acquired, examined and used these peripherals for years, but little has been written about them. In an effort to reveal more about the fascinating accessories, horns, storage cabinets, advertising and ephemera which surrounded the antique phonograph, the authors have examined nearly 20,000 pages of primary documents, and photographed examples from over 35 collections. Over 500 color photographs illustrate nearly 700 items from the early years of recorded sound. To finally discover this long-lost aspect of the antique phonograph hobby is something akin to Dorothy's first faltering steps into the Land of Oz. The world is suddenly in Technicolor! There is suddenly more excitement, more romance, more funÑas readers of this book will happily discover.

Booknews

Turn-of-the-century sound machines enjoyed a viable commercial existence as did their accessories and options. The writers, who are both collectors and researchers, examined some 20,000 documents and photographed examples from over 35 collections for this compilation of phonograph horns (made of glass, brass, wood and aluminum), cylinder gadgets, needle tins, record cleaners, record repeaters and autostops, talking machine toys, and cylinder and disk storage cases. (And that's only the beginning of the intriguing, sometimes hilarious products on the market to enhance enjoyment of the early phonograph.) Each item is shown in a color photo and is fully identified, with value information included. Introductory essays discuss the products' makers, marketers, and consumers; and historical photos show the products being used. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)