O. 1. Chair-shaped barrel
piano to be carried on shoulder, made by Gillone di Casale Monferrato during
the first decades of 19th century. The sounbox, particularly refined, is made
of walnut entirely marquetried in rosewood and maple, the sound board is made
of maple. The machinery, that allows to change the pieces, and the crank are
made of bronze, the pinned music roll and the worm gear are made of beechwood.
O. 3. Rolmonica, sort of
harmonica that plays with a music roll made of pierced paper. Made during the
first decades of 20th century in USA, it presents the caption: ROLMONICA /
TRADE MARK REG / PATD 11-3-25 OTHER PATENTS PENOING 6-5-28. The instrument is
made of celluloid, with dimensions of 88 x 104 mm (3.45” x 4.1”) and it
presents 12 holes for the two-tonal metal reeds, an embouchure, and two small
wooden cranks for the unrolling and the rewinding of the roll. This instrument
has 11 rolls with as many music pieces.
O. 4. Reed musical box with
music on pierced music rolls (organina). Germany, the probable maker was Welte
from Freiburg, mid 19th century. It works by a crank activating two pairs of
bellows with alternated valves that carry the air to two rows of 11 free reeds.
The instrument has a music roll made of pierced paper, 2.5m long, with the
melody of a waltz.
O. 5. Music box from Sorrento
made during the first decades of 20th century. The instrument is a jewellery
box with three compartments, very fine make, with a floral marquetry made of
numerous woods. The music box, made of music roll and metal comb, gets started
with the opening of the cover and plays the song “O’ sole mio”.
O. 7. Intona, reed music box
made in Germany between the end of 19th century and the beginning of the
following. The instrument works thanks to a crank that activates the bellows
and makes the pierced disk rotates. The reading system is negative, that is the
holes of the disks free some jacks that, by means of levers, make the pallets
open or close. The disks are made of metal (more resistant than the inexpensive
ones made of cardboard).
O. 8. Toy gramophone, datable
to the third decade of 20th century, made in Germany. The gramophone has
triangular shape (the side is 17 cm -6.7”- long, while the base is 15 cm -5.9”-
long and is lightly convex) and it is 63 mm (2.5”) high, it is made of coloured
tinplate with figures of three kid musicians per side, it has spring winding
with a lever that allows to choose two rotating speeds of the turntable and the
rest position, and it works with 78 rpm records with diameter 15 cm (5.9”)
wide.
O. 9. Kiddyphone, gramophone
for kids made of tinplate, working with 78 rpm records with diameter 15 cm
(5.9”) wide. Datable to the second decade of 20th century, it has cylindrical
shape with 168mm (6.6) wide diameter, 80mm (3.15”) high; there is a tone-arm with
the needle and the sound box, and a 145mm (5.7”) long horn. The circumference
is divided in four parts; on three of them there are scenes of children, on the
fourth is printed: Kiddyphone trade mark / MADE IN GERMANY / Regd. M.R. N° 5019
/ U.S.A. PAT. APPL. FOR.
O. 10. Gem Roller Organ,
mechanical organ with pinned music rolls, made in USA (patented 1887) by The
Autophone Company Of Ithica manufacturer from New York at the end of 19th
century. The instrument works thanks to a crank; a back bellows keeps the space
empty while the two lower bellows carry the air against twenty metal reeds,
made free by the movement of the pinned roll. The instrument is made of fir
painted black while the writings and the decorations are made of golden
varnish, and there are four music rolls. Three of them have not the title of
the piece, while on the other one is written: 109 Marching Thru Georgia.
O. 11. Gramophone for children
made of tinplate during the first decades of 20th century in Germany. The
instrument, rounded, with diameter measuring 152mm (6”) and the height
measuring 96mm (3.75”); on the circumference there are four pictures of
singings and dances, and the writing: D.R.G.M., GRANCA FLUN, MADE IN GERMANY.
The charge is by key and it works with 78 rpm records with diameter 15 cm
(5.9”) wide. The needle, the sound box, and the horn are arranged on a tone-arm
on one side of the body.
O. 12. Nirona gramophone,
datable to the third decade of 20th century, branded: FABRIQUE FN ALLEMAGNE,
made of red iron, quadrangular. The height is 128mm (5.05”) while the side is
198mm (7.8”). The charge is by crank and it works with 78 rpm records with
diameter 15 cm (5.9”) wide. The needle and the sound box (in a red metal cone)
are arranged on a tone-arm on one corner of the body.
O. 13. Toy gramophone, Triumph
brand, quadrangular, made of iron painted red, German, datable to the third
decade of 20th century. The charge is by crank and it works with 78 rpm records
with diameter 15 cm (5.9”) wide. The needle and the sound box are arranged on a
tone-arm on one side of the body.
O. 14. Toy gramophone, German,
Bing Valora brand, datable to the third decade of 20th century, with triangular
shape, dark green. The charge is by crank, on one side, and it works with 78
rpm records with diameter 15 cm (5.9”) wide. The needle and the sound box are
arranged on a tone-arm on the body.
O. 15. Toy gramophone, Bingola
III brand, German, datable to the third decade of 20th century, with triangular
shape, red. The charge is by crank, on one side, and it works with 78 rpm
records with diameter 15 cm (5.9”) wide. The needle and the sound box are arranged
on a tone-arm on the body.
O. 16. Toy gramophone, Bingola
II brand, German, datable to the third decade of 20th century, with triangular
shape, beige. The charge is by crank, on one side, and it works with 78 rpm
records with diameter 15 cm (5.9”) wide. The needle and the sound box are
arranged on a tone-arm on the body.
O. 17. Toy gramophone, Bing
Valora brand, datable to the third decade of 20th century, with triangular
shape, coloured imitating the wood. The charge is by crank, on one side, and it
works with 78 rpm records with diameter 15 cm (5.9”) wide. The needle and the sound
box are arranged on a tone-arm on the body.
O. 18. Gramophone for children,
American, branded: ELECTRIC PHONOGRAPH / MODEL M 4007 / MADE IN U.S.A. / SPEAR
PROCUTS INC. / BRIDGEPOST. CONN. The movement is activated by an electric
motor, and it is datable to the fourth decade of 20th century. The body, made
of red and yellow tinplate, is decorated with pictures for children, it has
triangular shape (325mm -12.8”- long and 196mm -7.7”- wide), and the tone-arm,
on the acute top, has the sound box and the needle.
O. 19. German crank gramophone,
with double mechanism to make the duration of the charge longer. Variable
speed, about 78 rpm. Body made of fir stained with walnut, quadrangular.
Turntable and horn elbow, in the shape of swan neck, made of cast iron, German
reproducer branded with a diapason. Horn made of white and green tinplate.
O. 20. Edison phonograph
branded: TRADE / THOMAS EDISON / MARK / HOME, made in 1903. On the cover the
writing EDISON / HOME / PHONOGRAPH is stamped. The phonograph is a sound
reproducer invented by Thomas Edison in 1877 and is made of metal cylinder
shaft, activated by a spring charged by a crank, on which rotates a wax
cylinder previously recorded with an instrument called dictation machine. The
needle of the reproducer courses on the groove recorded on the wax and
transmits the sound to an amplifying horn. The cylinders earlier lasted two
minutes, later they lasted four. The luck of Edison and his phonograph rapidly
collapsed with the arrival of records. This instrument is contained in a wooden
case measuring 40 x 215 x 150 mm (1.55” x 8.45” x 5.9”) with a handled
semicylindrical cover that is 150mm (5.9”) high. The huge black horn, divided
in eleven sections, is sustained by a metal structure.
O. 21. Wax cylinders (17) for
Edison phonograph in their original boxes, duration of two or four minutes. The
cylinders were produced during the first decade of 20th century.
O. 22. Theremin made at the end
of 20th century in USA. This instrument was invented in 1919 by the Russian
Leon Theremin and can be considered in effect one of the first completely
electronic musical instruments. The aspect that makes this instrument really singular
is its working: it is played without being touched! It is made of two antennas,
approaching or distancing the hand to the vertical antenna you can control the
intonation, while with the horizontal antenna you can control the volume. The
two antennas are fixed on a chassis, containing the electronic circuits,
measuring 193 x 62 x 110 mm (7.6” x 2.45” x 4.35”), with two control knobs
regulating the starting and the intonation.
O. 23. Magnetophon Geloso G256
that was called "Gelosino" for its small dimensions. It has only two
valves (12AX7 and UL41) with a selenium redirector. It was created in around
1955 by the Geloso manufacturer, founded by John Geloso, born in 1901 in Argentina;
his Piedmontese parents came back to Italy in 1904. This big Italian
manufacturer, thanks to its quality and reliable radio receivers, recording
devices, and amplifiers allowed us, throughout more than thirty years (about
1950 - 1970), to record songs, listen to the radio, to voice cinemas, clubs,
squares, and churches. This model is the successor of the famous G255, from
which it took the nice coloured button panel and the arrangement of the
controls, other than the "roundish" look. It is an excellent tape
recorder used for music recorders. It has, in the middle of the front, an EM80
valve, the magic eye tube used as an indication of record amplitude.
O. 24. Phonograph-radio device
with record-stand and drinks cabinet, datable to around 1950. The valve radio,
with wooden cabinet, Taurus model, made by the famous Watt Radio in Turin in
1946, can receive with frequency modulation on medium, short, or micro waves,
or selecting the RCA connection. It presents a superheterodyne circuit and
alternating current (AC) supply / 110 125 140 160 220 volts. The phonograph is
a Philips with movable head-shell tone-arm and the possibility to vary the
speed into 16, 33, 45, or 78 rpm. It is arranged in the upper drawer of the
cabinet, with the typical roundish look, that shows two side compartments for
the drinks and, in the middle, the record-stand.
O. 25. American valve radio,
model Q10-3, made by the New Yorker R.C.A. Victor (Radio Corporation of
America) in 1947 (serial number B 73851), for the Swiss market, and sold in the
Au Grand Passage in Geneva. The body is made of brown Bakelite; there are two
front control knobs, ivory colour, for the volume and the stations searching,
while on the back there is the control knob for the changing of the frequency
and the antenna. The frequency indicator is on the upper front of the cabinet;
the dimensions are: 165 x 150 x 250 mm (6.5” x 5.9” x 9.85”). The frequencies
goes from BC (Broad Cast band AM) to SW (Short Wave), the circuit is
superheterdyne with intermediate frequency (IF) 455 kHz, the speaker is
magnetodynamic AP (permanent magnet and mobile coil); the supply is with
alternating current, 220 volts European type, and the five valves are 12SA7,
12SK7, 12SQ7, 50L6GT, and 35Z5GT/G.
O. 26. Valve wire recorder,
American, made by Webster-Chicago, 228-1 model. This is a recorder (dictation
machine) very in vogue in 1950s and for the recording it used a thin steel
wire, precursor of the magnetic tape. It is supplied with alternating current,
120 Volts, 70 Watts; made in 1951. The device has its original Bakelite
microphone, 4 controls in the front panel for the listening and the recording,
a neon lamp for the level of recording and the regulation of
volume/starting/turning off. On the top there is a lever for the starter of the
wire and the rewind, as well as a timer for a maximum of 60 minutes; the reels
were produced of 15, 30, or 60 minutes. The wire, moving for 62cm (24.4”) per
second, was more than 2.5 km (15.55 mi) long, all in a reel that was wound and
rewound also thanks to the vertical oscillation of the needle that allowed the
right spooling. The wire is made of "ERGON" steel, and it was lightly
oiled to preserve the needle and to guarantee the regularity for the movement
of the wire.
O. 27. Singing bird, Swiss
automaton made during the first decades of 20th century by Reuge manufacturer
in Sainte-Crox. The history of mechanical music began in 14th century in
Flanders, but only in 1780 the Jaquet-Droz brothers invented the singing bird.
In 1848, The Parisian Bomtems Blaise invented the mechanism of singing birds
that has remained almost the same until now. In 1865 Charles Reuge, clock maker
from Val De Travers, moved to Sainte-Crox, town famous for the production of
music boxes, and founded the production factory of singing birds that is still
operating. This instrument is made of a cage with a red bird on a perch that
turns around, moving the beak and the tail. The height of the cage is 311mm
(12.25”) while the diameter of the base is 162mm (6.35”); the cage structure is
made of silver, covered, at the bottom and near the hanger, with Capodimonte
porcelain with figures and flowers on a silver background. The brand, stamped
on the bottom, is: REUGE lyre MUSIC / SAINTE-CROX / MADE IN SWITZERLAND.
O. 28. Anonymous serinette,
coming from Prague, datable to the second half of 19th century. The name comes
from French “serin” (canary), because it was used by the girls of the time to
teach the canaries to sing. This instrument is made of a wooden box (233 x 165
x 151 mm – 9.2” x 6.5” x 5.95”) with inside a little bellows, a worm drive that
activates a nailed cylinder, and some levers that open the valves of the wind
chest. The crank, on the front, activates both the bellows and the cylinder
that opens the valves directing the air to the ten wooden pipes under the
instrument that produce the sound. Near the pipes there is a title block with
the list of the five musical pieces: U panského Dvora (ancient folk music: “At
the landowner‘s farm house”), Proč bychom se netĕšili (“Let's rejoice and be
merry”. A musical piece from Bedřich Smetana’s opera “The Bartered Bride”),
Boleslav (a city in Central Bohemia), Nesluyde mládenci (“youth”), Neťukej,
neťukej (ancient folk song: “Do not tap”). A brass lever on the right allows to
lift the levers and move the cylinder to change song.
O. 29. Suitcase portable gramophone branded: LA
VOCE DEL PADRONE / logo of the dog listening to the gramophone / Società
Anonima Nazionale del “Grammofono” Milano. The name of
the British company actually was Gramophone, but because of the famous Francis
Barraud’s painting "His Master's Voice" (In Italian: “La voce del
padrone”) depicting the dog Nipper listening to a gramophone, used as the brand
of the label, it soon took this unofficial denomination. In 1931 SNG (Società
Nazionale del Grammofono, founded in 1912 by Alfredo Bossi), SAIF (Società
Anonima Italiana di Fonotopia) and Marconiphone (Italian manufacturer
specialised in producing radio devices) joined to give birth to a single
manufacturer that imported and distributed gramophones and was also a record
industry. The measures of this model (HMV 102), made in England in around 1934,
are: 285 x 410 x 150 mm (11.2” x 16.15” x 5.9”), the serial number is 2896. The
charge is by crank and the speed can change around 78 rpm, it has an automatic
brake and a turntable, the horn for the sound is under the turntable near the
motor, while the case for the needles is on the front left corner.
O. 30. Pathé gramophone,
Diffusor type, Lumière model, datable to the second decade of 20th century. At
the end of 19th century the brothers Charles and Emile Pathé founded the Pathé
Frères that, at the beginning, only imported from US Edison phonographs and Colombian
gramophones, combined with cylinders registered in French. Then, in early 20th
century, they started the production of their own gramophones, renamed
Pathéphonès, that show many innovations: the needle made of «non-consumable»
sapphire that, the advertisement explains, «has not to be changed after every
hearing», guaranteeing at the same time a reproduction «without hoarse or nasal
sounds, but a perfect voice ». The Pathéphonès, made in France, Belgium,
Austria, and Russia, are different from other gramophones because the recording
of the record starts from the centre and finishes outwards. Furthermore Pathé,
for its records (produced in five sizes, up to 50 cm -19.7”- of diameter),
adopts the recording system developed by Edison for the cylinders. The French
brothers wanted to impose their technical standard, but they’re too smart to
«forget» who had already bought gramophones from other brands: so the
mechanical adapter was born, allowing to use the Pathé records with every
device. The success was huge, also because the Pathéphonès were sold by
instalments, with the system «Pay while listening to music »: in Italy the
cheaper Pathéphonès, made of wood [«uso walnut»], cost 65L, while the model
Duplex with two horns (or funnels, as they are defined on the catalogues)
reaches the cost of 375L. This gramophone has the box made of wood with
dimensions 360 x 450 x 138 mm (14.15” x 17.7” x 5.45”) that contains the
perpetual mechanism charged by a crank, that makes the record turn constantly.
The conical horn, made of cardboard, thought by the Lumière brothers in 1913,
with parabolic shape, has diameter 358mm (14.1”) wide, in the centre of it
there is the sapphire needle that «reads» the classic record. This gramophone
can reproduce 78 rpm Pathé records measuring 29cm (11.4”) and 35cm (13.75”) and
it is branded on the cardboard: DIFFUSOR PATHE’ / BTE S.G.D.E. while on the body there is the
writing: Pathé.
O. 31. Barrel piano branded Luigi Vosgien Novara
via Totti. Vosigen was among the first Italian maker of large
size barrel pianos, suitable for ballrooms and outdoor concerts, thanks to the
collaboration with the Colombo manufacturer, piano maker. This instrument, made
between the last decade of 19th century and the first of the 20th, has a music
roll with seven songs, interchangeable thanks to a side lever while on the
front there is the crank that activates the piano.
O. 32. Portable barrel organ
branded: COCCHI, BACIGALUPO & GRAFFIGNA / BERLIN. Schönhauser Allee 78,
datable to the last decade of 20th century. Many talented Italian makers of
mechanical organs made their fortune abroad: Gavioli went to France while
Giovanni Battista Bacigalupo, in 1879, emigrated to Berlin and there he founded
the first manufacturer with Chiaro Frati: the "Frati & Co." in 1
Buchholzer Street; in 1891 he founded, with the organ maker Giuseppe Antonio
Cocchi and the restaurateur Graffigna, a new enterprise with the name “Cocchi,
Bacigalupo & Graffigna". The manufacturer had its splendour during the
1920s and had up to fifty employees, and it produced instruments like the
Meloton, the Harmonipan (Violinopan-organ), and the Tino Cornet organ. This
instrument is equipped with a crank that, besides making the music roll turn,
activates two bellows that, canalising the air to the reeds freed by the
movement of the pallets, produce the sounds. The music roll can be arranged on
seven positions corresponding to as many songs. The front is closed by a red
rag that probably substitutes the original painted fabric. The songs listed on
the inner plaque are not the same the can be really played, thus it is possible
that the music roll has been substitute during the 1930s.
O. 33. Europhon radiolamp,
designed by Adriano Rampoldi in 1968. The Europhon manufacturer was born in
Milan during the postwar, proposing on the market several model of radio that
were operational, economical, and with a captivating design. It became famous
for the production of the first hybrid products (the radioclock, the
radiotelevision, and the radiolamp, all designed by Adriano Rampoldi) but it
later collapsed because of careless business choices. The radiolamp has three
controls: two for the regulation of the light intensity (suffused or full
light) and one to turn on the transistor radio. The bas is made of ABS while
the diffuser is made of polymethacrylic. Transistor radio. Superheterodyne
circuit only with medium waves (MW), supply with alternating current (AC) / 220
Volts and magnetodynamic AP speaker (permanent magnet and mobile coil). The
dimensions are: 165 x 230 x 165 mm (6.5” x 9.05” x 6.5”).
O. 34. French record player,
made in 1961, branded TEPPAZ – stereophonique –modele – 448. Teppaz is a
gramophone brand that had a great success: originally, it was an enterprise
that produced electronic pieces founded by Marcel Teppaz, in 1950s it was
symbol of surprise parties, in 1960s of yé-yé music, and in 1970 it reached a
million of produced pieces. The brand was bought 1998 by Jean-Claude Sensamat.
Once closed, the Teppaz record player seems like a small trapezoidal suitcase,
with rounded corners and two cupola-shaped covers that, when opened, reveals
the loudspeakers and all the circuits of the valve amplifiers in it. This
device is equipped with two more covers with two additional loudspeakers each
being 6 watt and having 1 tweeter; it has six valves, four ECL82 and two EF86,
it is made of pink leather and is 11,4kg heavy. The record player has three
control knobs: one for the turning off and the volume (arrèt puissance), one
for the basses (grave) and one for the acutes (aigu). Moreover, there are a
balance control and a speed control (0, 16, 33, 45, 78 rpm), a control knob for
the power supply (127/160/ 220 V), and three buttons for ambiance-brillance,
medium-aigu, and avec-sans.
O. 35. Italian valve radio, 426 model, made in
1955-56 by Allocchio Bacchini, Milan. The body is made of brown
wood, on the left front there is the loudspeaker while the frequency indicator
is on the right of the cabinet; there are four front control knobs, the one for
the turning on under the loudspeaker, while under the frequency indicator there
are the control knobs for the volume, the stations searching, and the record
player input, and on the back there is the antenna. The dimensions are: 620 x
320 x 250 mm (24.4” x 12.6” x 9.85”). The frequencies are on medium waves (OM –
“onde medie”) and two series of shortwaves (2 x OC – “onde corte”), the circuit
is superheterodyne with intermediate frequency (IF) 465 kHz, the loudspeaker is
magnetodynamic AP (permanent magnet and mobile coil), with 2.5 W power, the
supply is with alternating current 220 volts, and the five valves are UCH81,
UF41, UBC41, UL41, EM4, UY41.
O. 36. Dutch valve radio, BX
480 A model, made by Philips in Eindhoven in 1949. The body is made of black
Bakelite that frames a large protection for the loudspeaker, there are four
front control knobs: for the turning on, for the volume, for the stations
search, and for the record player input. The frequency indicator is on the top
of the cabinet and is made of transparent plastic plates: one large plate and
four thin plates. The dimensions are: 470 x 300 x 230 mm (18.5” x 11.8” x
9.05”). The frequencies are on medium waves (MW), longwaves (LW) and more than
two series of shortwaves (>2 x SW), the circuit is superheterodyne with intermediate
frequency (IF) 452 kHz, the loudspeaker is magnetodynamic AP (permanent magnet
and mobile coil), the supply is with alternating current 110-245 volts, and the
five valves are ECH21, EAF42, EAF42, EBL21, AZ1.
O. 37. Italian valve radio,
probably made by Ducati manufacturer in around 1948. The body is made of brown
wood while the front is made of walnut briar-root, on the left front there is
the loudspeaker while the frequency indicator is on the right of the cabinet
and, under it, there are three control knobs: for the volume, for the turning
on, and for the station search, while the antenna is on the back. The
dimensions are: 471 x 272 x 208 mm (16.4” x 10.7” x 8.2”). The frequencies are
on medium waves (MW) and two series of shortwaves (2 x SW), the circuit is
superheterodyne with intermediate frequency (IF) 465 kHz, the loudspeaker is
magnetodynamic AP (permanent magnet and mobile coil), with 2.5 W power, the
supply is with alternating current 125-220 volts, and the five valves are 6A8G,
6K7, 6Q7G, 6V6G, 5Y3G. In 1926, in Bologna, the Ducati family and other
Bolognese investors founded the Società Radio Brevetti Ducati, with the aim to
industrially produce pieces for the arising industry of radio program, starting
from Adriano Ducati’s patents. After the Second World War it started a
motorcycles production, now characterising this enterprise.
O. 38. German dictation
machine, “Orbaphon”, made in Stuttgart in 1913 by George Kromm. This instrument
was used to record the wax cylinders, lasting four minutes, for the
reproduction on phonographs. It is made of an electric motor that makes the
cylinder rotate; a brass horn, fixed or connected to a tube, that concentrates
the sound (at first it was used only for vocal recording, later Edison thought
to use it for musical pieces too); a recording system that engraved upon the
wax cylinder (reusable up to 130 times); and a little brush that cleans the wax
smears on the cylinder.
O. 39. Travel gramophone,
Mignophone. Created and patented in Paris (French SGDG patent) in 1920, the
Mignophone is a rare French miniature gramophone. Produced in different
colours: red, green, black, tobacco, and blue. The hexagonal horn is foldable
and made of stiff cardboard and is arranged on the cover when the gramophone is
closed. The record is screwed on the turntable. The dimensions of the box when
closed are 210 x 135 x 70 mm (8.25” x 5.3” x 2.75”). This specimen,
tobacco-colour, has been made in around 1926, on the round resonator there is
the writing: MIGNOPHONE / SOUND BOX / FABRIQUÉ en FRANCE / W.H.SMITH & SON.
/ PARIS while on the box there is the plaque of the shop that had sold it: G.
Jandelli in Béziers. The charge is manual: the crank is arranged on the front
of the instrument, where there is also the lever for the stop and the control
for the speed while the horn is arranged on a support on the left front corner
of the box.
O. 40. Amorette, German music
box with pierced disks made of tin. The instrument, made by the clockmaker Otto
Bergmann in Leipzig in around 1898, is made of a wooden box painted black, with
dimensions 335 x 248 x 180 mm (13.2” x 9.75” x 7.1”), with inside two bellows
and a wind chest with sixteen free reeds made of metal. A crank activates the
bellows and makes the disk rotate. This, fixed with a stop on the board of the
instrument, pushes some levers that free the reeds emitting the notes.
O. 41. French music box with
comb free reeds activated by a small toothed cylinder, dating back to 1930s.
The box is made of pale wood with dimensions 101 x 76 x 49 mm (3.95” x 2.85” x
1.9”). On the box there is a print with a rural landscape and the crank that
activates the cylinder. On the bottom there is a title block with the writing:
MUSIQUE à 1 AIR / Lazila Dimacly / MADE IN FRANCE FABRICATION FRANCAISE / N° 1129.
O. 42. Reuge music box,
mechanical, with manual charge (Volga) probably made in 1972. Box made of elm
briar-root and cut glass, with 72-notes comb and cylinder with three tunes,
short music pieces from 5th, 6th, and 9th Beethoven’s symphonies. A complete
charge allows to reproduce about 16 times the tunes. Making the front button
slide, the music box reproduces all the pieces, taking it back to the starting
position the melody stops at the end of the piece. The mechanism is always
visible. The reproduced tune is identified by a little marker that indicates
the number of the tune with an arrow, and every tune lasts about 36 seconds.
The dimensions are 230 x 145 x 100 mm (9.05” x 5.7” x 3.95”) and on the
mechanism there is the serial number 18037. The manufacturer, in the heart of
Jura Mountains, has been founded in 1865 by the clockmaker Charles Reuge and it
remained a family business until 1988, when it was transformed in a limited
company that today has about 60 co-workers. Antoine Favre is the father of the
music box and the contemporary musical movements were based on a
two-hundred-years-old idea: in 1796, the Genevan artisan substituted the
existing spring and bells with vibrating teeth. The sounds are extremely more
clear, more varied and precise. This innovation is the history of mechanical
music. The knowledge of music box masters spread out thanks to clockmakers who
left Sainte-Croix to work in Geneva. During the period of Napoleonic Wars, they
went back to their native town, because of the lack of manpower and started to
till the land, without abandoning their workshop labour. Thanks to this
priceless know-how, Sainte-Croix region soon became the cradle of music box. At
that time the town counted just barely three thousand inhabitants, but the
authorities soon understood all the economic potential deriving from handmade
production of mechanical music: at that elevation it is impossible to live only
with the products of the soil. Founded in 1808, the Société d'Horlogerie of
Sainte-Croix called back from the city the greatest clockmaker masters. While
they divided their time between the agriculture on the mountains and the
workshop labour, the inhabitants of the town took advantages from their
precious teaching. The clocks and the music box they produced benefited in
refinement and precision. In a few years, Sainte-Croix was able to compete with
the great Maisons of Geneva.
O. 43. Music box machinery,
second half of 20th century, made of metal. Comb with 18 notes playing the tune
of Stille Nacht.
O. 44. Royal phonograph from
Pathè Freres manufacturer, made in 1904. It is a sound reproducer made of a
metal cylinder shaft activated by a spring charged by a crank on which a wax
cylinder rotates. The needle of the reproducer courses on the groove recorded on
the wax and transmits the sound to an amplifying horn. The cylinders used for
this instrument, the Salons, were bigger than usual cylinders, with the
diameter being 90mm (3.55”) and the height 106mm (4.15”). These dimensions
permit a better quality of reproduction compared to Edison cylinders. The
dimensions of the box are 24 x 16 x 12 mm (0.95” x 0.6” x 0.45”).
O. 45. Wax cylinders (seven)
for Pathè phonograph, type Salon, in cases made of cardboard with metal top,
diameter 90mm (3.55”) and height 106mm (4.15”). These dimensions permit a
better quality of reproduction compared to Edison cylinders.
O. 46. Philips Roller Radio
cassette player made in 1980, functioning as radio (FM MW LW SW) and cassette
player for magnetic tapes. Red-coloured, this radio has been specifically
designed for young people. The loudspeakers have been clearly separated from
the main body that maintains the radio tuner and the cassette player. The
evident handle recalls the portability; the back has some swellings under which
the batteries are arranged. The brilliant colours and the finishing made of
shiny plastic create a young and distinct, contemporary look.
O. 47. Valve FBT amplifier
datable to 1960s; its dimensions are 55 x 20 x 38 cm (21.65” x 7.85” x 14.95”).
Its colour is grey and it presents two 12 watts loudspeakers. On the top there
are a green control light for the turning on, the on/off lever, three control
knobs that are green (VOL), red (NI), and yellow (LO), and four jacks (døb, two
input, and one output).
O. 48. Voxson television, T
1101 model, black and white, produced in 1970 in Rome by FARET (Fabbrica
Apparecchi Radio e Televisione SpA). The body is made of mustard ABS and the
screen is made of Plexiglas. The measures are: 28 x 32 x 26 cm (11” x 12.6” x
10.25”). Superheterodyne conversion, VHF/UHF wave range, and loudspeaker with
dynamic permanent magnet (PDyn) and mobile coil.
O. 49. Cichito portable record
player, made in Italy in 1977 by Wilco for 45 rpm records. This device, rather
spartan (with only the button for the volume and the one for the record
ejection), is supplied both with 220 Volt and with batteries to go along with the
trend of the time to listen to music everywhere.
O. 50. Parlophon, small
suitcase gramophone (285 x 160 x 240 mm – 11.2” x 6.3” x 9.45”) activated by a
crank. Founded in Germany in 1896 by Carl Lindström, the brand Parlophon was
first used to made gramophones before the enterprise started producing records.
The symbol ₤, in German, stands for Lindström. On August 8th, 1923, a British
branch, “Parlophone” (with final “e”), was instituted, guided by A & R
Manager Oscar Preuss. Parlophone established a landlord covenant with
co-ownership base United States Okeh Records, making Parlophone a leader among
UK jazz brands. CLPGS published a list of Parlophone titles released between
1923 and 1956. The regulator of rpm, on the front together with the crank hole,
has a needle with mica membrane branded Parlophon. The mechanics support, the
inner bell with side small door to regulate the sound intensity, and the
tone-arm, are made of wood, while the suitcase is made of leather.
O. 51. Pathé Baby home
projector, built in 1929 and distributed to the Italian market (for fans of the
genre, the legendary "battinove"). Pathé Frères was founded in
Vincennes in 1896 by Charles Pathé and his brothers Emile and Théophile, and
indeed was the first film company that controlled the entire production process
of filmmaking: from the manufacture of the film through to production and
finally distribution in salt. It is substantially constituted by a base of mm.
100 x 180 with four legs, an electric motor, the illuminating apparatus, the
projection device, the coils door film. The electric motor is fixed to the base
with special joints, has a socket for connection to external power, a plug for
connection to the projector, a power switch and a rheostat for the intensity
variation of the current supplied to the projector (the projector works with
voltages from 110V) in a small wooden cradle. At the base it is fixed to a
vertical metal structure at the center of which is located the projection device,
consisting of a lens, a rotary shutter, a crank for manual feed. Above it is
inserted a metal arm on which you insert one of the two coils (the one with the
film to be projected) and the cylindrical coils that drive the film in its
movement through the projector. The other coil (the one that receives the film
already projected) is inserted, by means of a suitable metal frame, directly
into the base, on the side opposite to the motor. Integral with the coil is
inserted, on the same axis of rotation, a disk to be connected with a belt for
the transmission of motion. Behind the lens of the projection device, it fits
the illuminating apparatus constituted by a light bulb in a low voltage
filament with a fixed resistor, a concave mirror and a condenser lens, placed
in opposite position with respect to the lamp, inserted in a cylindrical
housing electrically connected to the base. This cylinder is constrained in the
lower part but a compass openable to allow the positioning of the film guide, a
rectangular frame placed between the condenser and the projection lens which
forms the guide for the sliding of the film 9.5mm. It used to be 9.5 mm films.
perforated at the center, usually in rolls of 8.5 meters. The presence of the
reel holder arm, the motor mount, pulley back, allowing the screening of
"super" film or length of 100 mt. This projector could be used both
manually by means of the crank that with the electric motor. The screening is
done by placing the projector in front of a white wall or a piece of cloth, you
put this film in the debtor coil (higher) in the film frame guide, you turn on
the lamp, you focus the image, use the lens and proceeds with the projection by
operating the electric motor. The views film is collected in the receiver coil.
The projector is placed in its wooden cabinet with three narrow drawers and a
compartment with two doors (mm. 1180 x 570 x 358) and place on the upper floor
(place to mm. 83 from the ground) with movable walls to facilitate insertion
the coil and with a big hole on the short side at the projector.
O. 52. Records (seven) for 78
rpm content in a tin coil of the Fono Roma. This company was born on 11.26.1931
and immediately stood out for innovation and research. It was the first jazz
recordings with the orchestra Carlini, direct from Sesto Carlini in 1932, in
1933 it recorded the monumental work of Sardinian folk music of Gavino Gabriel
and up to 1970 it recorded fusion progressive rock (the Area). Currently it is a dubbing studio. The
records contained in the coil are: 1) record engraved on one side with the
label: DISCOTECA DI STATO / K R 153 D. d. S. 16 / GIOVANNI GENTILE / "I
patti lateranensi e il pensiero italiano" (Dal discorso per
l'inaugurazione del VII Congresso Naz. di filosofia, letto in Campidoglio il 26
maggio 1929.VII presente il Capo del Governo BENITO MUSSOLINI). 2)
record with handwritten label; A: Pessac best side 12.25.33, B: Pessac GHK
08/12/33. 3) record engraved on one side with the label: S. A. FONO ROMA /
REPARTO FONOGRAFICO / DISCO N. handwritten KR 250 30-1-34 / Voi che sapete /
sopr. G. Pederzini. 4)
record with label; A: S. A. FONO ROMA / REPARTO FONOGRAFICO / DISCO N.
handwritten KR 211A 01.05.34 / Marechiaro / orch. Fragna, B: S. A. FONO ROMA /
REPARTO FONOGRAFICO / DISCO N. handwritten KR 211X 1.5.34 / Marechiaro / orch. Fragna.
Armando Fragna (Naples, August 2, 1898 - Livorno, August 15, 1972) was an
Italian musician and composer who for 20 years headed one of the RAI orchestras.
5) record Excelsius T
6237 labeled not for sale A Tu ca nun chiagne (De Curtis) / GIOVANNI ASSANTE
TENORE, B Torna a Surriento (De Curtis) / GIOVANNI ASSANTE TENORE. 6) record D
Columbia 12543; A: LA TOSCA / E lucean le stelle / ALESSANDRO GRANDA, B: LA TOSCA
/ recondite armonie / ALESSANDRO GRANDA. Registration
(1932, in Udine) of the Peruvian tenor whose real name is Alejandro Granda
Relayza (Callao, November 26, 1898 - Lima, September 3, 1962). 7) PARLOPHON
record; A: LETTERA DI MANON / ORCHESTRA EDITH LORAND / II B-27039, B: AUBADE
printanière / ORCHESTRA EDITH LORAND / B-27039 I. The "Edith Lorand
Orchestra" was one of the most famous bands of the Weimar Republic, with
numerous appearances in the Admiralspalast in Berlin. In his dual role as
virtuoso violinist and orchestra conductor, Edith Lorand (Budapest December 17,
1898 - November 23, 1960 New York) quickly he became the star and, at the same
time, a symbol of women's emancipation in 1920.
O. 56. Italian amplifier LEM B
202, built in 1970. In 1969, in San Giovanni in Marignano (RN), the brand LEM
(Laboratorio Elettro Musicale) was born, from the GEM of Matteo Galanti,
dedicated to the development of audio diffusion systems. The brand grew rapidly
and became very popular first in Italy and then in the world. The Italian
company was able to supply from small amplification systems to large live
theatrical events and outdoor events and permanent systems for parks and discos
such as the Yellow Flag in Rimini. Subsequently LEM dedicated itself to the
construction of Computer /modeling based audio systems (i.e. with the
possibility of DSP control for EQ management) such as the Tourmaster series in
different versions. This amplifier is in two pieces, the amplifier itself of
cm. 67 x 28 x 16.5 and the mono speaker of cm. 55 x 57 x 38. On the front face
of the amplifier there are two inputs; the bright button; the volume, bass,
middle and treble knobs; five levers for equalization and the compress and master
knobs; on the back face there is the switch and the output for the speakers.
O. 53. Magnetofono Geloso G255
S famiglia, three-valve, built in 1955 by Giovanni Geloso in Milan, at the
viale Brenta 29 facility, licensed by Arrigo Castelli, and sold at 42,000 lire
plus 230 lire of radio fees, 46,000 lire, complete with accessories . The speed
is 4,75 and 9,5 cm / sec. The valves are: UL41, 12AX7 and DM70, the bandwidth
is 100 - 4500Hz and 80 - 6000Hz, the power supply is 110 - 220Volt and the
dimensions are cm. 24 x 13 x 14. On the top there is a transparent cover that,
open, gives access to the reels, recorder heads and capstan, speed selector and
volume knob. On the right side there are four keys: red is for recording, black
for pausing, green for listening, and yellow for rewind. On the front face is
the magical eye that was used to indicate the recording level and a red lever
for the tape clutch. On the rear face we find the voltage selector, the
microphone input and the output for the amplifiers. There is also the T32
microphone.
O. 55. Chromatic rolmonica, a
kind of harmonica that plays with a perforated paper roll. Built in the third
decades of the twentieth century in the United States, branded: ROLMONICA /
TRADE MARK REG / CHROMATIC / PAT. NO. RE. 16986 – NO.1.720.991. The instrument
is in celluloid, with dimensions of mm. 119 x 92 x 92 x 36, it has 8 + 8 holes
for the sixteen metal reeds, a mouthpiece and two small wooden knobs for
unwinding and rewinding the roller. This instrument is equipped with 3 rolls of
paper for as many songs.
O. 56. Italian Amplifier LEM B
202, built in 1970. In 1969, in San Giovanni in Marignano (RN), the brand LEM
(Laboratorio Elettro Musicale) was born, from the GEM of Matteo Galanti,
dedicated to the development of audio diffusion systems. The brand grew rapidly
and became very popular first in Italy and then in the world. LEM's
amplification product range has been widely used for live applications in Italy
and Europe in general. The Italian company was able to supply from small
amplification systems to large live theatrical events (it has been the supplier
of the Sanremo Festival several times) and outdoor events (including the
international production of La traviata realized in Paris in 1999) and
permanent systems for parks (for example the Aquafan in Riccione) and discos
such as the Yellow Flag in Rimini. Subsequently LEM dedicated itself to the
construction of Computer /modeling based audio systems (i.e. with the
possibility of DSP control for EQ management) such as the Tourmaster series in
different versions. This amplifier is in two pieces, the amplifier itself of
cm. 67 x 28 x 16.5 and the mono speaker of cm. 55 x 57 x 38. On the front face
of the amplifier there are two inputs; the bright button; the volume, bass,
middle and treble knobs; five levers for equalization and the compress and
master knobs; on the back face there is the switch and the output for the
speakers.
O. 57. Franz electric
metronome, datable to 1940, produced by Franz Manufacturing Company,
Incorporated - designers and manufacturers of American made precision
metronomes since 1938. P.O. Box 120396, East Haven, Connecticut 06512-0396. The
advent of the controlled alternating current (AC) made possible the invention
of the electric metronome Franz (1938) which embodied the first significant
improvements of the "Maelzel" type mechanism. In this metronome, a
synchronous motor, like those used in electric clocks, operates a hammer that
beats time through an adjustable mechanical reduction from 40 to 208. The
dimensions are mm. 125 x 105 x 88, the structure is in black bakelite and on
the upper face there is a small bulb that lights up with every movement. On the
front wall there is a knob that allows you to vary the rhythm from largo to
prestissimo (from 40 to 208) while on the back there is the ignition lever to
match the sound signal to the bright one.
O. 58. Paper rollers (two) for
mechanical piano in their original boxes of the dimensions of mm. 52 x 59 x
322. The rollers have a diameter of mm. 48 for 286 of width while the length of
the paper depends on the duration of the piece. During a convention held in
Buffalo in 1908, a standard was established that was subsequently adopted by
almost all manufacturers. This standard includes all 88 piano notes. The first
roll, created by George Barbiero in 1919, is marked L'ÉDITION MUSICALE
PERFORÉE, shows the label: Célébre Sérénata / op. 6 / E. Toselli. The second,
coeval, EMPECO (The Empeco system, popular in Europe but virtually unknown in
America, was used by Philipps, Kastner and many other European manufacturers,
some Empeco systems have been installed in coin-operated instruments for use in
public places ), on the label: 3057 / Moment d'Amour / (Liebesaugemblick) /
Valse Lente / von / Leo Eysoldt.
O. 59. Gramophone Pathé Concert
with a crank action, built in Paris in 1910 by Pathé Frères. "Le Concert
Automatique Français" was widely used in French public places before the
First World War: the robust speaker, the
oversized horn and a token device was ideal for spreading the sound in large,
crowded rooms. For ten cents you could hear the latest songs of the time. After
inserting the coin, the gramophone has a device that stops the motor after a
precise number of rotations, corresponding to the average length of an
incision. The instrument is equipped with a sapphire needle and plays records
with a diameter up to cm. 50 which make the needle move from the inside to the
outside. The powerful engine allows you to listen to several records in a row
without having to load them every time. Characteristic is the door behind which
it is possible to stack the records. The gramophone is impressive: it has a
height of mm. 2120, the diameter of the black horn, is mm. 670, in front, under the engine, there
is a sliding shutter that allows you to store the records, on the top floor, in
addition to the rotating plate, there is the mechanism to change the rotation
speed and the coin slot.
O. 60. Amplivoice amplified
four-transistor trumpet, built in 1962 by Geloso in Milan. The realization of
this megaphone stems from an idea of engineering. Edgardo Velicogna, technical
director of Geloso until '69 and a very close collaborator of Ing. Geloso. The
idea of making an amplified horn powered by six 1.5 Volt batteries and with a
removable, directional microphone mounted on four legs was extraordinary. The
success of Amplivoice (bulletin N ° 84 spring 1962) is immediate, it is an
innovative product that was lacking on the market and is immediately used in
many applications, such as street vendors, construction sites, sporting events,
trade union events and various strikes. The trumpet molding is made of special
plastic, practically indestructible, commercially called Moplen. The metal tag
around the microphone printed: AMPLIVOICE / CAT N° 2583 – PAT PENDING, TROMBA
AMPLIFICATA / CAT. N. 2583 BREVETTATO, SpA GELOSO / MILANO / MADE IN ITALY. The
diameter of the trumpet is mm. 235, the total length of mm. 434 and a weight,
without batteries, of Kg. 1.5. The emblematic image of the use of amplivoice,
however, is that of Federico Fellini, who used the Geloso megaphone during the
direction of many of his films.
O. 61. Projector with sound
disc for children built in Barcelona in 1934 by the company NIC. In the 1930s,
three brothers from Barcelona invented an instrument with which the little ones
could, with just one crank, watch animated films printed on translucent paper
bands and listen to the audio recorded on the related discs. Its operation is
very simple and at the same time ingenious, conceived on the basis of the
principles of the magic lantern: a paper ribbon with two slightly different
images, above and below, are projected in such a way that a shutter alternated
the vision of one and the other image (thus obtaining a precarious illusion of
movement based only on two images that seemed alternating). The paper ribbon
passes in front of the shutter, unrolling on one side and winding on the other.
The optics are two simple lenses that show the bottom and top of the film, the
point of focus should be sought by moving the projector away from the wall or
screen where the images were seen. The lighting comes from a 40 Watt bulb. In
1932 the famous logo was patented: a black boy riding an elephant. The base of
mm. 250 x 110 supports the projector, black, of mm. 223 x 112 x 80: on the
right side there is the logo and the housing for the roller with the film while
on the left side there is the cylinder cylinder on which the strip of paper is
rolled and the crank of the gramophone to which it is hinged. On the upper
floor is mounted the small gramophone consisting of the arm, the diaphragm with
the chrome head and the plate, made of green felt with the inscription NIC /
patentado, on which is screwed the disc in bakelite, 17 cm in diameter, related
to the film. The instrument is accompanied by four discs with a story engraved
on each side and the corresponding eight rolls of film.
O. 62. Portable gramophone with
decomposable parts Excelda, built by Thorens of Basel in 1935. In the first
decades of the twentieth century were made some gramophones with shape and size
similar to cameras, so as to be coined the definition of "cameraphone",
the gramophone Excelda is an example of this particular type, which was a great
success, remaining in production from 1931 until the mid-'40s. The components
are contained in a sheet metal box, craquelé blue in colour, with a screw-on
lid on which there is a rich circular decoration and an oval plate with the
inscription British Patent / N˚ 255001; the front and rear sides are rounded
and one of them has a black leather handle with the inscription EXCELDA.
Unscrewing the lid, inside the box there are the modular elements: a diaphragm
with chromed head, a chromed arm and a crank with wooden handle. The small
plate, covered with blue felt, is driven by the spring motor, hidden from the
plate. A hole on the side allows the crank to be inserted for charging the
motor; on the same side there is a lever for stopping and adjusting the speed
of rotation of the platter. The dimensions are 282 x 120 x 52 mm.
O. 63. Magic Lantern Lucciola,
built around 1930. The magic lantern is a device that allows, by to a light
source and a mirror, to project images imprinted on glass or onto a strip of
paper on a screen. It is all in olive-green painted metal with a base, black,
which along the longer sides has two pins for wrapping and unwinding the paper
tape and a green body, inside which there are two 40 Watt bulbs and the mirror.
On the front face there is the adjustable lens for focusing while on the back
there is the writing: LUCCIOLA / BREVETTATO / Ing. Nelli & F.lli Moradei /
CBC / Firenze. There are also numerous comic strips from the famous Nerbini
house.
O. 64. Magic lantern made
around 1910 by the Bavarian producer Gerbruder Bing (1863 - 1933). Founded in
1863 by brothers Ignaz and Adolf Bing, it originally produced metal kitchen
utensils; at the beginning of the 20th century, Bing was the largest toy
company in the world and the Nuremberg factory was the largest toy factory in
the world; in 1932, Bing was put into liquidation and in 1933 ceased
operations. The body, supported by four golden feet with acanthus leaf
decoration, is a parallelepiped in olive-green tin with dimensions of mm. 140 x
130 x 80. On the left side there is a door that allows you to place the light
source, consisting of an oil lamp in glass, and on which there is the mark:
Standard / E.P. On the front there is a brand: eagle / E.P. on the upper side
is housed the vent hood for the fumes of the lamp, in truncated cone shape with
a final almost right angle, in black tin with a total length of mm. 152. The
optic, of the total length of mm. 112, is placed on the front wall, consists of
a single condenser and a single objective: the adjustment is entrusted to the
short run of the objective. There are some round slides that show the landscape
of the Rhine.
O. 65. Lido portable record
player with crank charge with worm screw, spring motor and integrated metal
speaker. It, with its particular beige case, in the shape of an oval hatbox
with a flat base, was built by the Telefunken Company for Wireless Telegraphy
mbH in Hanover in 1938. The weight is 4.48 kg; the dimensions are mm. 145 x 325
x 370 and is built with leather, metal, plastic and fabric. On the inside of
the lid there is a pocket, in fabric, for the disks and the word Lido /
Telefunken Platten. The arm and diaphragm, with the TELEFUNKEN brand, are
arranged at the rear while the crank can be stored inside the speaker. On the
left of the rotating plate there is the lever to change the rotation speed
while on the right there is a container, in amaranth plastic, for the spare
pins and the lever for locking the rotation. The hole for inserting the crank
is on the right wall of the casing.
O. 66. Electromagnetic bakelite
speaker, the famous 2007 of 1928, known as "barber's plate" or
"flying saucer". It is a brilliant example of industrial design: it
was designed by Louis Kalff for Philips. The speaker has a cast iron triangular
foot supporting a large concave platter with a convex inner disc. The motor and
its paper cone are located inside the smaller disc while the larger parabolic
disc is used as a reflector. A small rotary switch on the cable allows three
different impedances: 500, 1500 and 200 ohms. This speaker was built in three
different sizes (large: 2007, medium: 2003, small: 2015). The back of the outer
concave platter is marked PHILIPS. The diameter of the larger disc is mm. 403,
the overall height mm. 430, the thickness mm. 173 for a weight of gr. 3010. The
colour is marbled brown and red with gold inclusions (in fact brass powder).
The patterns were always different, as the colour ingredients were incorporated
randomly so that each piece is unique. Louis Kalff was a pioneer of industrial
design in the Netherlands during the first half of the 20th century: he studied
furniture design, sculpture, ceramics and architecture and began working for
Philips in 1924 in the marketing department for which he was later responsible.
In 1929 he opened a lighting product design department and later became
responsible for the lighting sections of the world exhibitions in Barcelona,
Antwerp and Paris. He designed the first Evoluon Holland science centre in
Eindhoven, opened by Philips in 1966.
O. 67. Portable 4.3-inch
television for b/w images Shilyalis-402D. This television was produced in the
Kauno Radijo Gamykla (KRG) radio station in Kaunas in 1974 with power or
battery operation (220 or 12 Volts). Reception is in the MW and UHF ranges.
Diagonal screen size mm. 160, reproducible sound frequency range 400/3500,
nominal output power is W. 0.25. The dimensions are mm. 230 x 220 x 160, the
case is in red plastic while the front is black, there are the switch/volume,
contrast and brightness knobs. At the
bottom are the two selectors for VHF and UHF. There are two antennas, one
circular and one telescopic, and the handle is marked SHILJALIS 402D-1E.
O. 68. Symphonion, perforated
metal disc music box, 145 mm in diameter. It was produced, in 1895, by
'Symphonion Musikwerke, Leipzig' located at 13-19 Braustrassw Street. The
perforated discs have a small metal plectrum at the hole, which excites the
metal reed producing the sound as in ordinary music boxes. The mechanism is
contained in a box measuring mm. 127 x 197 x 177 with the lid in walnut briar
and the rest veneered in walnut, inside vie is the metal comb, the roller that
transmits the impulse of the plectrums, the pin that rotates the disc and an
axle that holds the disc in place. On the inside of the lid there is a paper
print with dance scenes and on the outside there is the name Symphonion. The
comb has forty metal reeds: a lever on the right side of the box allows to
stretch the spring that will make the disc spin with a smaller lever on top
that allows to stop the rotation. The Symphonion Company started business in
1885 and produced the first music box with a disc player. Its founders were Oscar
Paul Lochmann and two partners Gustave Brachhausen and Paul Riessner. Within
two years, however, these two men had left to found the Polyphon company which
produced similar machines in competition with the original company. In 1889,
the Symphonion company became a joint stock company or Aktiengesellschaft, with
shares listed on the stock exchange. In 1900, Symphonion's business continued
under the control of Franz Thumen and Hans Kanitz until 1909, when it ran into
financial difficulties and was restructured, with the company name changing to
Symphonion-Fabrik AG. Under this name it remained in existence at Schkeuditzer
Strasse 13-17b in Gohlis. Symphonion is distinguished by the enormous diversity
of types, styles and models produced.
O. 69. Snoby cc/ca portable
record player, made in Lecco, Italy, by TRL Electronics, in 1965. Portable
device of quadrangular shape of mm. 200 made of plastic, coral-coloured the
upper part and cream-coloured the lower part. On the front there is a button
for ejecting the record and two black dials, for tone and volume. It can run on
dry batteries (1.5 Volt) or connected to the 220 Volt mains; it mounts a
magnetodynamic loudspeaker (permanent magnet and moving coil) with an output
power of 0.5 W.
O. 70. Tape recorder, model
Miny 2301 Transistor Tape Recorder, made in Japan in 1960. Portable device with
two motors, running on dry batteries: 3 x 1.5 Volt for winding the coils and 1
x 9 Volt for the microphone, magnetodynamic loudspeaker (permanent magnet and
voice coil) / Ø 6 cm Device made of grey plastic, dimensions mm. 205 x 65 x
185. Reel diameter 76 mm (3 inches) can hold the tape at 15 - 20 minutes
recording time. Microphone with control button whose input is located on the
right side of the unit. On the upper side, in addition to the reel slot, there
is a four-position selector switch (rewind, stop, play and record) and the
volume wheel. To replace the batteries, it is necessary to unscrew the large
screw in the centre of the bottom cover strip and remove it completely. The
built-in speaker emits a fairly loud but crackling sound.
O. 71. Diana model reed musical
box built in Leipzig, Germany, in 1902, by the Phönix company. Inside there are
two bellows and a windchest with fourteen steel reeds set in vibration by the bellows
and, on the bottom, there is the serial number N° 4810. The case is in black
painted wood, the measurements are: mm. 200 x 240 x 134. On the side there is
the crank which activates the two bellows and spins the discs, fixed by a lever
on the plane of the instrument, which press the levers which release the reeds
which emit the notes. This model was presented in 1901 at the Leipzig Autumn
Fair. The producers were the music company Phoenix Schmidt & Co. The
cornerstone for the booming music industry throughout Germany was laid in
Leipzig. Paul Ehrlich was the architect, then the Phönix of Schmidt & Co.
followed his example, starting to produce musical box in 1886 in Kurprinzstraße
18 (today Grünewaldstraße). There are twenty discs in galvanized sheet metal
with a diameter of 163 mm.
O. 72. Hand-cranked organ
Kinder Ariston, produced in 1900 by Enrlich & Co in Leipzig. The instrument
measures 355 x 355 x 185 mm and rests on four 20 mm feet. It operates with
cardboard discs with a diameter of 295 mm. The top part shows the radial metal
pressure arm adhering to the reading plate with nineteen holes, from which
metal rods protrude. These rods, corresponding to the holes in the disc, rise
and activate the valves that control the airflow to the reeds. The painting on
this part depicts seven dancing children, the last of whom is playing the
violin. In the corners, a guitar and tambourine, a horn, a harp, and a drum are
depicted. On the right side, there is a crank that controls the rotation of the
disc and the inflation of air by the two bellows. On the side of the handle and
on the opposite side, six children marching with a dog are depicted. On the
opposite sides, there are five child musicians and two pairs of dancing
children.
O. 73. Pocket phonograph
Mikiphone, built in Switzerland, in Ste-Croix, by Paillard, in 1926. It is the
smallest phonograph ever produced, its dimensions are 115 mm in diameter by 47
mm in height, on the side there is the winding key for the spring. The packaging
arrangement is ingenious; the single spring motor with a three-cylinder speed
stabilizer is housed in the bottom, in the top there is the turntable with
holes to accept parts of the sound box, the diaphragm, the arm, and the
resonator. This, used instead of the horn, is in two pieces that fit the
concave sides. On the metal case is engraved: POCKET PHONOGRAPH / MYKIPHONE /
SYSTEM VADÁSZ / PATENTED IN ALL COUNTRIES, on the bottom there is the serial
number 26–0067843. You can listen to 78 rpm records up to 12 inch in diameter.
The Paillard company, specialized in precision manufacturing, developed the
world's first pocket phonograph: the Mikiphone, housed in a nickel-plated box
the size of a hand. The recording head and a two-piece bakelite resonator had
to be connected to the folding arm before the shellac record could be placed on
the central spindle of the turntable. This feat of precision engineering won
the first prize at an international music exhibition in Geneva in 1927. Le
Corbusier went so far as to advertise the microphone in 1926 as a "first
demonstration of the spirit of the machine age."
O. 74. Orgue de barbarie
Cautiniphone, hand-cranked organ for street performers with perforated paper
rolls, built in the 20th century. The instrument, made entirely of solid curly
maple, rests on four feet and can be carried over the shoulder with a leather
strap. The body dimensions are 268 x 313 x 425 mm, while the windchest measures
290 x 290 x 68 mm. On the right side of the body, there is a crank to advance
the rolls and operate the bellows, while on the right side of the windchest,
there is a crank for rewinding. The paper roll moves over the windchest,
uncovering the reeds corresponding to the holes, and these, when set into
vibration, produce the note. The windchest has twenty holes for the twenty
notes; there is a roll-up expression shutter on it that protects the mechanism
and the roll. On the front, there is an oval inscription: CAUTINIPHONE /
CHANTERUE / Montcenis. The first organ of this shape dates back to 1890; in
1937, Guy Cautin resumed production of these instruments at Etablissements Cautin
Musique in Montcenis, a French commune located in the department of
Saône-et-Loire in the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region.
O. 75. Phonograph for wax
cylinders, model Puck, built by Carette & Cie in Nuremberg in the last
decade of the 19th century. The base is made of cast metal in the shape of a
lyre, resting on three feet, one of which is adjustable. The upper surface of
the base, in black enamel, is colored with gold paint. The motor, an open
single-spring with a three-cylinder speed stabilizer, is fixed between two
vertical axes and is wound with a key. The screw on the governor's rack
regulates the speed. A bracket with a drive cylinder for the wax roller is
installed separately. An endless wire, enclosed in a metal casing with a
tensioning roller, transmits rotation from the motor to the cylinder. The
soundbox is rigidly fixed to a conical aluminum horn mounted rotatably on a
vertical support. The back of the horn rests on a T-support near the roller in
the non-operating position; the needle lowers onto the cylinder and follows the
phonogram groove during playback while the horn rotates on the hinge. It can
play 2-minute wax cylinders with a diameter of 55 mm. George Carette was born
in Paris, later moved to Germany, and founded the company "George Carette
& Co" in 1886 in Nuremberg. Initially, the company was known as
"Spielwaren-Industrie-Gesellschaft George Carette & Co" (Toy
Industry Company George Carette & Co.). In 1895 it was renamed "George
Carette & Co." The company existed until 1917 when Carette, who
remained a French citizen, was expelled to his homeland. It was the simplest
and most economical phonograph on the market, of German manufacture. Easy to
operate, it had widespread popularity: it is estimated that between 1900 and
1914, more than one million units were produced in Europe. These talking
machines were in the lowest price range of phonographs, sold cheaply, and
sometimes one was given away for free with the purchase of 24 cylinders.
O. 76. Mascotte Air Piano,
built by Giaccaglia in 1963, patent No. 85101. The instrument resembles a small
piano with twelve white keys ranging from C to G, eight black keys, and four
bass keys. The lower part is light blue while the upper part is white, bordered
by a golden strip. On the front, the Giaccaglia / Castelfidardo brand is
displayed. The dimensions are 336 mm in length, 188 mm in width, and 180 mm in
height. On the upper part, there is a grille from whichthe sound comes out.
This is produced by metal reeds that vibrate when the valve controlled by the
key is opened. The airflow is produced by a motor powered by two 4.5 V
batteries. The switch to turn on the motor is located on the lower part.
Giaccaglia Company was founded in 1957 by Nello Giaccaglia, born in Loreto (AN)
on January 12, 1912. He was the head of the carpentry department at the Paolo
Soprani company in Castelfidardo. Together with master Bio Boccosi, he
developed a method for teaching the accordion, creating a toy accordion with
colors and numbers corresponding to the method. The production of these
accordions began in Castelfidardo, in his home on Via Brno Buozzi 7. In 1962,
he moved to a real factory on Via Bramante 9, also in Castelfidardo, where
educational accordions such as the Ciuciuci, Bambi, and Cucciolo, and the first
air-powered piano with batteries, the Mascotte, were produced. In 1969, the
company moved to Loreto Stazione on Via Bordighera. In 1972, they began
producing their first electronic organs, such as the Pet and the Duetto, which
had two keyboards. The company ceased instrument production in 1985.
O. 77. Stylophone Dubreq, the
first palm-sized mini synthesizer, built in 1970 in London. The Stylophone is
an analog electronic musical instrument with a miniature keyboard, played with
a stylus. It features a metal keyboard made from a printed circuit board, played
by touching it by the stylus. Each note on the keyboard is connected to a
voltage-controlled oscillator through a resistor of varying value, and touching
the stylus to the keyboard completes a circuit. The only other controls are a
power switch and a vibrato control on the front panel next to the keyboard,
while a tuning potentiometer is located on the back. The dimensions are 159 mm
in length, 98 mm in width, and 38 mm in height. Created in 1967 by Brian
Jarvis, the Stylophone quickly became iconic, known for its fun stylus, compact
design, and distinctive retro sound. Approximately three million units were
sold under the Dubreq brand, often marketed as a musical toy. The instrument
has been used by various musical groups and artists in their recordings,
including David Bowie in the tracks "Space Oddity," "After
All," and "Slip Away," Kraftwerk in the original version of
"Taschenrechner" for bass sounds, and Tim Freese Greene (former
producer of Talk Talk) in some of his recordings under the name Heligoland. The
band Queen also used it in the song "Seven Seas of Rhye" on the album
Queen II.
O. 78. Casio VL-Tone VL-1 (known as CasioTone), manufactured in Japan in 1981. The instrument, measuring 300 x 75 x 30 mm, combines a calculator, a monophonic synthesizer, and a sequencer. On the left side, there is an amplifier and a small eight-character LCD display; on the top, there are controls for volume and balance, a three-position octave switch, a voice selector (piano, fantasy, violin, flute, guitar, ADSR), and a four-position power switch (play, rec, call, off). In the central area, there are ten buttons (Reset, Del, tempo up, tempo down, Rhythm, ML-C, Music, autoplay, and two One Key Play buttons). At the bottom, there are 29 very small and soft buttons instead of a keyboard, lacking any touch sensitivity or response (from G to B). Above the buttons, there are controls for one programmable sound and five preset sounds, ten built-in rhythm patterns, and a 100-note sequencer. The calculator mode is located below the buttons, with numbers and mathematical operation symbols corresponding to the calculator functions. On the back, there is a 3.5 mm mono audio output jack and an input for a 6V adapter; the instrument is powered by four AA batteries.
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