Papers by Allen Koenigsberg
The Antique Phonograph, 2024
It was a slow start but the phonograph record gradually became a stage unto itself for a dancing ... more It was a slow start but the phonograph record gradually became a stage unto itself for a dancing figure, and the most popular of all were Ragtime Dancers from the World of Minstrelsy. "Rastus" was activated in Boston in 1914 and gave rise to several other - even newsworthy - terpsichorean combinations. But where did the little Automata get their own beginning? Could it have been even before the invention of the phonograph? Columbia was already using the term "Uncle Rastus" by 1897.
The Antique Phonograph, 2013
The shape of the first sound recordings was dominated by the mechanical lathe, and for the most p... more The shape of the first sound recordings was dominated by the mechanical lathe, and for the most part their containers as well. And yes, those cardboard and wooden cylinder contraptions were patented too. Gaze upon some of the earliest designs here, with unusual details not generally explored in histories of this type.
The Antique Phonograph, 2023
As phonograph prices continued to drop in 1898, one observed another problem: sometimes the ideas... more As phonograph prices continued to drop in 1898, one observed another problem: sometimes the ideas for production and manufacture exceeded the ability of some companies to actually bring the devices to market. This seems to have been the case with the Euphonic Talking Machine which was originally patented (i.e. attempts were made) in the wake of the Amet Metaphone; only the British and Canadian versions were granted but their US equivalent was not. At least 12 were made and advertised widely, in the Phonoscope and the American Exporter, and as far away as Australia, yet not one has been reported as surviving. It is hoped that this detailed article will encourage the discovery of its unusual glass tone arm.
The Antique Phonograph, 2012
The mysterious symbol of a 'Red Hand' was quite popular in Edison advertising at the turn of the ... more The mysterious symbol of a 'Red Hand' was quite popular in Edison advertising at the turn of the century (1899-1902), but no one has determined its ultimate significance. Other examples of commercial activity in the field of phonographica are presented here for the sake of comparison. The high quality of printing and color lithography at the time is a reminder of the extensive use of this early world of sight and sound.
The Sound Box, 2005
The idea of moving a record sideways, as well as spinning it beneath the playback stylus, was as ... more The idea of moving a record sideways, as well as spinning it beneath the playback stylus, was as old as machinist John Kruesi's first model of the original tinfoil phonograph (1877) and could be found even on the mute Leon Scott Phonautograph of 1859. In general, this idea was easier to accomplish with a cylinder mechanism, and as a result, there are only a few such "traveling discs," e. g. the 1911 Keenophone and the unique 1908 front-mounted Aretino (which was actually patented). There must have been a Patent Application filed for the 'Rex' (used as a Novelty Device) but it was apparently not granted in the US. The 1911 (reciprocating) 'Wizard' was a more substantial model and patented by Pliny Catucci. W. E. Waddell started out (1905), according to his NY Census Report, in a field called "Shell goods." Only one of Waddell's premium machines has survived, and is shown in the June 2012 issue.
The Sound Box, 2010
Although the brand name of "Echophone" would be used on and off for many years, it was never offi... more Although the brand name of "Echophone" would be used on and off for many years, it was never officially trademarked in the U.S. Inventor Edward Amet would use it (first) for his renamed, glass-tubed 'Amet Talking Machine' and Metaphone in 1895-96, and it would again appear in Europe (Switzerland) as an unrelated Paillard reversible-case cylinder phonograph by 1905. By the 1920's it was also applied to a Chicago radio company. But it was also used for a modest patented player by 1907-08 and as its price plummeted, it finally became a 'premium' machine (free, by Wm. E. Waddell in NYC). Surprisingly, it is somewhat uncommon. Be sure to read about its circuitous connection to the earlier 'Euphonic Talking Machine.'
The Sound Box, 2011
When Edison re-organized his Audio Entertainment activities in Jan. 1896 as the 'National Phonogr... more When Edison re-organized his Audio Entertainment activities in Jan. 1896 as the 'National Phonograph Co.,' he had just regained control of his patents after the bankruptcy of the North American Phonograph Co. and the 1894 demise of founder Jesse Lippincott. But he had no cylinder records of his own at the time - what could he do, especially with increased competition from Columbia? He bought up musical recordings from smaller companies, disguising their original source, and slowly began to sell them as his own. There is not much information on this topic in the literature, so this article will give a good introduction. When it was first published in hard-copy (Dec. 2011), it actually appeared with color illustrations!
The Antique Phonograph, 2012
In the heyday of phonographic activity (by 1898), many commercial venues began to increase their ... more In the heyday of phonographic activity (by 1898), many commercial venues began to increase their use of telegrams and cables for speed and security. But that option could be expensive and the new industry soon began to take advantage of what other businesses had already discovered -- agreed-upon coding (in advance) might save a lot of money. Here, for the first time, a detailed explanation of how that system took place (for phonographs & records), created by one of the industry's earliest artists and businessmen (Russell Hunting), whose curious career included recordings that were challenged in Court (as obscene).
The Sound Box, 2007
At the time of this writing, there was only the accidental discovery of one unbreakable cylinder ... more At the time of this writing, there was only the accidental discovery of one unbreakable cylinder (No. 1) to indicate that "Physical Culture" had made any inroads on the American Psyche (late 19th/early 20th cent). There is certainly nothing about Leonide Keating in any relevant reference book but; a second example (No. 4) from the original set has now been located. His grave is unmarked since only his ashes survive, in Los Angeles. Although he originally came to the US across the Atlantic, no Ship's Manifest has been identified for him, one of several remaining mysteries. His mother's maiden name was Agnes Robling and his father Reginald Keating (unfound on Ancestry).
The Sound Box, 2009
There seems to be little awareness that the US Patent Office was (eventually) quite willing, by L... more There seems to be little awareness that the US Patent Office was (eventually) quite willing, by Law, to grant patents to persons who were certified - by others - as "Insane." In all my years of investigating the history of the phonograph, I found only one inventor who met that criteria (in this category). Some might find such a detail embarrassing since the resulting label, "An Insane Person," was then printed on the actual document! Herewith the unknown story of Elam Gilbert, who though adjudged "Insane" at the time, was able (with the help of his 'wife') to complete the required paperwork and get his device on the market.
The Antique Phonograph, 2015
This small monthly magazine was Edison's way of keeping in contact with his many customers for ye... more This small monthly magazine was Edison's way of keeping in contact with his many customers for years, in addition to EPM's jobbing Roster. Looking back now, we can see how the Q&A Column in each issue gave a fascinating window into the state of the business and the nature of his (mostly rural) clientele.
The Antique Phonograph, 2014
It is not generally known that the Wizard was briefly entranced by the newly created Philosophy/R... more It is not generally known that the Wizard was briefly entranced by the newly created Philosophy/Religion of Theosophy. After playing "telegram tag" with the mysterious Russian originator and savant for several days in 1878, he was cajoled into selling her the latest Bergmann model tinfoil phonograph (#158) without his usual 20% royalty charge. Years later, he would forget the infatuation ever occurred, despite the scattered appearance of a few of his personalized cartes-de-visite. TAE had even tried to activate his 'telekinetic' powers with the movement's co-founder, but without success.
The Sound Box, 2010
Even advanced collectors and scholars rarely know that the first magazine devoted to the Phonogra... more Even advanced collectors and scholars rarely know that the first magazine devoted to the Phonographic Trade was edited and published by a woman, V. H. McRae (whose idea it was). She even got Edison to make an initial (monetary) contribution. The information in those issues, from a modern point of view, is almost priceless, as she was familiar with all aspects of the business, and from her role as a "transcriber" herself. Other than in this article, little (or nothing) has been previously published about her brief tenure, when such devices were generally operated by electricity. Alas, the Business Depression of 1893 was the proximate cause of her demise. Her life is recounted here ('The Phonogram' continued briefly in England).
The Sound Box, 2007
Eldridge Johnson eventually took his yacht (all 279 feet of it) through the Panama Canal at a tol... more Eldridge Johnson eventually took his yacht (all 279 feet of it) through the Panama Canal at a toll cost of almost $2000, but that waterway had already appeared in San Francisco by 1915 (in all its glory, at a much more reasonable price). How was that possible, you ask? At the Panama-Pacific Exposition, the entire Canal (one year old) was "miniaturized" to the size of a football field, and all its working parts (locks, magnetic ships, power stations, waterways, etc) were fully displayed. Simultaneously listening to detailed explanations through acoustic listening tubes within the linked trolley tracks - matched to each scene as they passed by, over 1000 paying customers paid close attention. This article (recalling the APM of May 1987) investigates one of the few surviving Edison cylinders (Zone G by Harry Humphrey) which 'put you there' so many years ago. Another has just been discovered, 'Zone D.'
The Sound Box, 2008
Although the Victor Co. became the largest advertiser in the field of sound recording, its musica... more Although the Victor Co. became the largest advertiser in the field of sound recording, its musical judgment in 1905 could easily be questioned. That was the year they connected with America's premier Aeronaut, Leo Stevens, aka "Prince Leo." The idea, involving a large $ deposit, was to float an advertising balloon 1000 feet in the skies above downtown Manhattan. At the appointed hour, however, a brief but violent storm arose and the chimney on the roof (on Chambers St) tore a hole in the fabric. The emblem of Nipper listening to a Gramophone (on the side) did not avail, and one man (an assistant launcher) ended up in the local hospital, nearly asphyxiated. Despite many histories of this pioneering company, this is the only place you will ever hear about this bizarre incident. The legendary balloon promoter had been 'sold' by his mother to a trapeze artist in Philadelphia (1875), and he never forgave her (she left him $5 in her Will). She was the main reason that he altered his birth-year on his own gravestone in Fly Creek, NY. His original name was Ladislav ('Latte') Hefner and he was really born in late 1871; his birth father's death (Frank, from a spinal injury) still remains unexplained, although there is a possible theory for the invented last name of "Stevens."
The Antique Phonograph, 2016
America's best known tragedian (and former room-mate of John Wilkes Booth) died in 1885, several ... more America's best known tragedian (and former room-mate of John Wilkes Booth) died in 1885, several years before the wax cylinder appeared; this chronology, however, was no apparent bar to the survival of his voice from the Insane Asylum in which he partly passed his final days (the eventual site of Columbia University's new campus). An investigation into this strange chapter of Shakespearean psycho-drama reveals its share of curiosities and a possible runner-up in the field of bizarre recitation that has completely gone un-noticed.
The Sound Box, 2010
It may seem obvious to us today that disc records would always have two sides, but they didn't st... more It may seem obvious to us today that disc records would always have two sides, but they didn't start out that way. The story behind such an apparently simple idea was fraught with the usual patent wars, false starts and stops, and the appearance of a bevy of talented, even tragic, inventors on three continents. Try your hand at the (1914) "cause of death" on the last page.
The Antique Phonograph, 2013
Most academic investigations of phonographic history avoid the bread and butter that drives colle... more Most academic investigations of phonographic history avoid the bread and butter that drives collectors to accumulate their various treasures. But there is something to be learned from each item even as one studies the paper trail for the invention of the first phonograph. Would Edison himself co-operate in changing the order of historic events for advertising purposes (in 1917)? Herewith, the only original research on this intriguing question (with illustrations).
The Sound Box, 2006
The most common feature of the standard cylinder format of recording for decades was surely the '... more The most common feature of the standard cylinder format of recording for decades was surely the 'hillandale' method of capturing sound. There is nothing in the literature (then or now) about using a zig-zag technique, i.e. lateral modulation of an even depth in the grooves themselves, quite similar to the first Phonautograph of 1857-59. One example of such a record has survived however, produced ca 1904, by an otherwise unknown inventor, James Wright Van Meter. This is the unique investigation of his lost (experimental) artifact, preserved in celluloid. The article only missed one of his patents - his first.
The Sound Box, 2007
'The Wizard' is Edison's most common historical appellation, but it is misguided on two counts: W... more 'The Wizard' is Edison's most common historical appellation, but it is misguided on two counts: When the term was first applied in April 1878, it had less to do with his inventive genius (it was based on an elaborate hoax involving magical dinner plates), and Edison himself found the term not to his liking (his achievements were "founded on hard work").
Read about how the phrase was first applied to his remarkable career and why most (if not all) previous stories have misunderstood its origins.
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Papers by Allen Koenigsberg
Read about how the phrase was first applied to his remarkable career and why most (if not all) previous stories have misunderstood its origins.
Read about how the phrase was first applied to his remarkable career and why most (if not all) previous stories have misunderstood its origins.