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Edison phonograph - 1889

Edison phonograph - 1889


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Edison phonograph - 1889

Edison phonograph. Prominent Frenchmen including Jules Janssen, who made the first film recording of the transit of Venus, testing an Edison phonograph in April 1889. The phonograph was invented in 1877 by Thomas Alva Edison (1847- 1931). It was an early device for making and playing sound recordings. A cylinder wrapped in tin foil was rotated, powered in this case by a Grenet (potassium bichromate) battery, as a vibrating needle made etchings according to the sound received. These could then be played back in a similar way. The phonograph caused a sensation at the Universal Exposition in Paris, 1889, where recordings were made of the guests

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Media ID 6431221

© SHEILA TERRY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

1889 April Astronomer Audio Communication Communications Electrical France Listening Phonograph Powered Record Recording Scientist Speaking Edison Gramophone Physical


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EDITORS COMMENTS
In this print from 1889, we witness a momentous occasion in the history of communication and audio technology. A group of prominent Frenchmen, including Jules Janssen, the renowned astronomer who made the first film recording of the transit of Venus, gather around an Edison phonograph for testing purposes. The Edison phonograph, invented by Thomas Alva Edison in 1877, was a groundbreaking device that revolutionized sound recordings. Powered by a Grenet battery, a cylinder wrapped in tin foil rotated while a vibrating needle etched sound waves onto its surface. These etchings could then be played back to reproduce the original sounds. This particular demonstration took place during April 1889 at the Universal Exposition in Paris. The phonograph caused quite a sensation among guests as it captured their voices and other sounds for posterity. Among those present were Charles Gounard, Alfred des Cloiseaux, and Le Duc Daumale - all captivated witnesses to this technological marvel. As we gaze upon this image frozen in time, we are reminded of how far we have come since those early days of audio recording. This photograph captures not only an important moment in scientific history but also serves as a testament to human ingenuity and our unending quest for progress.

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