Thomas Edison took to designing his talking machine in 1878 using tinfoil wrapped around a cylinder with two needles, one for recording sounds and the other for play back. Thomas Edison was a team man and indeed an integrated thinker as he concentrated on several inventions all at once, and right up until his death, he was still working on his inventions. Between 1878 through to 1880, the tinfoil cylindral phonograph was marketed to the public at prices ranging from $10.00 up to $200.00, then in 1888 to1889 he went on to concentrate on the wax-cylinder machines which was not for sale to the public, but strictly for rental only. The first words recorded on the tinfoil cylinder discs were "Mary Had A Little Lamb" can be heard if you visit the tinfoil web site. http://www.tinfoil.com On this website you can feast your eyes on the enormous amount of Edison vintage cylinder photographs. These vintage phonograph dates back to the early tinfoil cylinder phonographs and the 2-minute wax cylinder records. The year 1878 April Edison went to Washington to give a demonstration for Congress to view his new development which was described as “the seventh wonder of the world." The Cylindral Tinfoil phonograph machine. He was so capitulated by his invention that he even held private presentation for Rutherford B. Hayes who was then U.S. President. Because of his invention, Thomas Edison became known as the “Wizard of Menlo Park.” Thomas Edison made a comment in regards to his cylinder phonograph, expressing himself in a philosophical manner, as he affirmed; "But, this is my baby; and I expect this baby of mine to grow up to become a big fellow and support me throughout my old age." |
