Salon Du Phonographe

[malj1]

Salon Du Phonographe 30, BD Des Italiens Paris ℞. Les Disques Pathe chantent sans aiguille Cu-Ni 22.7mm

The Fair phonograph, an early phonograph / gramophone listening parlour, was opened by the Pathé brothers in 1894. The reverse translates in English: "The Pathé records reproduce the sound without a needle." The company "Pathé Frères" was founded in 1896 by the brothers Emile and Charles Pathé.

While researching this I used Google translate to read this page and was amused to see that Jacques Pathé and his wife Emily Therese were living in the village of Chevry-Cossigny,  holding a sausage. 

Edit, reproduce the sound  i/o sing.

[translateltd]

While researching this I used Google translate to read this page and was amused to see that Jacques Pathé and his wife Emily Therese were living in the village of Chevry-Cossigny,  holding a sausage. 

I couldn't work this out just from the English, but the original French page says they owned a pork butcher's, which makes rather more sense!

[malj1]

That is much better.
The whole page is difficult to read and the episode of importing parrots from South America, with most dying on the voyage, would not have helped his yellow fever. ...or was it Parrot disease? [Psittacosis]

[translateltd]

I quite like the visual pun of the discus ("disque") on the medal.

For some reason I am reminded of this exchange from the Goon Show:
- My wife's just made a pancake 30 feet round.  Is this a record?
- I don't know, try playing it on the gramophone.

[Figleaf]

The yellow fever killed his business partner and made him sick. Most of the parrots died on the ship. No connection between the two.

Peter

[maxmissy]

In fact, three different diameters exist : 19 mm , 22 mm, 23 mm


The third one has also a different address : Grenoble instead of Paris

[malj1]

I have since seen an Italian version, size unknown,
PATHEFONO SALONE CONCERTO PIAZZA DELLA BORSA No14 TRIESTE

[maxmissy]

Very nice italian cousin !
Thanks malj1 !

[Figleaf]

Further varieties exist with addresses in Amsterdam, Berlin, Budapest, Hamburg and Vienna. Trieste is a first for me, though.

Peter

[malj1]

I have a few Pathe records, the earliest from pre-WW1 play backwards. I.E. from the centre outwards and with a speed, I believe, around 100-110rpm using vertical cut recording [Hill and Dale] similar to Edison. Therefore they can only be played on a Pathephone. Later they gave up being unconventional and reverted to outside start and 78rpm.

Yes, this one reads 'Made in Belgium' 

[villa66]

I have a few Pathe records, the earliest from pre-WW1 play backwards. I.E. from the centre outwards and with a speed, I believe, around 100-110rpm using vertical cut recording [Hill and Dale] similar to Edison.

Information that would have been of immeasurable(!) help to me some several years ago.

About these pieces, are we sure they weren't used for payment? I had assumed they were used as tokens worth 1-play or some such. But no?

v. 

[malj1]

The thought of coin operated machines had crossed my mind, especially as I have a second very worn piece, but the reply#5 by maxmissy showing three different sizes seems to scotch that idea.

[malj1]

I believe you are fairly close to the mark with the date although perhaps a little earlier as France was at war from the previous August. The Pathe brothers were making cylinder records until 1906 at which date they decided to bring out the disc records. These were played with a sapphire stylus as intimated on the tokens, continuing until 1929 when this type of record was abandoned, so these could also have been used right up to to this date.

The book 'The Illustrated History of the Phonograph' by Daniel Marty, shows a coin operated machine the 'Ramophone'; In the image shown the slot can be seen with coins alongside. No mention is made there of any Pathe coin operated machines.

[malj1]

Another money-spinner for the Pathé Frères company was the Salon du Phonographe in the Boulevard des Italiens. In this plush, up-market set-up, one could sample any of the current audio delights - for a fee of course! Rows of comfy easy chairs faced polished wood cabinets each fitted with hearing tubes, a dialling device and coin slot. A coin was inserted, the desired choice dialled and within ten seconds the tune was heard. The first juke-box? Not exactly, for underneath this opulent room was a cellar stacked with cylinders and dozens of fleet footed staff to locate and play the required tunes! The daily take was in the order of 1000 francs!

    Source

[villa66]

Another money-spinner for the Pathé Frères company was the Salon du Phonographe in the Boulevard des Italiens. In this plush, up-market set-up, one could sample any of the current audio delights - for a fee of course! Rows of comfy easy chairs faced polished wood cabinets each fitted with hearing tubes, a dialling device and coin slot. A coin was inserted, the desired choice dialled and within ten seconds the tune was heard. The first juke-box? Not exactly, for underneath this opulent room was a cellar stacked with cylinders and dozens of fleet footed staff to locate and play the required tunes! The daily take was in the order of 1000 francs!

    Source

Maybe time to move this piece, then, into the for-pay tokens?

It'll be tomorrow before I can get a picture of the token I mentioned earlier, of the rooster and the 26 B'd, etc., but I note that unlike the disc-thrower tokens, this one displays the older cylinder-type phonograph. There is a single word beneath the rooster,
DEPOSEE (with marks over the first and third E). Google translates it "FILED." Huh? "Filed for patent? Filed for trademark? Misguided translation?

Thanks for the pictures. I'm trying to read the price apparently printed below the slot, which may read 10....?

v.