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Ediphone dictation machine - $10 (oakland hills / mills)
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The Ediphone was a dictation machine invented by Thomas A. Edison that used wax cylinders to record and reproduce speech for business use. Introduced in 1888 (initially as the Business Phonograph) and branded as the Ediphone by 1917, it competed directly with the Dictaphone system.
The machine operated using a "hill and dale" recording method, where voice vibrations engraved sound waves into the wax cylinder via a stylus. A key feature was that the wax layer could be shaved off the cylinder, allowing it to be reused. By the mid-1940s, the technology was largely replaced by newer systems like the Edison Voicewriter (which used diamond discs) and magnetic tape.
Key Specifications and History
Primary Use: Office dictation to reduce reliance on stenographers.
Recording Medium: Wax cylinders (switched from tinfoil in 1888).
Recording Method: Hill and dale vertical modulation, distinct from the lateral recording of rivals.
Reusability: Cylinders could be shaved and reused, making it cost-effective for high-volume offices.
Legacy: The Ediphone was a staple in offices, hospitals, and police stations until the early 1950s, when it was superseded by belt and tape technologies. Today, vintage models are sought after by collectors.
$10 cash only please.