[78-L] Talking string

[AllenAmet at aol.com]

In a message dated 6/27/2009 3:28:54 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
AllenAmet at aol.com writes:

Has  anyone ever heard of this forgotten toy?   

---------------
those were the first replicated records, made by  Lambrigot, ca 1880. The  
recording was on the string, or strip,  itself.



Here is an excerpt from The Telegraphic Journal, May 1, 1879. I'm not sure  
anyone has ever discovered Lambrigot's first name - it is usually presented 
as  "M." for Monsieur.
 
"Lambrigot's Tov Phonograph.—An interesting toy  phonograph, which has been 
contrived by M. Lambrigot, a French engineer, was exhibited by M. 
Hospitallier at the meeting of the  Society of Telegraph Engineers on March 23. The 
phonogram, or vocal record, is  composed of a set of parallel lead wires, 
with the vibrations indented along the  upper surface. Speech is obtained from 
these by drawing the edge of a cardboard  disc along them, and listening 
into a conical cardboard ear-piece, which is  connected at its apex to the 
centre of the disc by a leaden wire. The phonogram  is made by first impressing 
the speech to be registered in a mould of warmed  stearine by means of a 
phonographic diaphragm and stylus, then getting copper  electrotype of this 
stearine mould. Soft lead wires, pressed into this hard  copper mould, give a 
casting of the record on the surface of the wires. These  wires, with their 
vocal corrugations, are then arranged in parallel sets upon a  board. In this 
way familiar sayings and mottoes may be engraved, and we fancy  that some 
amusement might be afforded at merry makings by this simple  contrivance."
 
Allen