Bidspirit auction | Berliner Lever Wind Disc Phonograph

Berliner Lever Wind Disc Phonograph w/Horn - The 1896–1897 Berliner Lever-Wind Gramophone is a historic precursor to the Victor Talking Machine Company. Designed by Eldridge R. Johnson, who later founded Victor, this machine utilized a pump-action ratchet lever rather than a traditional crank. In 1896, Emile Berliner’s hand-cranked gramophones suffered from uneven playback speeds. He hired machinist Eldridge R. Johnson to develop a reliable spring motor. Johnson's first successful motor used a Levi Montross patent. It features a distinctive nickel-plated lever that the user pumped back and forth to wind the internal spring. The massive success of Johnson's spring-motor design laid the technical and financial foundation for him to launch the Victor Talking Machine Company in 1901. This machine is a true survivor having all original parts and original finish cabinet with the Berliner decal on the rear. The plating on the parts is fair to poor. The reproducer has an old solder repair near the needle chuck. The needle thumb screw is missing. The cabinet has been drilled for a traveling arm rest but it is missing. The original 15.5” long flare end tin horn has very little original paint but the gold stripes are still visible. It has its original leather elbow. The machine winds and runs but it is slow so the motor could use servicing. This machine should clean up nicely. Case measures 10” x 10” x 5” tall. From the Sanfilippo collection.