Edison Kinetoscope with Kinetophone, 1912-1913

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THF36593 / Edison Kinetoscope with Kinetophone, 1912-1913
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Artifact Overview

Thomas Edison invented entire industries. By the 1890s, this included the phonograph, to record and play sound, and the kinetoscope, to display moving images. In the 1910s, he was able to synchronize projecting kinetoscopes with "kinetophone" phonographs, marrying the new film industry with the already robust phonograph industry. The kinetophone played huge "concert" cylinder records. This setup would have been used in a theater, though Edison also marketed it for home use.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Kinetoscope

Date Made

1912-1913

Creators

Place of Creation

Creator Notes

Manufactured by Thomas A. Edison, Inc., Orange, NJ, in cooperation with the Motion Picture Patents Company, based in New York City.

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

29.460.14

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Thomas Alva Edison.

Material

Metal
Iron (Metal)

Color

Black (Color)

Dimensions

Width: 25 in (Projector)
Height: 53.5 in (Projector, top film magazine attached)
Length: 45 in (Projector)
Depth: 13.5 in (Kinetograph (phonograph))
Weight: 74 lbs (Kinetograph (phonograph))
Width: 24 in (Phonograph horn)
Length: 33 in (Phonograph horn)
Weight: 166 lbs (Projector)
Width: 24 in (Kinetograph (phonograph))
Height: 21 in (Case of Kinetograph (phonograph))

Inscriptions

Projector: EDISON KINETOSCOPE . . . MFRS' SERIAL NO. 4435 SPECIAL LICENSE K590 Projector: EDISON KINETOPHONE . . . EDISON KINETOSCOPE SERIAL NO. K590 Synchronizer: EDISON KINETOPHONE . . . EDISON SYNCHRONIZER SERIAL NO. K534 Kinetophone Front Plate: EDISON KINETOPHONE/MANUFACTURED BY/THOMAS A. EDISON, INC., ORANGE, N.J., U.S.A./PATENTED IN THE UNITED STATES/MAY 31, 1898.../EDISON KINETOPHONOGRAPH SERIAL NO. K526
Keywords
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