Name/Title
Graphophone "Type ASL” – Columbia Coin‑SlotEntry/Object ID
148Description
American Graphophone Company, USA – c. 1898
Rare floor‑standing coin‑operated phonograph in a large oak cabinet
Historical Background
The Type “ASL” is the large floor‑standing version of the Graphophone Type “AS,” introduced in 1898. Both models replaced the more expensive predecessor, the Type “N” Coin‑Slot. While the tabletop AS was produced in notable quantities, the ASL is extremely rare in its original configuration today.
With a selling price of $60 (compared to $35 for the tabletop version), the ASL was aimed at prestigious venues such as hotels, upscale restaurants, variety theatres, dance halls, and large department stores—locations where its imposing size and the clear visibility of the mechanism attracted maximum attention.
Technical Features
The ASL shares the coin‑operated mechanism and drive system of the “New York” Type A, but is housed in a larger, more elaborate cabinet:
Chassis: Black‑enameled cast‑metal frame with gold and floral decoration, nickel‑plated bedplate
Motor: Single‑spring motor, accessible through a lockable front door in the base cabinet
Cabinet: Large, solid oak stand with a gracefully curved glass dust cover and wide title‑card holder for the current selection
Reproducer: Columbia aluminum soundbox (#2)
Operation: Insert coin → crank release engages → wind motor → play to end → automatic return of the carriage to the start position
Coin Mechanism
A lockable drawer on the right‑hand side of the cabinet collected the coins. Only when a coin was inserted did the mechanism allow the motor to be wound. After playback, the mechanism automatically locked until another coin was inserted.
Rarity & Significance
While the AS model was manufactured in significant numbers and saw wide distribution, the ASL survives today as an exceptional rarity. Complete, original examples of the floor‑standing model are known in only a handful of collections worldwide.
The ASL combines the robust, proven technology of the AS with a highly decorative cabinet that made it a centerpiece in any venue. It represents the American Graphophone Company’s strategy to bring the coin‑operated phonograph business into more prestigious and high‑profile settings.
The example displayed in the Edisonium Mariazell is a superb, fully‑original survivor of this rare configuration, and an outstanding document of the variety and evolution of Columbia’s coin‑operated phonographs around 1900.
