Name/Title
Pathé “Graphophone” No. 66Entry/Object ID
290Description
French Tabletop Graphophone
Manufacture Française d’Appareils de Précision / Pathé Frères, Paris – ca. 1900
Historical Background
Around 1900, Pathé Frères was on its way to becoming the dominant player in the French market for sound‑recording devices, evolving from a cylinder manufacturer into a full‑range producer of phonographs and later disc machines. In its early years, before designing its own mechanisms, Pathé often relied on proven American technology—most notably from Columbia Graphophone.
The Pathé No. 66 is a prime example: mechanically, it is almost identical to the Columbia Graphophone AT. The Pathé brothers purchased complete mechanisms or cast parts from the United States, had them assembled in France, and applied distinctive Pathé branding. Production was handled by the Manufacture Française d’Appareils de Précision (M.F.A.P.), a Paris‑based precision‑engineering firm closely associated with Pathé.
Cabinet and Branding
Solid mahogany case in classic rectangular form
Large “Graphophone” decal on the front panel in red lettering with gold ornamentation
On the dust cover: the famous Pathé rooster logo—a golden rooster “singing” into a phonograph, above the motto “Je chante haut et clair” (“I sing loud and clear”)
Technical Features
Drive system: Solid Columbia‑AT mechanism with belt drive
Motor: Spring‑wound motor with hand‑crank
Feed screw: Classic AT‑style endless screw for smooth cylinder travel
Horn: Original Pathé No. 140 straight horn in nickel‑plated brass
Soundbox: “Petit Coq” reproducer—Pathé’s own design, bearing the small rooster emblem, optimized for cylinder playback
Recording/playback: Interchangeable diaphragm units (recorder and reproducer) under Pathé patent
Advertising and Marketing
Period advertisements promoted the No. 66 as:
Particularly solid and precise—ideal for high‑quality recording and faithful reproduction
Large spring capacity: one winding played approximately five cylinders
Self‑shaving capability: with an optional shaving attachment, users could smooth down their wax cylinders for re‑recording
Included accessories: horn, single‑ear listening tube, and both recording and playback soundboxes
Price: 120 francs—placing it in the upper mid‑range of Pathé’s cylinder phonograph line
Significance
The Pathé No. 66 is a classic link between American Graphophone technology and Pathé’s later, fully independent designs.
It demonstrates how Pathé capitalized on Columbia’s proven mechanism to bring a premium‑quality, market‑ready product to the French public without lengthy in‑house development—while still giving it a strong and unmistakable Pathé brand identity.
The example described here is an outstanding representative of the early era of French phonograph production and of Pathé’s strategic blend of international engineering with powerful local marketing.
