Name/Title
Excelsior Phonograph – Model 1900Entry/Object ID
212Description
Manufactured around 1900 by Excelsior-Werke Cologne
Type: Cylinder phonograph with spring motor
Special feature: Cabinet with Jugendstil decal
A Cologne Contribution to the History of Talking Machines
In the late 1890s, the Excelsior-Werke in Cologne began producing phonographs, creating one of the first independent German alternatives to the American machines made by Edison and Columbia.
The Excelsior Model 1900 shown here is an outstanding example of this early development: the oakwood cabinet features a Jugendstil decal – a graphic design with a child motif, flowers, and lettering. These decals were applied to the wood using a special water transfer technique and sealed with lacquer – an elegant, industrially reproducible alternative to time-consuming hand painting.
Technical Features & Inventive Spirit
Excelsior also showed inventive spirit in its technical design. The unusual connection between reproducer, horn fitting, and carriage was deliberately chosen to avoid patent disputes with Edison. Instead of the typical tapered mandrel, a so-called "bar mandrel" ("egg-beater style") was used – an elegant technical solution that also remained stylistically unique.
Cooperation with Edison
Although Excelsior initially emerged as a competitor to Edison, around 1905 the companies reached a contractual agreement: Excelsior began producing wax cylinders on behalf of the Edison company. This made Excelsior an important supplier within Edison’s European distribution network – a rare case of transatlantic cooperation in the early era of sound recording.
A Rare and Stylistically Unique Collectible
Only a few examples of the Excelsior Model 1900 have survived to this day – and even fewer in such original and beautifully preserved condition. This device combines historical technical significance with German design aesthetics from around 1900.
