Name/Title
Graphophone "Type AN – Bijou"Entry/Object ID
378Description
American Graphophone Company, New York
Introduced 1897 | Serial No. 70505 | Price: $40.00
Historical Background
The Type AN was introduced in 1897 as a successor to the popular Graphophone Type A. Columbia combined the black enameled chassis of the earlier “Washington” and “New York” Type A models with the improved motor of the Type N.
The nickname “Bijou,” originally used for the Type N, was carried over to this transitional model.
Production of the Type AN was very short-lived (1897–1898), as it was soon replaced by the technically more advanced Type AT. It thus represents an important transitional stage in the Columbia product line.
Technical Features
Motor: Single-spring with 4-ball governor
Reproducer: #1 (gutta-percha) or #2 (aluminum)
Horn: LT or J-2 type
Bedplate: bright nickel-plated
Cabinet: dark oak with gold “The Graphophone” banner decal
Serial number range: 53,377–79,624
A notable improvement over the Type A was the redesigned crank handle: unlike its predecessor, it did not unwind and fall off during operation.
Contemporary Advertising (Columbia Phonograph Co., 1897)
“A true bijou – elegant and efficient”
Dark oak cabinet with golden Graphophone banner
“Pure and distinct reproduction – ideal for home and social use”
Significance and Rarity
The Type AN is a rare transitional model between the early Type A Graphophones and the later AT versions. It illustrates Columbia’s strategy of combining leftover A-type parts with the newer N-type motor technology.
This example, with serial number 70505, is a genuine witness to this short but important phase of production history.
