Name/Title
Pathé / Edison – Hybrid Phonograph with Edison Spring MotorEntry/Object ID
203Description
Modified unit featuring the Pathé “Concert Vérité” System
France, ca. 1903–1905
Description and Technical Design
This exceptional phonograph represents a rare hybrid of American and French engineering. The lower part—including the wooden cabinet, spring motor, and winding mechanism—clearly originates from the Edison “Spring Motor” or “Concert” model. The upper cast assembly and the black bedplate with gold lining reflect Pathé’s distinctive design style.
Pathé modified the machine to allow playback of both standard 2-minute cylinders and large concert cylinders. It features an interchangeable mandrel, allowing either cylinder type to be mounted and played. Another key element is the “Système Vérité”, a stable, removable tonearm frame that Pathé began using around 1903 on its high-end models.
Technical Specifications
Motor: Edison Spring Motor with Triton triple-spring drive (long runtime and high torque)
Cylinder formats: Standard 2-minute wax cylinders and large Pathé Concert cylinders
Horn: Aluminum, 35 cm diameter
Reproducer: Pathé Rex à anneau vissant (screw-mounted design)
Mandrel: Pathé Concert (Stentor), removable and interchangeable
System: Vérité tonearm assembly, detachable for precise stylus tracking
Historical Context
This machine exemplifies the early phase of international cooperation—or more precisely, component sourcing—between Pathé in France and Edison in the United States. Before achieving full production independence, Pathé sourced parts from both Columbia (Graphophone) and Edison, assembling them into proprietary devices.
The pairing of an Edison Spring Motor with the unmistakably French Vérité system illustrates Pathé’s attempt to combine robust American mechanics with design elements tailored to the French market. Such hybrid machines are now extremely rare, having been produced only in limited numbers—often as transitional or custom-built models.
Significance
This phonograph stands as a witness to the formative years of the European talking machine industry—a hybrid caught between two eras: the pioneering spirit of American inventors and the expanding consumer market in Europe. It reflects not only Pathé’s path toward manufacturing autonomy, but also the high engineering standards of the time.
The example on display at the Edisonium is fully preserved, including all original modifications, the rare Pathé reproducer, Vérité frame, and powerful triple-spring motor. A historically significant machine—a true one-of-a-kind in both technology and heritage.
