Echo-Tone horn oddity?

[TS_13]

I picked up this interesting horn the other day. After some research and some buddies help, I came up with that it was an echo-tone. Here comes the questions. If you look at the base, that goes into the back bracket of a 78 player, it does not have the flange that would be needed for such a player. So I do not believe it went on a 78 player. This one has not been cut off or altered so I believe it to be original, plus the tube is too large for any of my victors even if it had the flange. It is an oddity indeed. This one was rigged to play on a cylinder player, but I had assumed that it was "made" to do so. It has a hanger on top like a cygnet, but it has been reinforced so I was not sure if it were original or not.

 

Does anyone have a horn like this? or ideas?

 

Thank you in advance.

Taylor

[Tinfoilphono]

Echo-Tone horns are oddities by their very nature, which is what makes them so fascinating.

 

I have never seen one on anything other than a Victor, but their ads in Talking Machine World in 1908 clearly state that they could be used on all machines, including cylinder (see attached ad, with highlights added). Note the reference to "interchangeable attachments."

 

I'm very inclined to believe you have uncovered the first one known that was indeed adapted at the factory for a cylinder machine, probably with a cygnet-style crane to hold it above the carriage.  

 

It's a great find!

 

[phonogfp]

Taylor,

I'm inclined to agree with Rene that your Echo-Tone horn was intended for use with a cylinder machine.  Had you mentioned to me the other day that it has a hanger - a key piece of information - I could have been more helpful.

 

I suspect your horn is missing the conical attachment that would allow it to be easily attached to a cylinder reproducer. 

 

Again - congratulations!

 

George P.

[TS_13]

I had thought that the attachment for a cylinder was home made (and I still believe it is), but not think it may be a replacement for an original attachment.  The hook seems to be reinforced? It is old, and not drilled in from the inside like other horns I have seen on others that have been modified. The size of the down tube puts it out of a 78 machine attachment. Its odd, I thank the both of you again for all of the information you have given!

 

T

[phonogfp]

Taylor, your final image shows your horn with a conical piece that does not appear on the other pictures.  Does that conical piece reduce the horn to a dimension appropriate for a cylinder machine?

 

George P.

[MusicCity]

I was thrilled today to be able to see this horn in person. I've been fortunate to have seen Rene's horn in person and was able to compare different aspects of the two in person.  As the son of a machinist / tool and die maker my first instincts were to start measuring things with calipers. I took notes and held the judge and jury on the sidelines for a couple of hours. We took the basic horn body by itself and fit it into the back bracket of a rear mount Concert Zonophone.............perfect fit. I examined the conical attachment piece. A bit crude in the welding of the seam lengthwise, but certainly not some backyard hackjob. The connector is machined and fits snuggly onto the horn, and slides on exactly 1 inch. The lower end is the same size as a reproducer neck on a cylinder machine. Someone at some time painted the lower connector tube silver, and you can see the brush strokes. The hanger is held on by old type lead solder.  I picked it up by the hanger with two fingers and it hangs exactly vertical. We put a rubber tube on the end and just for fun we put it on a fireside with a cygnet crane. It hangs "just right".

 

I've been collecting since 1991 and have seen oddball stuff, rare stuff, and sometimes just plain ol junk. I came to a final conclusion that this is a truly Legit cylinder application of this horn. I've never seen one before. I took a photo of the horn on its side facing you. Look at the angle of the conical attachment and how it corresponds perfectly into the interior of the horn on the same plane. That has to be a factory engineered item. 

 

But these are just my opinions and unbiased judgement. Taylor churned up a good one in my opinion. 

 

Best,

D.Edwards

MusicCity

 

 

[phonogfp]

Thank you, Darold, for your comprehensive assessment of this Echo-Tone.  The presence of that conical piece with appropriately-sized apertures was a very important piece of the puzzle.

 

Great horn!

 

George P.

[Tinfoilphono]

Based on Darold's detailed evaluation, and the photos, I am totally convinced that this is indeed one of the horns that Echo-Tone advertised for use on a cylinder phonograph. I can't imagine it was cobbled up later in life -- this must be as it left the factory.

 

The only ones I've seen in real life are on Victors. And the only known contemporary photos are in Echo-Tone ads, and they show it with a Victor. But the ads make it clear that it was meant for all talking machines, specifically mentioning cylinder. 

 

All that makes this a very exciting find in my opinion. To date, the only cylinder Echo-tone horn reported! 

 

As a sidebar, the Echo-Tone is surely the silliest-looking horn design around. It looks pretty ridiculous on a Victor, but it looks even crazier on an Edison. That is, of course, its charm today. You have to wonder how this appealed to an original buyer. 

 

 

[TS_13]

You all have shed light on this odd little horn,  the research and insight is fantastic. I had no idea of what the horn was or the history, but I believe y'all have nailed it. To say that I am excited about this horn would be an understatement. Thank you all for your input and help.

T