MIDDLE ROW - Cylinder Phonograph

Cylinder Phonograph, circa 1910
Edison Standard Phonograph Company

Donor: Anthony Bos, 1949

Thomas Edison patented the phonograph in 1878. The first recordings were captured on wax cylinders and played on phonographs such as the one here. The speaker was a large “morning glory” horn, so called because it resembled the flower.

New Form of Home Entertainment

Live music was a popular form of home entertainment during the 19th century. While one person would play a pump organ, a piano, or a string instrument, the rest of the family sang along. The invention of the phonograph led to the decline of live home music. Families began to buy recorded music instead. By 1904 almost one in four American homes owned a phonograph.

Evolution of Recorded Music

The first recorded music was captured on wax cylinder records. By 1912, flat disk records were introduced. Eventually music was recorded on vinyl disks and magnetic tape. Today sound is recorded digitally on compact discs.