BERLINER Registry Project

The Man | The Machines | The Records | Reproducers & Logo's| The Registry | For Sale | Links | News | Contacts

The Records  
Berliner Machines were produced to play records. The evolution of the record as a medium for transporting sound had an even more incredible evolution than the machines. On this page we hope to list the major technological jumps in record & recording technology.
 
   
Zinc 5" Berliner (1887-1889) does anyone have a picture of a 5" zinc berliner we could use? thx
   

5" Berliner (1889-1894)

The first commercially available disks were 5" disks pressed in hard rubber. They were made in Germany from 1889, and were also made with other European markets in mind, particularly the UK. Disks were single sided with the text to the song pasted on the reverse. The content was mainly - as the machine was initially intended as a toy - aimed at child audiences. eg. record 26-Twinkle Twinkle little Star (by Berliner himself) or 29-Jack & Jill, 45-Farm Animals.

   

7" Berliners

7 inch disks began to be manufactured in the USA in 1894

 
   
 

January 1904 French Record Catalog

Click here

Courtesy of www.ROMFI.com

Some pages, as examples, from the 60 page Fench Record catalog from early 1904. Though a new industry, its amazing how diligent Fred Gaisberg and his recording engineers were in getting the top singers to record for the Berliner Gramophone & related companies. 60 pages - over 1000 records, of the leading French singers is a remarkable achievement! the catalog lists both 7 and 10 inch records.