BERLINER GRAMOPHONE

Patented 1888 by Emile Berliner Uses hard rubber discs instead of wax cylinders Complicated recording process involving engraving into zinc and an acid bath "Negative" made from original recording could produce nearly limitless "positive" copies Handcrank or electric motor Spring motor developed by Eldridge Johnson in 1896 Johnson developed better spring motor and sound box in 1897, creating Improved Gramophone Improved Gramophone immortalized in Francis Barraud's painting "His Master's Voice" Discs switch from hard rubber to shellac-based compound in 1897