1920 Pathé Frères Diffusor Phonograph playing 1916 Pathé record “How do you do, Miss Ragtime“

This is a Sapphire Diffusor Table-Top Phonograph, made in 1920 by Pathé Frères in France. It has no reproducer, no tonearm, no horn. Instead we have a 14 inch diameter paper cone with a sapphire sphere at its apex, that is positioned directly on a Pathé disc, that has vertically cut grooves. This rare version of the diffusor phonograph has no cabinet, and thus distributes sound through the whole room, without having to open louvers, doors or a lid. The phonograph plays first the beginning of a 1903 Pathé record, that starts at its center, and then a whole 29 cm record, starting at its rim, recorded in 1916 by the pantographic process, and featuring ragtime banjoist Burt Earle playing “How do you do, Miss Ragtime?“ The phonograph is documented at and is for sale.