Australian Gramophones
Australian gramophones have a very unique story. Unlike the American and European markets which were dominated by a few big names – Edison, Victor / HMV, Pathé & Aeolian – by 1910 when most copyrights had expired, Australia was flooded with ‘off brand’ gramophones.
These were marketed by enterprising businessmen who assembled them into locally made cabinets. They were fitted out using spring motors, soundboxes and horns that were being imported in huge numbers from America and Europe. They were sold in local department stores, and often retailers would brand them with their own name.
