Invented in 1887, the gramophone soon advanced to stunning international popularity. The state of the art in terms of sound and price, the new technology was clearly superior to rival forms of sound reproduction like phonographs; the development of the shellac gramophone record in 1895 only enhanced the device’s dominant position.

The main elements of a gramophone are the sound box and a funnel, the shape and material of which have a decisive effect on sound quality. The pickup uses a needle to trace the grooves of a spinning record; the movements of the needle are converted into sound waves by a membrane inside the sound box and transmitted to the funnel via the tonearm.

The material and shape of the funnel play a major role in the character of the sound produced. For example, funnels with hard, smooth surfaces reproduce high tones better, whilst a wooden funnel produce a warmer sound. The model on display in the Deutschlandmuseum is an impressive specimen: 40 cm in diameter; 55 cm in length.

The spring drive for the disc plate was wound using a crank mounted on the left-hand side of the device. The elegantly grained wooden housing features ornate inlays and contributes to the prestige that ownership of such a device was intended to confer. The gramophone is still in perfect working order and produces an impressive sound.