According to the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary, gramophone is a ‘music device for recording and playing the verbal language and singing’, ‘alternatively to the phonograph, instead of cylinders for recording and playing the sounds it has the ebonite (rubber) disks.’

In 1988 American engineer Thomas Edison invented the phonograph which could record and play the sound, however the quality was far from perfect. The next inventor, who occupied himself with the perfection of such device, was a German-American engineer Emile Berliner. In 1887 he patented a phonograph different from the previous one with its high quality sound. Finally, there was an opportunity to record a high quality sound and play music pieces.

It was the time when the tendency to pay singers the compensation for the recorded materials appeared. The production of multiple phonograph records started. Emile Berliner’s method made it possible to make the copies, which made the device very popular. The music pieces became available all around the world for all social groups. The companies produced low-budget versions of phonographs as well as the expensive and luxury ones.

Not only the United States were engaged in manufacturing this music device, but a still famous company Pathé, which produced portable phonographs (pathephones), appeared in Europe.

The foreign companies opened their representative offices in Russia in the late 19th century. International Zonophone Company, engaged in producing phonograph records and specialized in opera music, airs, and classical music, was very well-known. From 1901 till 1904 Association “Rebikov and Co” (the company producing Russian phonographs and phonograph records) existed. In 1903 the new company Jakob Record came into the market. It became famous for its two-sided records but, unfortunately, it didn’t exist for a long time either.
An attempt to create Russian Phonograph Stock Company was made in 1911, but it was closed down in 1917. Along with the named brands some other factories, which later on made a contribution to the history of the phonographs and the phonograph records, were created in Russia in the 19th century.

This exhibit item belonged to the Tatmanov brothers, who were merchants and owners of cake shops in Borisoglebsk.