A phonograph is a mechanical device for playing gramophone records. It is a portable version of the gramophone, the next step in its evolution. The phonograph was invented in France. In 1901, Guillon Kemmler, an employee of the Pathé company, decided that the gramophone horn was too large. He designed a device that was fitted with a smaller horn, but still maintained the sound quality. And thus, the first phonograph was born.

Unlike the gramophone, the phonograph was quite compact and could be transported in a box. For this reason, the device was originally intended to be used by the British Armed Forces in the field. Phonographs produced a distorted and very hoarse sound, with some words coming out unclear. Its quality was highly dependant on the sharpness of the needle. Steel gramophone needles, which required constant replacement, were supplanted by sapphire ones, which could be used a large number of times. The movement was driven by a spring motor. However, it had to be wound very carefully, or the spring, which was very hard to find replacement for, might break. Phonographs were quite fragile instruments overall.

In Russia, phonographs gained popularity very quickly. The instrument from the Tomsk History Museum is a rare early 20th-century model that was acquired specially for the ‘Merchant’s Drawing Room’ exhibition. The small cabinet holding the phonograph is designed in the Art Nouveau style. Characterized by bizarre, peculiar shapes, this new art style was all the rage in Russia at the turn of the 20th century. Art Nouveau was used in paintings, buildings, stage sets, furniture, and interior items. Artists, architects, and designers working in this style often took inspiration from floral forms, imitating their soft curves in their works. The same smooth graceful shapes characterize the cabinet from our collection, as well as the carvings that adorn it.

Phonographs remained popular in the Soviet Union up until the 1950s, even after cable radio became widely available.