Edison enlarged the duplicating department (for
making blank cylinders) established Silver Lake and prepared
for mass production records. 1894 he
was convinced that his new phonograph reproduced music "almost
. 1892
he moved gain monopoly recording too; had large
investment the technology sound recording and his staff
at West Orange were the best the business— here was another
store knowledge the laboratory that Edison wanted to
exploit.655) These machines were
solid— weighing least lbs— and quite expensive, prices
ranging from $150 $200. Development work several types
of phonographs continued the laboratory while Edison
considered appropriate marketing system for his new
machines. planned take full control over the North
American Company when was sure that his laboratory had
developed amusement phonograph with mass appeal. the meantime, the laborious
work copying prerecorded records continued the top floor
of the laboratory. These
were called the "M" types and were direct descendent the
"perfected" phonograph 1888— the top works remained
essentially the same except for the new reproducer (Illus 7-2,
Edison with late model Phonograph, 14.VII-13
it was too time consuming his laboratory.
A commercial product was last sight 1893 when
Edison exhibited both household and business phonographs. Production was low— only 160 day in
1892— and would remain that way until Edison's engineers
19
perfected the duplicating process