ABSTRACT
One of the affiliates of the North American Phonograph Co., established in 1890 in Newark. George Frelinghuysen was president in 1892, and Nicholas Murray Butler was vice president. General manager was Victor H. Emerson. Frank L. Capps was an employee when he invented the three-spring motor that was used on the Edison Concert Phonograph and other machines. A catalog issued before November 1891 offered 499 brown wax cylinders. The repertoire included band selections, “parlor orchestra” works, instrumental solos with piano accompaniment (piccolo, clarinet, cornet, xylophone), vocal solos (comic, coon songs, sentimental, and so forth), and vocal ensembles. There were also bird imitations and some anecdotes. George W. Johnson made his earliest appearance for this label, singing “Whistling Coon” (#423) and “Laughing Song” (#424). In 1893 the firm was succeeded by the U.S. Phonograph Co. of New Jersey. [TMR #10 (June 1971) reprinted the catalog cited above; TMR #20-21 (February-April 1973) printed date information supplied by Raymond Wile.]
A firm located in, Newark, New Jersey. In 1907 it marketed the Ajax horn of “rust proof sheet steel” and the collapsible Kompakt horn.
