This lovely little Parisian machine was catalogued from 1900-1902. While many French manufacturers copied Columbia designs, the Gaulois is one of the few that was based on an Edison phonograph. It is an obvious copy of the Edison Gem, including the key-wound movement and drip-pan underneath the machine. However, the reproducer carriage, reproducer, and horn are uniquely Pathé. While Edison originally sold his Gem only in basic black, the Gaulois was offered in a rainbow of colors, including blue, orange/red, green, black and gray. Various horns were also offered, including glass, aluminum, brass, and tin. The trademark Pathé rooster appears on the front of the case, with the slogan "Je Chante Haut et Clair" ("I Sing Loud and Clear"). The same basic machine was sold through the mail-order company Girard as the Menestrel, without the Pathé logo or name (second from left in above photograph).
The orange/red Gaulois is shown with a fluted crystal horn, exactly like rare originals of the early 20th century. (This horn is a fine reproduction made in 1998.)
The dark green Gaulois is very striking. This example is outfitted with a long nickel-plated brass horn.
Gray-blue is the scarcest color in the Gaulois lineup. This beautiful machine has a spun aluminum horn, very typical of Pathé.