The history of recorded sound began with a sheet of tinfoil and a familiar nursery rhyme: "Mary Had a Little Lamb." Although many books refer to this revolutionary invention in passing, until now no comprehensive history of the tinfoil phonograph has even been attempted.

In this book the story of the earliest phonographs is recounted through the machines themselves -- the surviving hardware that so eloquently expresses the history of Edison's greatest invention.

--THE ORIGINS OF THE TINFOIL PHONOGRAPH
A brief history of the tinfoil phonograph and the Edison Speaking Phonograph Company.

--EDISON TINFOIL PHONOGRAPHS
Illustrations and descriptions of all of Edison's tinfoil models, chronologically presented from the first prototype of December 1877 through the 'experimental feedscrew' model of about 1886

--OTHER AMERICAN TINFOIL PHONOGRAPHS
An array of little-known rarities by American makers, most of which were made in violation of Edison's patents!

--EUROPEAN TINFOIL PHONOGRAPHS
A vast sampling of unusual phonographs from other countries, ranging from tiny to enormous, simple to ornate.

--REPLICA TINFOIL PHONOGRAPHS
Determining an original phonograph from a replica can sometimes be challenging. This helpful section illustrates a variety of known types of replicas and homemade machines, and offers hints on identifying a replica.

--TINFOIL vs. ALUMINUM FOIL
What constitutes 'original' tinfoil for recording and how does it differ from modern foil? This chapter gives a full summary of the history of foil itself.

--ORIGINAL TINFOIL RECORDINGS
A detailed listing of known examples of early tinfoil recordings, and the tantalizing possibility that these long-lost sounds might be restored by computer imaging and manipulation.

--HOW TO MAKE TINFOIL RECORDINGS
Instructions and helpful hints about the art of recording on tinfoil, based on years of experimentation with a variety of different types of machines.

--HOW TO MAKE A TINFOIL PHONOGRAPH
Blueprints and instructions for making your own replica of the original Edison prototype and other tinfoil machines.

--EDISON SPEAKING PHONOGRAPH CO. ROYALTY RECORDS
A roster of sales of Edison tinfoil phonographs from 1878-1880

• A comprehensive history of the tinfoil phonograph

• High quality softbound, 11" x 8-1/2", 168 pages, profusely illustrated

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