Rare Antique Mikiphone Pocket Gramophone-Phonograph. Switzerland, Circa 1925

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Rare Antique Mikiphone Pocket Gramophone-Phonograph. Switzerland, Circa 1925

Rare Mikiphone pocket gramophone-phonograph made in Switzerland circa 1925, shaped as a pocket watch and in very good condition. This curious device stands out for its small size (only 4.25 inches in diameter) and great working order – it has been greased and tuned to guarantee a quality sound. Though the case shows some tiny cracks at the edge, logical considering that it is almost one century old, this detail does not interfere at all in the gramophone’s performance. All the elements which make up the mechanism are made of silvery metal, except the speaker and the felt. The reproducer bears an inscription with the brand name MIKIPHONE - SYSTEM VADÁSZ. Inside the casing we find the engraved serial number, 26-0024196, while outside the lid we can see the brand name and manufacturer in red lettering, greatly preserved and legible.

So special and in exceptional working order, this rare Mikiphone portable gramophone is a piece worthy of the best collection.

Dimensions: Diameter: 4.52 in / 11.5 cm.

Mikiphone Pocket Gramophone – History

The Mikiphone pocket gramophone’s history starts around 1917, when two Hungarian brothers, Miklós (Nicolas) and Etienne Vadász, start designing a small-sized gramophone. They did not finish their invention until 1924, which they then called Mikiphone as a homage to Miklós. That same year the Vadász brothers patented their product and hired a Swiss company Pillard, to mass-produce it. So between 1925 and 1927 near 180.000 units came out of the factory and went to the shops. Curiously enough, though many people think that the name Mikiphone refers to Mickey Mouse (as the gramophone’s shape reminds us of the cartoon’s head), actually the Vadász gramophone came out three years before the famous mouse was drawn by Walt Disney.