2026-01-05 Mon

Berliner Gramophone was an American record label, recognized as the first and, for nearly a decade, the only disc record label in the world. Its records were designed to be played on Emile Berliner's invention, the gramophone, which served as a competitor to the prevalent wax cylinder phonographs of the 1890s that also had recording capabilities.

In the early 1880s, a notable Competition unfolded between Thomas Edison and the volta Laboratory team, comprised of Chichester Bell and Charles Sumner Tainter. Their goal was to enhance Edison's 1877 tinfoil phonograph, or talking machine, transforming it into a device suitable for business correspondence, akin to a typewriter. This endeavor required not only the development of a superior machine but also the identification of a suitable material to replace the tinfoil as the recording medium. Edison designated his wax cylinder apparatus as a phonograph, while Bell and Tainter referred to their invention as a graphophone.

Amidst this rivalry, Emile Berliner, operating in Washington D.C., cultivated a significant interest in the future of sound recording and reproduction. He meticulously examined both the phonograph and the graphophone to discern their respective strengths and weaknesses. Through extensive experimentation, he successfully developed an efficient method for manufacturing recorded discs on a large scale, both quickly and affordably.

In 1887, Berliner secured a US patent for the gramophone and its corresponding record, marking the inception of the mechanical predecessor to the electric record player. In 1888, he showcased a functioning prototype of a disc-playing gramophone, and by 1893, gramophones became available for public purchase. Berliner continued to file patents for enhancements to his gramophone throughout the remainder of the century and into the early 20th century, although he ultimately lost control of his gramophone enterprise.

Gramophones made their debut in #India around the 1900, initially as luxury imports. By 1901, the Gramophone Company established a branch in Calcutta (Kolkata). In 1902, Gauhar Jaan became the first Indian artist to be recorded, producing over 500 Songs in just six weeks. Other artists like Oomda Jaan from Hyderabad and Bangalore Nagaratnamma courageously overcame societal stigma to become pioneers in the music Industry.

On 20 July 1977, India Post issued a commemorative stamp to mark the centenary of sound recording, featuring Emile Berliner's gramophone. This stamp highlighted 100 years since the inception of sound recording in 1877 and showcased Berliner's disc-based system, which diverged from Edison's cylinder phonograph. This initiative highlighted Berliner's instrumental role in facilitating the mass production of records. The accompanying photograph was sourced from Polydor Records, a British record label that operates under the Universal Music Group.