[Vintage-Radio] Dictagraph

Sat, 19 Jan 2002 23:32:04 -0700

here is  our take on it......

dictaphone made office dictation equip. early units recording on wax
cylinders similar to Edison wax cylinders but slightly larger....as follows:

executive unit   recorded and played back
steno unit:  play back only
shaver: this was used to shave off the wax cylinder for security and also so
it could be re-recorded.
http://history.acusd.edu/gen/recording/dictaphone.html

dictograph made hearing aids, microphones and some bugging apparatus...
also office intercoms
EANTIQUEBROKER larger picture for ANTIQUE DICTOGRAPH TELEPHONE ...
... DICTOGRAPHTELEPHONE - ANTIQUE DICTOGRAPH TELEPHONE COMPLETE
1913.

a variant of the name is dictagraph thus if you were bugging and office
short slang was you were doing a dicta  or longer form a dictagraph....

to wit.... a dictograph was a trade name, a dictagraph was any manufactures
instrament used for this purpose, and also used as a word denoting the
action of bugging someone.

dictograph was also  in the alarm business as well..

Dictograph Homepage
Burglar Alarms, Inc. Your Premier Security Company. ... This site owned. and
operated
by. Burglar Alarms, Inc.,. dba Dictograph Security Systems, Bossier City,
LA. ...
www.dictograph.com/ - 4k - Cached - Similar pages

we have examples of Dictaphones in our  20's 30's office we also have  an
example of a dictograph intercom there as well.

In the collection relating to Francis and Ignatius McCarty ( of McCarty
wireless telephone company  of SF CA fame) Ignatius McCarty was heavily
involved in the manufacture of dictagraph apparatus and use of it after his
brothers death following the  SF earthquake. We have some of his parts,
listing command centers, drawings, invoices, business cards letters relating
to work and  His artifacts related to the angel island smuggling case.

and  for the dictograph equip have microphones and hearing aids  ( link
below for a brief history)

http://iubio.bio.indiana.edu/R8717-11863-/news/bionet/audiology/9510.newsm

and some  bugging stuff..

Dictograph \Dic"to*graph\ (?), n. [L. dictum a thing said + E. -graph.] A
telephonic instrument for office or other similar use, having a
sound-magnifying device enabling the ordinary mouthpiece to be dispensed
with. Much use has been made of it for overhearing, or for recording,
conversations for the purpose of obtaining evidence for use in litigation.
Note: The makers of this instrument spell it dictograph. [

and yes... we are looking for more of any of it!
ed sharpe archivist for smecc
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bruce Sugarberg" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, January 19, 2002 8:16 AM
Subject: Re: [Vintage-Radio] Dictagraph

> ** VINTAGE RADIO REFLECTOR - Please do NOT cross-post messages to multiple
mailing lists on the "To:" or "CC:" line of the e-mail message. **
>
> Hello,
>
> It is a dictation machine.  When the boss wanted his secretary
> to write a letter, or a doctor wanted a session with a patient
> turned into a medical record, they would speak their message
> into the dictation machine, which would record it.  Their
> secretary or medical transcriptionist would then listen to
> the recording, try to understand their mumbling (bosses), or
> foreign accents (student doctors), and type out the letter or
> medical record.  Dictating machine of many kinds were made as
> far back as the 20s and 30s, and were in common use until recently.
> As for value, you see dictation machines at hamfests frequently.
> They are usually priced at $5.00 or less, and there is a total
> lack of interest in them.
>
> 73, Bruce Sugarberg WA8TNC
>
>
> [email protected] wrote:
> >
> > ** VINTAGE RADIO REFLECTOR - Please do NOT cross-post messages to
multiple mailing lists on the "To:" or "CC:" line of the e-mail message. **
> >
> >        I saw an item in an antique shop called a Dictagraph.  I'm not
sure I
> > know what it is.  It may be an old time listening device used to "Bug"
> > someone.  It had a small 3 inch square black box that looked like a
model
> > train transformer, and old set of headphones, and two extra single ear
pieces
> > and a mess of wire.  All inside a small rectangular wooden case about a
foot
> > by 6 inches.  It was priced at $65.  Is anyone familiar with this
device?
> >
> > Chuck
> > _______________________________________________
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