AMECO Step Up To Mike/Fono Post identified

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coppinpr
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AMECO Step Up To Mike/Fono Post identified

Post by coppinpr »

I'm looking for any information about a coin operated voice recording machine made by the Amusement Equipment Co Ltd of Wembley London in conjunction with Voice Records Ltd. I understand that this machine was adopted by the Dutch postal service as part of their Phono Post system. Can anyone help?

Edit-;
I now have a photo of this amazing machine (photographed in Malta) and a little info: date about 1934 and appears in the film Brighton rock (1947), certainly in use in Holland into the 1950s. Anyone heard of the makers?
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Re: any info please

Post by pennymachines »

The Amusement Equipment Co. (AMECO) catalogue, which includes a picture and description of Step Up To Mike, is in Resources.
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Re: AMECO Step Up To Mike identified

Post by slmvbs »

Hi,
Not sure if you're still seeking information about this machine, but if you are, this is what I know.

The machine was patented by John Field in 1934. He had a company called John Field (Automatic Machines) Ltd before going on to found Voice Records Ltd. Ameco was a subcontractor which built the machines to his design. Voice Records was floated on the Stock market in 1935 and had some notable people on the board including Christopher Stone, an early BBC 'DJ' as Director of Technology. The first public demonstration was at the 1935 Radiolympia show at which it proved very popular. Most machines were placed in department stores such as Owen Owen in Liverpool, stores of the Binns Ltd company in Scotland and northern England and as far afield as Plymouth to Belfast in the UK. Some machines toured the country as part of the National Savings Campaign in the years immediately before the outbreak of WW2. Many others were placed in amusement arcades or seaside piers associated with Ameco.

The price of 6d per recording was cheap in comparison with other ventures of the time as the recordings had a pre recorded advert on the other side either from a tobacco company such as Abdulah's or in respect of the store or venue which was hosting the machine. About half a dozen machines made their way to the Netherlands and were to be found in department stores such as Hema, de Bijenhorf or Vroom & Dressman. The Dutch postal service (PTT) installed machines (within booths) in major post offices and the system became part of the international Phonopost service linking families to Dutch colonies in the East & West Indies.

An example can be found in the Beeld en Geluid museum in the Hauge, but I'm not sure if it's currently on display. The machine in Malta was purchased by the Friends of the National Archives from a long established music store in Valletta which in turn had bought it from a local aristocratic businessman. Machines were also to be found in Sydney, Grace Brothers Dept store (yes, there really was a Grace Bros!) and one was purchased by Sir Victor Sasson's Cathay Hotel in Shanghai (now known as the Peace Hotel).

Voice Records went into liquidation by 1938 along with John Field's other companies. It is believed that the stock market flotation wasn't as successful as hoped, and the number of machines needed to make a profit never reached the targeted 750. I believe the actual number was less than 100. I'm still seeking information regarding the mechanics of how it worked so if anybody out there has any info please get in touch. It's worth looking on Facebook or Pinterest for details of the record labels or recordings - some copies are held by the British Library and the Imperial War Museum.
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Re: AMECO Step Up To Mike identified

Post by pennymachines »

Lots of great information there. Thank you for taking the time to post it. I'm curious to know where your interest and knowledge of these stems from.
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Re: AMECO Step Up To Mike identified

Post by pennymachines »

More info about these and the records they produced collected by slmvbs here: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/slmvbs/voice-records-ltd/
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Re: AMECO Step Up To Mike identified

Post by slmvbs »

Hi - just a follow up to my earlier post regarding the Voice Records automat. Originally it was thought that the first machines were introduced at the 1935 Radiolympia show but I’ve recently discovered that the machines inventor registered the logo used by Voice Records on its postal envelopes was registered as a trademark in 1931 in New York. The logo also includes the ‘U&I’ mark which may mean ‘you and I’ as the version used at the Empire State Building used ‘ESO’. Voice Records Inc had offices on 5th Avenue. Shortly afterwards a machine was installed in the west lounge of the 86th floor Empire State observatory where it was operated until the mid 1940’s until Murlee Enterprises took over the franchise and introduced the International Mutoscope Voice-O-Graph. A company was set up in Alexandria, Egypt. Other reports suggest that machines were exported to Lahore and Johannesburg. There is a small Facebook group for this machine:-
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Re: AMECO Step Up To Mike identified

Post by badpenny »

Seen on Gramophone Forum ....
Question
I have a self recorded record of my Grandfather. He used one of those machines at Coney Island, just before going off to war and sent it to my Grandmother as a keepsake.
Having never heard his voice, I played it at a family get together for everyone to hear.
It was a little bit warped and wobbled up and down a bit and the speed varied a bit. But the record player wasn't a good one either and the sound was tinny.
Near the end of his message the needle jumps 4 grooves and we lose his closing words.
Could this be the record?

Answer:

Good lord no. The record is held by a 78 rpm shellac version of Bill Hayley's Rock Around The Clock which achieves 6 grooves regularly.
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Make your own record in 3 minutes

Post by pennymachines »

Make your own record in 3 minutes After You've Gone, 27.09.2013
Blog post about coin-operated voice recording machines.

Amusement Equipment Company Fono Post
FONO POST.jpg
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Complete with uniformed attendant to assist and prevent misuse, Netherlands, 1950

British Automatic Company Calibre Recording Booth
BAC Calibre Recording Booth.jpg
BAC Calibre Recording Booth.jpg (115.85 KiB) Viewed 302 times

The sign boldly proclaims 'HI-FI', but in reality most of these recordings were stunningly LO-FI
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Re: AMECO Step Up To Mike/Fono Post identified

Post by brigham »

I remember the second one.

It was full of kids talking over each other, incoherently.

Some people clearly have no respect for half-a-crown.
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Re: AMECO Step Up To Mike/Fono Post identified

Post by pennymachines »

The sliding door on the one above has come off its tracks. Too many kids inside?

The Fono Post in the Malta museum is well preserved, documented and photographed.
National Archives of Malta wrote:This voice recording machine was previously owned by Carabott of Merchants Street, Valletta. It dates back to the 1920s and used to be outside the shop. This machine is valve operated and provided the possibility for people to record their voice on a mechanically engraved aluminium disc which would be ejected in an envelope.

The Friends of the National Archives have purchased this item for the National Memories Project and presented it to the National Archives.
FONO POST with 'privacy shields' out
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A closer inspection reveals how it was operated.

Instructions
FonoPost-Instructions.jpg
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HOW TO MAKE A VOICE RECORD
FOR BEST RESULTS WRITE YOUR MESSAGE
FIRST, ABOUT 125 WORDS - ADULTS SHOULD
STAND ON LOWER PLATFORM - FOR PRIVACY
WHILST SPEAKING PULL OUT WINGS

PLACE SIXPENCE IN SLOT, PRESS LEVER
GENTLY DOWN TO BOTTOM AND RELEASE.
BEGIN SPEAKING AS SOON AS INDICATOR
REACHES "START". SPEAK IN NORMAL TONE
OF VOICE NOT TOO CLOSE TO MICROPHONE

FINISHED RECORDS DROP INTO CONTAINER
ON LOWER RIGHT SIDE
THE RECORD CAN BE PLAYED ON THE ELECTRIC
GRAMOPHONE AND LISTENED TO WITH EARPHONES
ON UPPER RIGHT SIDE OF MACHINE
INSERT 6D
PRESS LEVER
ALL THE WAY DOWN
Record Dispenser
FonoPost-RecordDispense.jpg
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FOR WOODEN NEEDLES TOGETHER
WITH POSTING ENVELOPE
INSERT TWO PENNIES
AND PRESS LEVER DOWN

RETURNED
COINS


PULL OUT ENVELOPE BY FLAP
WHILE LEVER IS PRESSED DOWN

????

Start indicator and mic
FOTPOST-Indicator.jpg
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SUPPLIED BY
AMUSEMENT EQUIPMENT COMPANY LTD.
HONG KONG WORKS
WEMBLEY

VOICE RECORDS LONDON

START SPEAKING
BRITISH PATENT NUMBER 412509
MICROPHONE

Record player
FotoPost-RecordPlayer.jpg
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PLAY RECORDS HERE.
IMPORTANT USE WOODEN NEEDLES ONLY
PURCHASE NEEDLES ON OPPOSITE SIDE
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Re: AMECO Step Up To Mike/Fono Post identified

Post by arrgee »

'British Automatic Company Calibre Recording Booth'
Back in the early 1960s there was a booth located just along the road from RAF Lyneham main gate, perhaps BAC thought that the airmen on the base would be good punters as they staggered their way back from the local village pub. You are right Mr pm, sound quality was appallingly awful.
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Re: AMECO Step Up To Mike/Fono Post identified

Post by pennymachines »

Fono Posts were used by soldiers on both sides to send messages to their sweethearts during World War II.

soldier.jpg
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Here's the 1934 patent GB412509

Close up of record player with earphones on the Dutch example
player.jpg
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