[D9241AAX], Letter from Samuel Insull to Thomas Alva Edison, April 21st, 1892
https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/D9241AAX
Transcription
April 21, 1892, Thomas A. Edison, Esq., Orange, N.J. My dear Edison:- I enclose you herewith copy of a letter I have received from Mr. P.S. Dyer, on the subject of phonograph matters in London. Please advise me whether you want me to do anything with relation to the matter. Yours very truly, [Signed] Samuel Insull. Copy, London S.W. April 15, 1892 Dear Mr. Insull, I cannot see Gouraud at present as he has only been in his office once in the past three weeks. Something is wrong at Edison House B. Gouraud seems to be out and has taken all of his effects away from E. House B. Moriarty is running the show and has stopped all exhibits and taken most of the phonos out of the place and covered up the balance of them and [mum?] is the word around the building, and nobody is supposed to know anything. Moriarty comes over from Paris for a day now and then and bullies every one about the building and goes away. Seligman is entirely under his influence. The exhibits (Lectures) 10 to 15 guineas per night up to a short time ago paid all the expenses of the office, but this being stopped, four or five men are leafing around idle and in bad temper. I understand some time back about 40 machines were sold for 100 guineas each, mostly went to India and at that time a thousand could have been placed at that amount. Had the business been properly handled. 10,000 phonos would now be on the European market at from £5 to £100 each. The excitement over the phono was at one time tremendous, is now subsided entirely, due in a great measure to the fact that the article is not on the market and no one can find out about it or get any satisfaction. I understand a phono is being made in England to rent for 10 shillings a night. I heard that phonos were being made in Paris, and also Siemens, Berlin, was making a phono. The consequence of not putting phonos on the European market will be that within a twelve month you will see them being made in every country, all sizes, shapes and styles and sold from 10 shillings up. Remember that outside of the commercial side of phonos, the musical box piano and [coy?] phono would be simply an immense gold mine and this side of it is sure to get on the market very soon. In fact, I understand thousands have already been sold of a little machine for two guineas. With kindest remembrances, Yours sincerely, [Signed] Philip A. Dyer.