Table of Contents

Talking Books : Recorded Books and Playback Equipment

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• 
• Print, Photographic
• 2004.134.31
• Anne Yeiser photograph
• Black-and-white glossy photograph of Anne Yeiser helping someone use an indexing cassette player for the Talking World Book.... View Full Record
• 
• Print, Photographic
• 2004.134.54.1-158
• APH Talking Book production photographs
• Black-and-white and color glossy photographs of the APH talking book studios, narrators, monitors, machinery, and promotional photos. .1 - "Mr. Lynch from Reader's Digest"--reverse of photo, ca. 1939 .2 - A.C. Ellis and Mr. Lynch in Talking Book... View Full Record
• 
• Computer, Desktop
• 1992.283a-b
• Elinfa Digicassette and adapter
• Digicassette "records and stores braille characters on magnetic tape cassette from braille keyboard; plays back braille onto a twelve cell refreshable braille display; operates with optional adaptable electronic calculators, typewriter, or a computer... View Full Record
• 
• Amplifier, Audio
• 1994.18
• APH Variable Speech Control Module
• Bright aluminum case with speaker grill stamped in top; applied woodgrain sticker on faceplate; black power cord. Device has a power amplifier and speaker, on/off switch, volume control, earphone jack, and rate control. APH catalog no. 1-0710.... View Full Record
• 
• Adaptor, Headphone
• 1994.19
• APH Multiple Headset Adapter
• Brushed aluminum case, folded corners; black rubber feet; slanted front panel holds four standard 1/4" female headphone jacks with a black plastic and bright aluminum volume control knob above each jack; 72" gray insulated cord emerges from bottom of... View Full Record
• 
• Amplifier, Audio
• 2000.139
• APH Variable Speech Control Module
• Bright aluminum case with speaker grill stamped in top; applied woodgrain sticker on faceplate; black power cord. Device has a power amplifier and speaker, on/off switch, volume control, earphone jack, and rate control. APH catalog no. 1-0710.... View Full Record
• 
• Adaptor, Headphone
• 2005.40.1
• APH Multiple Headset Adaptor
• Crackled gray enameled aluminum case, folded corners; black rubber feet; slanted front panel holds four standard RCA female headphone jacks with a black plastic and bright aluminum volume control knob above each jack; 72" gray insulated cord emerges... View Full Record
• 
• Player, Audiocassette
• 1992.290
• Prototype cassette player for World Book Encyclopedia Talking Book
• Prototype playback unit for World Book Talking Encyclopedia; woodgrain plastic chassis; raised rear speaker with black aluminum grill; track and item number controls on three dials in front, labels are hand applied; cassette deck on top with function... View Full Record
• 
• Player, Audiocassette
• 2001.150.1
• Indexing Cassette Player
• This player was designed specifically by APH for use with the recorded edition of the World Book Encyclopedia. The beige player is made from high-impact ABS plastic and weighs about 10 pounds. It operates on 110-120 volts, 60 cycles, AC only, and has... View Full Record
• 
• Phonograph
• 2005.40.3
• Califone Portable Phonograph, Model 1620
• Califone Model 1620 classroom model portable phonograph; semi-automatic; gray leatherette wrapped wooden case with steel reinforced corners and rubber feet, carrying handle, cord storage and speaker grill on sides; removable lid with nickel plated ha... View Full Record
• 
• Machine, Dictating
• 2001.225
• SoundScriber
• 2001.225 - Soundscriber has a wooden cabinet, a turntable, a tone arm, an on/off switch, and a volume knob. A metal label on the front reads "Insert Listening Device, SoundScriber." Maker's mark on metal label attached to the back of the machine. The... View Full Record
• 
• Phonograph
• 2001.33
• NLS Talking Book Reproducer, Model A-80
• Portable electric phonograph for playing talking book discs at 33 1/3, 16 2/3 or 8 1/3 rpm. Brown plastic case with hinged lid, metal clasps, a plastic handle, and rubber feet on the bottom corners. The 9-inch turntable automatically stops at end of... View Full Record
• 
• Phonograph
• 2002.15
• AFB Talking Book Reproducer, Model AC-45
• A portable electrically-driven phonograph for playing 12-inch phonograph discs at 33 1/3 or 78 rpm; can be used with headphones. Phonograph has a hinged lid with silver metal clasps; turntable with brown felt covering; variable speed control; hinged... View Full Record
• 
• Phonograph
• 2003.145.1-2
• AFB Talking Book Reproducer, Model U.S. 20
• (.1) Wood phonograph case, covered inside and out with black textured leatherette; lid hinged with three curled piano hinges, secured in open position with nickel-steel brace, secured closed with two nickel spring-latches on front, leather-wrapped pa... View Full Record
• 
• Phonograph
• 1992.8
• APH Talking Book Reproducer
• Portable electric talking book phonograph; brown leatherette-covered wooden case, corners reinforced with riveted tinplate; tinplate feet on both right side and bottom of case; brown-painted stitched leather handles on steel D-rings bracketed to left... View Full Record
• 
• Phonograph
• 1992.6.1
• Model U.S. 20 Talking Book Machine
• Wood phonograph case, covered inside and out with black textured Leatherette; lid hinged with three curled piano hinges, secured in open position with nickel-steel brace, secured closed with two nickel spring-latches on front, leather-wrapped paper c... View Full Record
• 
• Phonograph
• 1994.17a-b
• APH Portable Plus Record Player
• Portable phonograph; rechargeable battery pack; variable speech compression; fast forward index button; counter-balanced tone arm to avoid skipping; plays at three standard speeds--8 1/3, 16 2/3, and 33 1/3 rpm; 9" turntable; gray plastic case with r... View Full Record
• 
• Phonograph
• 2006.41.3
• APH Portable Plus Record Player
• Portable phonograph; rechargeable battery pack; variable speech compression; fast forward index button; aluminum counter-balanced tone arm to avoid skipping, lever on top of tone arm retracts stylus automatically when the top of the arm is compressed... View Full Record
• 
• Phonograph
• 2006.47
• NLS A-79 Talking Book Machine
• Green plastic case with simulated leather texture, nickel plated hardware; aqua blue plastic carrying handle on front; hinged lid with two latches on front that turn to the left to open; RCA headphone jack on front right of case; green plastic deck w... View Full Record
• 
• Phonograph
• 2006.53.2
• APH Talking Book Reproducer Model TR-1000
• TR-1000 Talking Book phonograph; charcoal gray leatherette-covered case with removable lid, nickel-plated hardware, and gray plastic carrying handle; black rubber feet on base and bright plated feet on back; solid-state transistor amplification syste... View Full Record
• 
• Phonograph
• 2006.60.2
• Model, APH Portable Plus Phonograph
• Half-scale wooden model of the APH Portable Plus Talking Book Machine; hand carved; painted gray with silver used for aluminum trim; applied black wooden carrying handle; window screening used on top for speaker grill; four black rubber feet; four bl... View Full Record
• 
• Phonograph
• 1992.10
• APH Talking Book Reproducer Model TR-1000
• TR-1000 Talking Book phonograph; charcoal gray leatherette-covered case with removable lid, nickel-plated hardware, and gray plastic carrying handle; black rubber feet on base and bright plated feet on back; solid-state transistor amplification syste... View Full Record
• 
• Mold, Phonograph Record
• 2010.11.7a-v
• Metal "stampers" for vinyl phonograph record production
• Lot of twenty-three (22) nickel/silver plated stampers (master) used for pressing 10-inch talking book records.... View Full Record
• 
• Headphone
• 1992.6.2
• Talking Book Phonograph Headphones
• Folding stereo headphones; black cotton wrapped steel head strap, nickel hardware, swivel-mounted black rubber ear pieces; black cotton-insulated wire leading to pair of nickel plated jacks; cast into earpieces, "TRIMM RADIO MFG. CO./CHICAGO, U.S.A."... View Full Record
• 
• Recorder, Audiocassette
• 1992.92
• APH-Modified GE M8355A Cassette Recorder
• Portable cassette recorder; rectangular black plastic case with aluminum faceplate on controls, aluminum speaker grill to right of cassette door, and bright aluminum/black plastic carrying handle on top; inscribed in handle, "ALT-G-00357"; ivory plas... View Full Record
• 
• Machine, Dictating
• 1992.303
• SoundScriber
• Walnut veneer wooden cabinet with vent grills on front and both sides; clear "Sound Sciber" indicator bar on top (lit from behind by an internal light bulb) shows progress of recording disk completion; black hard rubber turntable on black enameled st... View Full Record
• 
• Machine, Stamping
• 2006.19.6
• Victor Hydraulic Record Press
• Victor Hydraulic Record Press; heavy steel base with floor mounting holes, tapers up to round support base for the ram; cast in base, "MA352-26"; pipe fitting extends downward from the main support; four(4) 2.375" diameter steel posts extend up out o... View Full Record
• 
• Microphone
• 1992.292
• Western Electric 630-A "Eight-Ball" Microphone with acoustic baffle assembly
• Heavy round nickel-plated cast brass base with three tiered form, black rubber disk at base of stand pole, copper wire chase leads from base of pole to edge of base; nickel-plated brass adjustable height 2-piece pipe stand pole, thumb washer in middl... View Full Record
• 
• Phonograph
• 2011.37.1
• NLS A-74 Talking Book Machine
• Olive green plastic case with simulated leather texture, nickel plated hardware; spring green soft plastic carrying handle on front; hinged lid with two latches on front that turn to the left to open; RCA headphone jack on front right of case; green... View Full Record
• 
• Needle, Phonograph
• 2011.39
• Special "Stamper" stylus
• Phonograph stylus cartridge supported on angled polyester card within hinged clear plastic case; screened in silver on side of cartridge, "STANTON/BPS-M"; screened in silver on top of case, "S"; paper instruction sheet; square clear plastic case hing... View Full Record
• 
• Player, Audio
• 2012.18
• NLS Model DS1 Digital Talking Book Player
• Rectilinear dark charcoal gray plastic chassis with rounded edges; pull-out white plastic carrying handle on front beneath mouth of white-lined cartridge slot; round speaker grill on top, flanked by two sets of arrow buttons, left set labeled "Tone,"... View Full Record
• 
• Player, Audiocassette
• 2010.30.8
• Handi-Cassette II Recorder/Player prototype
• Fully-functional prototype of the compact audiocassette tape recorder/player. gol-painted plastic exterior with four rubber rests on the bottom corners and a black, nylon carrying strap. Located on the speaker panel: a push-button tone-indexing contr... View Full Record
• 
• Player, Audiocassette
• 2010.30.1
• Handi-Cassette II Recorder/Player prototype
• Fully-functional prototype of the compact audiocassette tape recorder/player. Silver plastic exterior with four rubber rests on the bottom corners and a black, nylon carrying strap. Located on the speaker panel: a push-button tone-indexing control, o... View Full Record
• 
• Player, Audiocassette
• 2012.30
• Telex Narrator Cassette Talking Book Player
• (a) Gray plastic chassis, square top on integral platform base; right side is curved; rounded hump on left with hollow underneath provides a carrying grip; speaker grill in top left; cassette compartment with clear window in center top; four switches... View Full Record
• 
• Player, Audio
• 2012.35
• Bookport
• Rectangular black plastic chassis; grid of 6x3 black rubber buttons on top with yellow print symbols, 0-9, A-F, *(asterisk) and #; slot for 256 MB compact flash card on right, card is present; headphone and mini-USB jacks on top; battery compartment... View Full Record
• 
• Machine, Dictating
• 2013.9abc
• Edison Voice Writer, Model 76500
• (a) Gray-brown enameled cast aluminum chassis, rectangular with rounded edges; bright aluminum trim on front of console; grillwork in upper left and upper right; jacks for microphone, power cord, and remote control on back edge; bright aluminum slide... View Full Record
• 
• Magazine, Audio
• 1992.245a-d
• The Weekly Reader Series [Sound recording.]
• Audiocassettes are dated February 1, February 8, February 15, and February 22, 1991. Each cassette includes the most current issue at that time of the following publications: Weekly Reader, Senior Weekly, Current Events, Current Science, and Know You... View Full Record
• 
• Player, Audiocassette
• 1998.22
• AC/DC rechargeable 4-track cassette tape recorder/player.
• Textured tan colored casing; retractable chrome-plated aluminum handle; black push-button controls on right with raised symbols for record, rewind, forward, play, pause, and stop; toggle switches on left for tape speed (15/16 or 1 7/8), tape side (1-... View Full Record
• 
• Player, Audiocassette
• 1994.16
• AC/DC rechargeable 4-track cassette tape recorder/player.
• Textured tan colored casing; retractable chrome-plated aluminum handle; black push-button controls on right with raised symbols for record, rewind, forward, play, pause, and stop; toggle switches on left for tape speed (15/16 or 1 7/8), tape side (1-... View Full Record
• 
• Player, Audiocassette
• 2007.16.1
• APH Modified GE M3-5192 Cassette Recorder
• Leather textured tan colored plastic casing; retractable chrome-plated aluminum handle; black push-button controls on right with raised symbols for record, rewind, forward, play, pause, and stop; toggle switches on left for tape speed (15/16 or 1 7/8... View Full Record
• 
• Player, Audiocassette
• 2007.16.2
• GE Model 3-5196B Cassette Recorder
• Leather textured gray plastic case; retractable plastic handle; black push-button controls on right with raised symbols for record, rewind, forward, play, pause, and stop; toggle switches on left for tape speed (15/16 or 1 7/8), tape side (1-2 or 3-... View Full Record
• 
• Player, Audiocassette
• 2007.16.4
• APH Panasonic Cassette Recorder
• Black plastic chassis; Manually operated cassette door, speaker grill, and AM/FM radio dial on front; microphone, volume dial, tuning dial, headphone jack, and source selector switch on top; cassette controls on left side; tape speed (15/16 and 1 7/8... View Full Record
• 
• Player, Audiocassette
• 2007.16.5
• GE Model 3-5198A Cassette Recorder
• Leather textured ivory plastic case; retractable chrome-colored plastic handle; ivory push-button controls on right with raised symbols for record, play, rewind, forward, stop, and pause; toggle switches on left for tape speed (15/16 or 1 7/8), tape... View Full Record
• 
• Player, Audiocassette
• 1992.9
• Mark 1, Clarke and Smith tape reproducer
• (.1) Mark 1 talking book reproducer; wooden case, oak faced plywood, orange finish, hinged lid, carrying handle on side; speaker grill, volume knob, and headphone jack on front of case; gold-enameled aluminum deck on top, on-off switch on left, drive... View Full Record
• 
• Print, Photographic
• 2011.40.2
• Photograph of Lou Harpenau, Marilyn Harpenau, and Tuck Tinsley at the Alexander Scourby Awards
• Glossy black-and-white photograph shows Lou Harpenau, at center, holding a 1996 Alexander Scourby Narrator of the Year Award plaque. With him are his wife, Marilyn Harpenau, and APH President Tuck Tinsley. Lou Harpenau, a narrator of talking books f... View Full Record
• 
• Print, Photographic
• 2011.40.1
• Photograph of Ray Foushee, Katie Couric and Tuck Tinsley at Alexander Scourby Awards
• Glossy black-and-white photograph shows Ray Foushee holding a 1995 Alexander Scourby Narrator of the Year Award plaque, at right. With him are Katie Couric and, at left, APH President Tuck Tinsley. Ray Foushee, a narrator of talking books for the Am... View Full Record
• 
• Print, Photographic
• 2006.53.1c-f
• Photographs from APH report, Flexible Plastic Disc Records
• Four black-and-white glossy photographs of flexible disc machinery include: hydraulic record press (.1c); hydraulic record press coupled to special power unit (.1d); hydraulic power unit, showing accumulator and variable flow control valves (.1e); an... View Full Record
• 
• Player, Audiocassette
• 2006.41.2
• APH Handi-Cassette Recorder/Player
• Handi-Cassette, GE 3-5184; charcoal plastic case with black plastic sides and black inset plate on front; chrome plated aluminum buttons with raised symbols on left side: pause, stop-eject, forward, reverse, play, and record; condenser microphone wi... View Full Record
• 
• Recorder, Audiocassette
• 2015.21.3
• VCS Soundpacer C-4 Audio Cassette Recorder
• Rectangular plastic chassis, silver and brown top and brown base; speaker grill on left; smoked cassette compartment in middle, above six bright aluminum keys for stop, rewind, record, play, forward, and pause; variable speed and pitch sliders to lef... View Full Record
• 
• Book, Audio
• 2017.8.1
• Gulliver's Travels [Sound recording]
• Original metal edge cardboard mailing container and paper record sleeves included; paper label on lid of case , "MRS. F. HENDERSON/SUMNER SCHOOL/#301"; typed paper label on side of lid, "GULLIVER'S TRAVELS Swift 8 r." The first of five talking book... View Full Record
• 
• Magazine, Audio
• 1992.256a-f
• Reader's Digest [Sound recording.]
• January 1977 issue. Accession includes cardboard shipping envelope and a print copy of the issue. "Recorded in cooperation with the Reader's Digest Association, Inc." --back label. ... View Full Record
• 
• Book, Audio
• 2017.8.3
• The Spy [Sound recording]
• Red linen-bound record album, 26 paper sleeves, secured at spine with two post screws, embossed in silver foil on spine, "The Spy/Cooper/Recording/American Printing House for the Blind/Louisville, Ky", stamped in blue "Minneapolis Public Schools/Sigh... View Full Record
• 
• Book, Audio
• 1992.394a-ad
• Holy Bible [Sound recording]
• The Complete New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. With original comb-bound album. Album cover is crimson with gold-stamped lettering that reads "Holy Bible, The Complete New Testament, Catholic Edition." Title page includes the followin... View Full Record
• 
• Phonograph
• 2018.30
• A-1 Talking Book Machine
• Yellow plastic case with faux leather finish, with removable hinged lid, speaker is stored in lid with wire running into back of base; lid has spring-loaded latch in front center; cast into lid, "National Library Service/for the Blind and/Physically... View Full Record

Images courtesy of the Museum of the American Printing House for the Blind. Note: use of some materials may be restricted, please call 502-899-2364 before publishing in any format.