Koenigsberg Phonograph Collection Auction on Jul 30, 2026 by Donley Auctions in IL
Koenigsberg Phonograph Collection Auction
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Union, IL, United States
Auction Details

Koenigsberg Phonograph Collection Auction

Donley Auctions

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You are invited to explore a curated journey through the birth of sound reproduction. This exclusive catalog chronicles the frantic, brilliant innovation of the late 19th century, centering on the profound legacy of Allen Koenigsberg?a titan of phonograph history whose dedicated curation brought these treasures to light. The offerings in the Koenigsberg Collection Auction are nothing short of monumental, featuring the centerpiece Phonautograph, widely believed to be the only Koenig model in private hands. Beyond this rare scientific marvel, the auction encompasses a rich array of items, including high-quality replicas of early Edison prototypes, rare cabinet card photographs capturing pivotal moments in inventor Thomas Edison?s career, and intricate steel engravings that immortalized the "Wizard of Menlo Park" during his rise to global fame. You will also find historically significant document clippings and publications that detail the very first public unveilings of the "talking phonograph." By participating in this event, you are preserving the legacy of an esteemed historian and securing items that are largely absent from private ownership, often found only in the hallowed halls of major institutions.
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Phonautograph: French typographer Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville (1817-79) invented the Phonautograph, a machine to make a visual record of sound waves traveling through the air. First patented in 1857
3000: PhonautographEst.
$50,000
-
$1,000,000
$25,000
Edison Prototype Tinfoil Phonograph Replica: This is the Edison prototype phonograph often referred to as the " Kruesi" model after Edison's machinist John Kruesi (1843-1899). Edison gave Kruesi a crude sketch of the machine which would soon
3001: Edison Prototype Tinfoil Phonograph ReplicaEst.
$2,000
-
$100,000
$1,000
Matthew Brady Cabinet Card of Thomas Edison: This photograph was taken on April 18, 1878, at the Washington, D.C. studio of legendary photographer Mathew Brady. The photograph captures inventor Thomas Edison, his primary laboratory assistant
3003: Matthew Brady Cabinet Card of Thomas EdisonEst.
$5,000
-
$100,000
$2,500
1878 Engraving of T.A. Edison by J.J. Cade: A 1878 original steel engraving of Thomas Alva Edison and his tinfoil phonograph, custom-made for publication in The Eclectic Magazine of Foreign Literature, Science, and Art by J.J. Cade of New
3004: 1878 Engraving of T.A. Edison by J.J. CadeEst.
$400
-
$10,000
$200
Historic 1887 Letter to Uriah H. Painter: A hand typed letter dated Washington D.C. Aug. 25, 1887 to Uriah Painter from James R. Ash. Ash served as the Chief of the Division of Correspondence for the United States Post Office Department in
3005: Historic 1887 Letter to Uriah H. PainterEst.
$1,000
-
$100,000
$500
PHONOGRAPH Original 1878 Sheet Music: Original sheet music for Phonograph (March Brillante) by Charles D. Blake published in 1878 by the White, Smith & Company in Boston. It stands as one of the very first pieces of sheet music
3006: PHONOGRAPH Original 1878 Sheet MusicEst.
$500
-
$100,000
$250
1878 Phonograph Invention Announcement: Framed and matted Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper article about "Professor" Edison's new invention, The Phonograph. Includes the front page banner, an engraving showing Edison demonstrating his
3007: 1878 Phonograph Invention AnnouncementEst.
$200
-
$10,000
$100
The Song of Mr. Phonograph 1878 Sheet Music: Original sheet music for, "The Song of Mr. Phonograph published in 1878. In good condition with a brown vertical stain in the middle of the publication. Matted and framed under glass and comes with a
3008: The Song of Mr. Phonograph 1878 Sheet MusicEst.
$200
-
$100,000
$100
Max Kohl 1878 Tinfoil Phonograph: Rare,1878 demonstration tinfoil phonograph made by Max Kohl, Chemintz Germany. Machine has a cast iron base with a massive flywheel and wood crank handle. The machined upper mechanism has a grooved
3010: Max Kohl 1878 Tinfoil PhonographEst.
$50,000
-
$1,000,000
$25,000
1878 Announcement of Edison's Phonograph: Framed and matted under glass announcement of the invention of the phonograph from the March 30, 1878 issue of Harper's Weekly. Includes a full page engraving and a 2 column story. In VG original
3010A: 1878 Announcement of Edison's PhonographEst.
$200
-
$10,000
$100
T.A. Edison Hand Colored Engraving by A.H. Ritchie: An 1880’s portrait engraving of Thomas Alva Edison created by the prominent Scottish-American engraver and painter Alexander Hay Ritchie (A.H. Ritchie). It features Thomas Edison as a young man
3011: T.A. Edison Hand Colored Engraving by A.H. RitchieEst.
$1,000
-
$100,000
$250
Edison Phonograph Prints Lot (6): This exceptional collection of six original 19th-century illustrated newspaper pages documents the historic evolution of Thomas Edison’s phonograph and acoustic inventions, featuring original
3012: Edison Phonograph Prints Lot (6)Est.
$100
-
$10,000
$50
1890 Souvenir Program of Edison & His Inventions: Souvenir program from the 1890 Electrical Exhibition. The 1890 Electrical Exhibition at the Lenox Lyceum was a major cultural and technological milestone that successfully repackaged Thomas Edison's
3013: 1890 Souvenir Program of Edison & His InventionsEst.
$200
-
$10,000
$100
Edison Talking Doll: The talking doll took Edison 12 years to develop, 17 patents, huge sums of money and when they were released in January of 1890, Edison’s dolls were a flop; production lasted only six weeks.
3014: Edison Talking DollEst.
$4,000
-
$100,000
$2,000
Edison Talking Doll Phonograph Mechanism: Extremely rare phonograph mechanism from an Edison Talking Doll. It is complete and turns easily but there is no crank. The original leather belt is present but broken. There is no wax record on the
3015: Edison Talking Doll Phonograph MechanismEst.
$2,000
-
$100,000
$1,000
Edison Phonographs Stock Certificate: This unissued capital stock certificate for Edison Phonographs, Ltd., incorporated under the laws of New Jersey, serves as an exceptional piece of early sound-reproduction history and early
3016: Edison Phonographs Stock CertificateEst.
$100
-
$10,000
$50
1880 Pen & Ink Thomas Edison Sketch Autographed: Framed and matted under glass pen & ink sketch of Thomas A. Edison circa 1880 by Samuel D. Mott whose was one of the Edison Pioneers working alongside Edison in the early years of Edison's career.
3017: 1880 Pen & Ink Thomas Edison Sketch AutographedEst.
$3,000
-
$100,000
$1,500
1880's Engraving of Thomas Edison: 1880's engraved portrait of Thomas Edison. Artist signed with initials. In overall VG condition with a vertical line running through Edison's left eye. It is not known whether it is a flaw in the
3018: 1880's Engraving of Thomas EdisonEst.
$100
-
$100,000
$50
Edison Class M or E Phonograph Project Machine: Edison Class M or E phonograph for parts or rebuild. Has a good cabinet with both the parts and the shaving drawers. Bedplate has most of the parts including both ID tags but it has a broken belt
3019: Edison Class M or E Phonograph Project MachineEst.
$5,000
-
$100,000
$2,500
Grenet Cell Early Battery: The Grenet cell is a single-liquid electrical battery invented in 1842 by German physicist Johann Christian Poggendorff and patented by Eugene Grenet Jr. in 1859. It was widely used for laboratory
3019A: Grenet Cell Early BatteryEst.
$500
-
$10,000
$250
Thomas Edison Ephemera & Prints Lot: As an avid collector of historical ephemera and early technology pieces, I find this two-piece lot featuring Thomas Alva Edison and his groundbreaking phonograph particularly compelling. The first
3020: Thomas Edison Ephemera & Prints LotEst.
$50
-
$1,000
$25
1887 Photograph of Thomas A. Edison: 1887 cabinet card of a young Thomas Edison by New York photographer Benjamin Falk. Benjamin J. Falk of New York City was a highly prominent, 19th and early 20th-century celebrity photographer who
3021: 1887 Photograph of Thomas A. EdisonEst.
$1,000
-
$100,000
$500